Kirtland AFB & Jet Fuel Plume Threatening ABQ’s Drinking Water; ABQ City Officials & APD-New Citizen Outreach; Creating Industry Hubs Around Sectors & “Innovate ABQ”; Proposed Plan: UNM & Flat-Rate Tuition

This week on New Mexico in Focus, the officials with Kirtland Air Force Base in Albuquerque are under pressure from state and local officials to accelerate cleanup of a jet fuel plume that is threatening the city’s drinking water. Correspondent Floyd Vasquez talks to Dave McCoy with Citizen Action, which has been highly critical of efforts by the Air Force. In a second segment, he also speaks with Tom Blaine of the New Mexico Environment Department, Col. Jeff Lanning of Kirtland AFB, Bernalillo County Commissioner Maggie Hart Stebbins and Bruce Thomson, research professor in civil engineering at the University of New Mexico.

The Line opinion panel discusses new outreach efforts by Albuquerque city officials to involve citizens in the reform efforts around the Albuquerque Police Department. This week the city council approved the plan, and they also narrowly approved more money for the lead negotiator with the Department of Justice, Ohio attorney Scott Greenwood.

The Line also looks at creating industry hubs around industry sectors such as photonics, aviation and drones in order to boost the state’s economy, and the potential for a new business hub through Innovate ABQ.

The group will also look at a proposed plan by UNM to implement flat-rate tuition for certain students. University officials are hoping this will help boost the four-year graduation rate, which is currently at 15.8 percent. Several other states have adopted the idea, although with different models of implementation.

GUESTS:
Tom Blaine, Director, Environmental Health Division, New Mexico Environment Department
Col. Jeff Lanning, Kirtland Air Force Base
Dave McCoy, Citizen Action
Maggie Hart Stebbins, Bernalillo County Commissioner
Bruce Thomson, Research Professor of Civil Engineering, University of New Mexico

LINE GUEST PANELISTS
Rachel Sams, Editor, Albuquerque Business First

LINE PANELISTS:
Tom Garrity, The Garrity Group
Sophie Martin, Attorney
Laura Sanchez-Rivét, Sanchez Legal Solutions

CORRESPONDENT:
Floyd Vasquez, NMiF Correspondent

HOST/COMMENTATOR:
Gene Grant

The Producer of NEW MEXICO IN FOCUS is Megan Kamerick. Associate Producer is Kathy Wimmer. Funding for this program was provided in part by the McCune Foundation.

Episode 751 for air June 20, 2014

Additional resources for this week’s show:

News stories by John Fleck

* State officials complain about latest cleanup plan

* State officials reject plan for spill cleanup

* Water utility authority dissatisfied with Kirtland cleanup approach

* Kirtland pressured for better response to contaminated groundwater

* Website for Citizen Action New Mexico

* Kirtland AFB Website on jet fuel remediation

* NewsHour piece on Kirtland fuel spill

* Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water Utility Authority resolution on EDB

* New Mexico Environment Department resource page on Kirtland fuel spill