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HECHO August Newsletter

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Hello,

As the summer draws to a close and students head back to school, the dog days can be seen as a time of significant positive signs, beginning, of course, with the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act (see the main feature). This sweeping piece of legislation signals a strong step forward in the battle against climate change.

  • HECHO continues to monitor and advocate for the Colorado Water Plan, but also played co-host to the 2nd Colorado Water Education Night.
  • HECHO National Policy and Advocacy Manager José Gaona recently visited New Mexico, meeting with the state’s Senior Field Coordinator Max Trujillo to tour the areas that were devastated by the state’s largest wildfire. See José’s blog here.
  • San Miguel County Commissioner Janice Varela, a member of HECHO’s Hispanic Conservation Leadership Council discussed the importance of the New Mexico Water Quality Control Commission designation of the Pecos River and many of its tributaries as Outstanding National Resource Waters. See her blog on the matter here.
  • While on the New Mexico theme, Santa Fe City Councilors Carol Romero-Wirth (an HECHO HCLC member), and Renee Villarreal published an op-ed in the Santa Fe New Mexican looking at the Caja del Rio and the council’s decision to join other organizations in seeking greater protections and oversight of the area.
  • In Arizona, we’re still working hard to pass legilsation to protect the Grand Canyon watershed from uranium mining. This issue needs to be resolved in a manner that will protect one of the world’s special places. See more here.
  • Internally at HECHO, there are some big changes afoot as Daniela Zavala has been brought on as Communications Director and Gabriel García-Contreras as the new Communications Coordinator. See their stories here. And while browsing the website, look for new updates on the site, particularly for members of the Hispanic Conservation Leadership Council, as there has been quite a bit more activity and information posted. See more information here.

Thanks,
Camilla Simon
Executive Director

Celebrating the Passage of Historic Climate Law
The Inflation Reduction Act has officially been signed into law. HECHO applauds everyone who helped bring this legislation to fruition. The law will invest approximately $300 billion in Deficit Reduction and $369 billion in Energy Security and Climate Change programs over the next ten years.

The legislation invests in a more aggressive transition to renewable energy, while offering families of different income levels the opportunity to transition to electric appliances, make electric vehicles more affordable and offer tax deductions for residential solar energy. In addition to these critical investments, HECHO also supports the following climate provisions included in this bill:

  • Support for rural electric co-operatives to transition to clean energy; 
  • Investments for climate-smart forestry to improve carbon sequestration;
  • Clean energy tax credits for residential rooftop solar and heat pumps; 
  • Expanded electric vehicle tax credits for consumers and
  • Funds to benefit low-income communities installing rooftop solar 

Hear HECHO Executive Director Camilla Simon and Policy DirectorJosé Gaona discuss what it means for the country by clicking the link below.

Watch Here

ICYMI

HECHO in the Community

HECHO has been busy! This past month, our team attended a variety of events supporting our communities and local efforts to conserve our lands and waters. Max Trujillo, HECHO’s Senior New Mexico Field Coordinator, attended the kick off event for the Caja del Rio Coalition (of which HECHO is a member) to highlight efforts for greater protection of this important landscape. He was joined by Senator Martin Heinrich (D, N.M.) and Representative Teresa Leger Fernández (D, N.M.), as well as local lawmakers. HECHO’s Colorado Field Coordinator, Breanna González recently co-hosted an event with the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership (TRCP) to discuss water solutions in Colorado. The following day, she joined Environmental Learning for Kids (ELK) for fishing and watershed learning.

Our Team is Growing

Over the past year, HECHO’s team has been growing exponentially and we are happy to announce that we have hired a new communications team to further strategize on how we can use the HECHO platform to further the conservation of our public lands and waters. Daniela Zavala, HECHO’s Communications Director, is a journalist that is coming to HECHO from Univision Arizona and Daniela is excited to protect public lands, promote climate justice, and to inspire more Latinos to get outdoors and involved with Conservation. Gabriel García-Contreras, HECHO’s Communications Coordinator, is coming to HECHO with experience in the corporate, government, and non-profit industries. Gabriel wants to see Latinos and Hispanics at the forefront of environmental policy. Get to know Daniela and Gabriel by clicking here.

Resources & Opportunities

HECHO receives wonderful engagement opportunities that we’d like to share with our readers. If an opportunity speaks to you, click the link to learn more. 

  •  The Caja del Rio Coalition is seeking more people to get involved, whether in hands-on matters like clean-up days, or simply spreading the word of the importance protecting the area. The point is to get involved. Click here to get more involved.
  • The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) and U.S. Forest Service (USFS) are recruiting new members for the Pacific Northwest National Scenic Trail Advisory Council to begin meeting this fall. The Pacific Northwest National Scenic Trail is a 1,200-mile route for hiking and other non-motorized recreation from the Continental Divide to the Pacific Ocean, in Montana, Idaho and Washington. Members may be from anywhere in the U.S., not just these three states. To apply, submit:
    • Completed and signed form AD-755
    • Brief resume
    • Brief cover letter highlighting why the applicant is interested in the council and which stakeholder interest(s) the applicant could represent
    • If applying to represent a particular organization or government agency, a brief email or letter of endorsement from that organization/agency. This may be sent separately. Materials may be submitted by email (becky.blanchard@usda.gov) or mail (Becky Blanchard, USDA Forest Service Pacific Northwest Region, 1220 SW 3rd Avenue, Suite 1700, Portland, OR 97204).

Thanks for reading!

And thanks for being part of the HECHO community. Together we can elevate Hispanic voices in public lands policy.
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