HOUSE JOINT MEMORIAL 44

47th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - second session, 2006

INTRODUCED BY

Harriet I. Ruiz

A JOINT MEMORIAL

AFFIRMING THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO'S COMMITMENT TO HEALTHY COMMUNITIES AND PUBLIC PARTICIPATION AND REQUESTING THAT THE DEPARTMENTS OF HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENT WORK COOPERATIVELY TO FULFILL THIS COMMITMENT.

     WHEREAS, the state of New Mexico is committed to healthy communities for all of its residents; and

     WHEREAS, environmental degradation poses risks to public health; and

     WHEREAS, communities are particularly at risk from environmental degradation due to the existing and threatened contamination of scarce resources, especially ground water; and

     WHEREAS, environmental degradation and public health problems tend to be concentrated in communities without political power and resources, especially minority and low-income communities; and

     WHEREAS, some communities are subject to an overconcentration of polluting and risk-producing practices that degrade the environment, and those practices have cumulative effects; and

     WHEREAS, the state is committed to effective participation by all of its residents in the environmental decision-making processes that affect their lives and their communities; and

     WHEREAS, the department of health and the department of environment have recognized that state agencies that protect the public health, safety and welfare need to collaborate more effectively to address the issues of healthy communities and public participation in environmental decision-making; and

     WHEREAS, the federal government has underscored the importance of healthy communities and of participation by all people in environmental decision-making processes by the promulgation of United States Executive Order 12898 and the creation of the national environmental justice advisory council; and

     WHEREAS, Governor Bill Richardson has underscored the importance of healthy communities and more meaningful public participation in environmental decision-making by promulgating New Mexico Executive Order EO-05-056;

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the department of health and the department of environment be requested to jointly review their functions, operations and work as well as the constitutional provisions, statutes, regulations and programs that the departments administer to determine:

          A. the extent to which each department's work, constitutional provisions, statutes, regulations and programs serve to promote healthy communities and meaningful public participation in environmental decision-making, particularly in minority and low-income communities;

          B. the changes in each department's work, constitutional provisions, statutes, regulations and programs that would be required for the department to more effectively promote healthy communities and meaningful public participation, particularly in minority and low-income communities; and

          C. the changes in each department's work, constitutional provisions, statutes, regulations and programs that would be required for the two departments to work cooperatively on the issues of environmental degradation and public health and of public participation in environmental decision-making, particularly in minority and low-income communities; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the departments of health and environment report on their joint findings and their work to the appropriate interim legislative committee no later than August 31, 2006; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be transmitted to the governor, the secretary of health and the secretary of environment.

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