Excellent credentials as an environmentalist and more

Iam a lifetime member of the Sierra Club and have been on the executive committee of the Rio Grande Chapter and chairman of my local Pajarito Group. I am a member of at least 15 other national and local environmental groups, and have served two terms on the Los Alamos County Environmental Sustainability Board. Environmental issues are extremely important to me, and I could not support a candidate who did not share these values.

Stephanie Garcia Richard was endorsed by the Sierra Club and by Conservation Voters of New Mexico in her legislative campaigns in 2010, 2012, 2014 and 2016. While in the Legislature, she has been a strong environmental champion. A couple of items chosen from a longer list: Garcia Richard voted to end coyote killing contests (2013, House Bill 316), and voted against closing access to public streams (2015, Senate Bill 226) and successfully sponsored a clean water amendment to the House version of this bill. She has worked against fracking in Chaco Canyon and Sandoval County, and has served as a member of the Nuestro Río Regional Water Caucus, working to restore health and funding to damaged watersheds and acequias.

In addition to her excellent credentials as an environmentalist, I am impressed by Stephanie’s strong track record as an effective legislator. Her familiarity with legislators and knowledge of the legislative process will be of immense value in obtaining needed legislative support for State Land Office goals. And, of course, her background as an educator will serve her well as head of an agency whose mission is to provide funding for New Mexico education.

I strongly support her for this position, and urge you to carefully examine her positions and credentials. If you do, I suspect you will join me in voting for Stephanie Garcia Richard for state land commissioner.

Mark Jones lives in Los Alamos.