[{"_1":2,"_124":-5,"_125":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100,112],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6494855,"mediaKeyId","5618161-8e07804f63d79ee1bce869c43f2f89b3","parentId",5618161,"title","Votes at a glance: Environmental Sustainability Board approves agenda and July minutes","audioSeconds",80,"startMs",115000,"endMs",195000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5618161-8e07804f63d79ee1bce869c43f2f89b3&start=115&end=195","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5618161-8e07804f63d79ee1bce869c43f2f89b3/thumbnail_115000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6494855/New-Mexico/Votes-at-a-glance-Environmental-Sustainability-Board-approves-agenda-and-July-minutes","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6494855-876387d5918b51f86d2210695fc2f161/orig.mp4?Expires=1770434560&Signature=caIu5RE3FIIiQnC8AH9nI0gPbXI9kj1r3wSc3m6QLN-81G0hdwFUWxz4yVIM4BdDhY6gFdzdBUHM50IaYkvDDmAEbKLIjGGo8DKKnWYy0XgKYFT3-BndLXDApnIuODzErFZSQp3AnC2~EzKJXjM-KIXn9anU4GcMs2kJ9dl67P2xapFTd4awa6KwADiheOMduUs5H2jX3g~P0x38EFEuQUW9yK9rwS9gRs9F~f-pq4yhuNrLAPzbeyDlu9r0jkDeFPH3q0TrKsJ9y3JOacYnMukxGkBqEOdBA9VQlY8G-FqBk25qXrkQKbkSFqoT1Nf37Pkj7VBK2CnRbfI1l20f-g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Los Alamos County","date","2025-08-21T00:00:00Z","article","At the start of the Aug. 21 Environmental Sustainability Board meeting, members moved and unanimously approved the evening's agenda and the minutes from the July 17, 2025 ESB meeting.

A motion to approve the Aug. 21 agenda was moved during agenda item 3; the motion was seconded and passed by verbal assent from members in the meeting and online. The board then moved to agenda item 4 and approved the minutes of the July 17, 2025 meeting by motion, second and verbal assent.

The meeting record shows roll-call-style verbal yes responses from the members present in chambers and online. No amendments or objections to either procedural motion were recorded in the transcript.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Los Alamos County - Environmental Sustainability Board on 2025-08-21 5:30 PM","oneSentenceSummary","The Environmental Sustainability Board on Aug. 21 unanimously approved that evening's agenda and the minutes from the July 17, 2025 meeting; motions were moved and seconded and passed by verbal assent from members present.","taxTitle","Los Alamos, New Mexico","taxId",51137,"location","New Mexico","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6494858,"Board of Public Utilities update: Rio Chama hydro facilities producing well below capacity amid drought and El Vado repairs",190,4836000,5026000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5618161-8e07804f63d79ee1bce869c43f2f89b3&start=4836&end=5026","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5618161-8e07804f63d79ee1bce869c43f2f89b3/thumbnail_4836000.jpg","/articles/6494858/New-Mexico/Board-of-Public-Utilities-update-Rio-Chama-hydro-facilities-producing-well-below-capacity-amid-drought-and-El-Vado-repairs","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6494858-cee2f3bb915ae80b2028866ab9ca9fab/orig.mp4?Expires=1770434560&Signature=l0s3scwCS9COS4O2Ao5G8SONaAAvjmsVZaFQQsA2-HkZzKRZ8hMGajmKP4~wNMwFLf8zWlKjWlFtaGeDFANyDF4JnL2Rcn8heCy-LKll5pbr4wxBq6igHTjQ34hgfxoy8aHZPToxRk33TpsD2okrwKYE1udHuiS6nyRHL4NKnPqVflBwswJBmQRmx6C9jeIVuSjEG148zIFPj4rXyU~2hNjm5fbi-tVsd0aiYyHMlMNoAjymw8fKnkssrMI5mJfNeMKoehoeLzvxtmuZLIfI6uC2bEBcIuCMUvwTlwd05eKzT9dcAes9RN4yIEvWyv3l20SZUTrNwcytYeEq1vlSiw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Sue Barnes, the Environmental Sustainability Board member who attended recent Board of Public Utilities meetings, told the Environmental Sustainability Board on Aug. 21 that the county's two hydroelectric facilities on the Rio Chama together can produce about 26 megawatts at maximum, but current output is sharply reduced.

Barnes said the El Vado Lake dam is undergoing work that requires drawing down the lake, which limits turbine flow; she reported the El Vado facility was producing about 2 megawatts on weekends and Abiquiu about 1.3 megawatts. Barnes attributed the reduced output primarily to drought and low snowpack, noting last winter's snowpack was roughly 46 percent of normal and total precipitation for the year about 76 percent of average.

Barnes said both plants remain operable and that ongoing equipment and maintenance improvements are planned. She noted the facilities, built in the late 1980s, provide carbon-free electricity when water is available and that the county also receives some carbon-free hydro power through the Western Area Power Administration (WAPA).

She encouraged residents to take guided tours when available, saying staff sometimes provide tours by request. Barnes said dam repairs at El Vado will take several years and that water availability remains the principal constraint on generation.

Board members asked for more detail on operations and were reminded that generation depends on hydrology, not only mechanical condition; Barnes emphasized that the county intends to maintain the facilities while acknowledging long-term hydrologic uncertainty.","Board of Public Utilities liaison Sue Barnes reported that the county's two hydroelectric facilities on the Rio Chama can produce up to about 26 megawatts but are producing only small amounts now because of drought and dam repairs at El Vado; last winter's snowpack was roughly 46% of normal.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6494861,"County moves to add six Level 2 chargers at municipal building; receives grant for two DC fast chargers at Mesa Public Library",123,6230000,6353000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5618161-8e07804f63d79ee1bce869c43f2f89b3&start=6230&end=6353","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5618161-8e07804f63d79ee1bce869c43f2f89b3/thumbnail_6230000.jpg","/articles/6494861/New-Mexico/County-moves-to-add-six-Level-2-chargers-at-municipal-building-receives-grant-for-two-DC-fast-chargers-at-Mesa-Public-Library","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6494861-6f621d99532616984f06feb7fc506928/orig.mp4?Expires=1770434560&Signature=B8UOpZbgIjBdvD9aCsqXK1olY5AZlTbGZPPbVUUP~auQqlDz~D8VmqpPS3UaE8ykyHMFbIfxWaAloyKfumuzba9Gdh9a2fRXk7IF1918rVm5MFbYCJFUETBLnuYUjkT3g9yfRv0IIBzHeKkZOvCyi~L0LrktX0H~cfPT9JNN79IaseSZSpeNMH54F0crKjraQfFqtCw1rbW4YbOSu1BDcIbG-pthUjR-TxrD6qjZjDY2Wy1PTSNgMd6MgTYv-D2p75j~szy9hlIMmGVyE~Hz9IWm7Th1GEWkqXfNjSF6JP~zdkXZ0G2SeTkz6KJeOdxZJCpbJ8NVxpqxMZdGLzYtHA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Los Alamos County staff reported at the Environmental Sustainability Board meeting Aug. 21 that county council approved installation of six new Level 2 electric vehicle chargers at the municipal building and that staff has begun permitting and procurement steps.

The planned Level 2 chargers will be installed facing Irish Street to align with existing charging infrastructure; staff said final timing will depend on equipment lead times and permitting. When the new chargers are operating, county staff said they plan to remove and recycle older chargers currently located in the center median.

Staff also said the county was awarded a New Mexico Department of Transportation and Design & Construction (NMDOTDC) fast-charging grant to fund two DC fast chargers at Mesa Public Library. The grant award requires formal acceptance by county council before work begins; staff said the next administrative step is presenting the award acceptance to council.

Separately, the county is completing a community-wide EV charging study that will produce charger siting heat maps and adoption forecasts. Staff said a draft of that study will be available in October, followed by public meetings and an ESB review before presentation to the Board of Public Utilities and county council.

Board members and staff discussed outreach and phasing: staff noted that charger siting considers feeder capacity and projected demand, and that education and permitting are part of a staged implementation plan.","Staff reported county council approved installing six Level 2 chargers at the municipal building pending permitting and procurement; the county also received an NMDOTDC fast-charging grant to install two DC fast chargers at Mesa Public Library, which will go to council for acceptance.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6494864,"County staff recaps Rewiring America \"energy coach\" training and outlines electrification steps for homeowners",1687,3115000,4802000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5618161-8e07804f63d79ee1bce869c43f2f89b3&start=3115&end=4802","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5618161-8e07804f63d79ee1bce869c43f2f89b3/thumbnail_3115000.jpg","/articles/6494864/New-Mexico/County-staff-recaps-Rewiring-America-energy-coach-training-and-outlines-electrification-steps-for-homeowners","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6494864-5e24f7109deb1097e058a6d5dc8083c1/orig.mp4?Expires=1770434560&Signature=aze9A7ADn-ihWcBXlsduDeBrFv65pd2xoSIv169edglsEmK~0qy7xzIyPLOwdC4-8x64vbzWL52Ekull2yP9tEIHY0CYtZPRYkk4GWVqgyvzgr0sU5XStYhT-s~AFgGSusl-NPqHRUhLartkKVz5RPsPwAW4ohKW8okhJrwsmKgJs2l-zLp3O5dUXhCmKxdVTmNGEpkE0OjQijxbJHERq64r9~vKEJVig~z0hy~ovsNL0B7zWNrilOIRkv9FSTUShh3qQ2PXSFv1vembR6VMoXMe7GBgzk4Y6fSt~CzFe~EVxqd7PFis~KgXvV3PlinDh8Y5EFqhksnGXta3Zcm7GA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Angelica, a Los Alamos County staff member and participant in Rewiring America's Energy Coach Program, gave a capstone presentation to the Environmental Sustainability Board on Aug. 21 describing the program and practical steps residents can take to electrify homes.

\"Weatherization is actually the goal of your home. That's number 1,\" Angelica said, recommending air sealing, attic and basement insulation, and targeted DIY measures (caulking, door sweeps and taped duct connections) before electrification equipment is installed.

She outlined an electrification pathway: determine a household's electricity baseline (panel amperage), reduce heating and cooling loads with weatherization, then replace aging equipment at end-of-life with heat pumps and other electric systems. Angelica said many homes built after the 1980s have 200-amp panels but warned that panel upgrades can cost up to $20,000 and that some households can adopt electrification on 100-amp panels using load-management strategies.

Angelica described heat pumps as \"3 to 5 times more efficient than electric-resistance equivalents,\" said cold-climate heat pumps are available now, and noted that heat pumps are often recommended when existing heating or cooling equipment reaches end of life. She described multi-zone ductless mini-splits as flexible options for mixed housing types.

She reviewed several federal incentives discussed in the course: the new clean vehicle credit (up to $7,500 transferable to a dealer), a used-EV credit (up to $4,000), a 30 percent tax credit for residential efficiency and electrification upgrades (capped at roughly $3,200 per year), and a 30 percent tax credit for solar and battery equipment (installation must be in service before Dec. 31). She also noted a tax credit of up to $1,000 for home EV chargers limited by geography and income criteria and that some credits have specific placement deadlines.

Angelica described her own recently built, all-electric home with hybrid heat-pump water heating, mini-split heat pumps and an electric range. She said her monthly electricity bills in 2024 ranged from about $105 to $200 and that weatherization and equipment choice substantially affect household energy use.

Board members asked whether more community members could be certified as energy coaches or whether the county could host public education. Angelica and other board members supported offering webinars or public workshops and suggested partnering with the Nature Center and library resources (for example, a thermal camera in the Library of Things) for outreach.

Angelica recommended energy audits (blower-door tests and Manual J calculations) when deeper retrofits are under consideration, and urged residents to plan retrofits ahead of equipment end-of-life to make electrification decisions at replacement time rather than as emergency swaps.","Angelica, a county staffer and newly certified Rewiring America energy coach, summarized home electrification pathways: start with weatherization, consider heat pumps, check panel capacity, and note federal tax credits and timelines.",{"_33":113,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":114,"_41":115,"_43":116,"_45":117,"_47":118,"_49":119,"_51":120,"_53":121,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":122,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":123,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6494867,"Bicycle working group urges intersection redesigns, continuous protected lanes to raise ridership",1365,326000,1691000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5618161-8e07804f63d79ee1bce869c43f2f89b3&start=326&end=1691","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5618161-8e07804f63d79ee1bce869c43f2f89b3/thumbnail_326000.jpg","/articles/6494867/New-Mexico/Bicycle-working-group-urges-intersection-redesigns-continuous-protected-lanes-to-raise-ridership","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6494867-9600e6b0f227842360e81d1285bd3ff1/orig.mp4?Expires=1770434560&Signature=iupdM3N7nXThh10pljL9F1V8lB6ATLYljuJiRJrN2S9fBrY1A3Et87uXUaanxPb50NCUw5aSbTmxl0WLYA9deF0GGZXzCFPO4Qn6O1YzsnQrRgcmYpEBwlYx5PdVqx8u9apPfaBZCpMpuV9gbu2fXD3Vxgi6V3HRZmHyIkGiB18XcpraOVeZ1rXTiE5zv1wEPCi3c4wR0-ZJKxhfaHWL8w~3EgLm6PL~3z2rAvKPRBhUkyEI0ZkVcpxlhvlqpZo6jW6uzug~zCecoxDczjsHcGpe7fTZb2iunxizYHrVLUz7L0KjW1UVHdy3rtlVBZV3s1NcmixftkVrJ-rBPE2e6g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Herman Geppert Kleinrath, presenting the Transportation Board's bicycle working group report to the Los Alamos Environmental Sustainability Board on Aug. 21, said infrastructure is the primary barrier to higher bike ridership in town and urged redesigns that prioritize safety and continuity.

\"Infrastructure makes usability,\" Geppert Kleinrath said, arguing that safe, continuous, and intuitive routes attract riders beyond the current small share of cyclists. He cited the League of American Bicyclists' most-recent figures showing Los Alamos' bicycle commuter share at 2.64 percent and said that low-quality, high-stress facilities tend to attract only risk-taking, experienced cyclists.

The working group recommended using design guidance from the National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO), adopting Vision Zero intersection principles, and increasing physical separation between people on bikes and motor vehicles where traffic speed or volume is high. Geppert Kleinrath highlighted intersection treatments that give cyclists a head start ahead of turning cars, corner hardening to slow vehicle turns, raised crossings, and smaller or mountable center islands that reduce vehicle speeds while allowing large vehicles to pass.

The report identifies specific high-priority locations, including the Canyon/Diamond intersection and stretches of Diamond and Trinity, where current bike lanes narrow or disappear. Geppert Kleinrath said interruptions such as narrow segments, parked cars on bike lanes and dangerous intersections make routes unusable for women, older adults and children. He recommended redesigning those junctions and ensuring continuity so riders are not forced to detour onto sidewalks or busy streets.

The group also proposed low-cost pilots to test concepts such as temporary modal filters and one-way conversions on Central Avenue to discourage through-traffic, and suggested pedestrianizing sections as a longer-term option after public input. Geppert Kleinrath said trials could be run for limited periods to gauge public reaction and usage.

He recommended that road projects include bicycle upgrades as part of every repaving or capital project and that the county adopt NACTO's \"Designing for All Ages and Abilities\" and intersection guidance to inform engineering decisions. The presentation also discussed speed-control techniques that change street geometry and parking patterns to lower vehicle speeds without relying solely on signed limits.

Board members asked about next steps. Geppert Kleinrath said the Transportation Board received the report and planned further internal discussion; he encouraged the Environmental Sustainability Board to consider a formal recommendation to county council to support the report's implementation.

The working group stressed education as a complement to engineering, including outreach about recent law changes (for example, New Mexico's adoption of Idaho stop rules for cyclists) and materials for drivers, cyclists and pedestrians so all road users understand revised expectations.

Any formal recommendation or design work would require engineering detail, right-of-way review and public input, the presenter said. He emphasized that many improvements can begin with incremental, reversible trials before committing to permanent reconstruction.","A volunteer working group presented a plan to boost cycling in Los Alamos, recommending continuous, separated bike lanes, intersection redesigns guided by NACTO and Vision Zero principles, and pilot trials on Central Avenue to reduce through-traffic and slow vehicles.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Votes at a glance: Environmental Sustainability Board approves agenda and July minutes

Board of Public Utilities update: Rio Chama hydro facilities producing well below capacity amid drought and El Vado repairs

County moves to add six Level 2 chargers at municipal building; receives grant for two DC fast chargers at Mesa Public Library

County staff recaps Rewiring America "energy coach" training and outlines electrification steps for homeowners

Bicycle working group urges intersection redesigns, continuous protected lanes to raise ridership