Take Action To Protect Clean Water
Stand With People, Not Polluters
Events
May 19th NMED Hearing
A public hearing on Bishops Lodge Resort’s permit to discharge took place and Hearing Officer Orth’s decision was expected within 60 days of the hearing, but has been put on hold by the Supreme Court of New Mexico.
Hearing Recording: Day 1
Hearing Recording Day 2, Part 1
Hearing Recording Day 2, Part 2
Get Involved
Protect Tesuque is powered by people. Here’s how you can help protect our clean water supply from contaminated wastewater discharged from the illegal treatment plan at the Bishop’s Lodge Resort.
Spread the Word so others know about the threat
There are many ways to get the word out! Whether it’s a conversation with neighbors and family, creating and/or sharing our website and social media posts (Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube), contacting the press, forwarding our newsletter, calling your contacts, or going door to door, sharing accurate information builds our movement. Talk to everyone who cares about clean water, about what’s happening, why it matters, and how people can help.
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4 Key Concerns:
1. No Mention of Ban on Hazardous Waste
The permit should ban all hazardous waste discharges—and revoke the permit if any are found.
2. No Procedure for Testing of What is in the Wastewater
The permit doesn’t require any testing of the wastewater—not before treatment and not after. We are asking for mandatory, full-spectrum testing of both untreated and treated wastewater.
3. No Impact Study of 30,000 Gallons of Discharge on Aquifers or Soils
NMED has not studied how this will affect our soil, water, or downstream wells. We demand competent, comprehensive hydro-geologic assessment, based on soils sampling and hydraulic testing, of the impact discharge of 30,000 gallons per day of effluent can have on the quality of Tesuque’s water.
4. An Inadequate Monitoring Plan
The Resort’s proposed monitoring plan fails to detect the presence of a vast array of contaminants and shifts the burden of detecting any pollution and any associated risk of contamination to downstream neighbors.
Write a Letter or Story
Submit an op-ed, letter to the editor, articles, etc. to a local newspaper, our newsletter, and share your voice on social media. Why does this fight matter to you? Your story is important -personal stories build connection and strengthen our collective voice.
Donate to Protect Tesuque
Our legal and advocacy work is 100% funded by the community. Every dollar goes toward expert testimony, legal fees, public outreach, education and more.
Contact Decision-Makers
Email and call NMED, your County Commissioner, and state legislators. Tell them you expect laws to be enforced and Tesuque’s water to be protected. Need some assistance? Here are some template letters to help you craft your own:
Attend Our Monthly Community Meetings
Attend our monthly meetings at Tesuque Elementary School Gym, where we share updates, discuss strategy and next steps, and hear from experts and fellow community members. Everyone is welcome and encouraged to participate and bring ideas. Check our website periodically for scheduled meeting dates and or subscribe to our email list to receive announcements like this.
This is your watershed. This is your fight. Let’s protect clean water —together.
Our Goals
Stop The Dumping
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Stop Bishop’s Lodge, Auberge Resorts and the Bishop’s Lodge Hills and Villas from contaminating our drinking water.
Protect Our Water
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Ensure immediate adoption of an environmentally sound solution for the disposal of the sewage generated by the Resort and the Hills and Villas.
Ensure Our Future
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Secure prompt adoption and enforcement by County and State governments of suitable sewage and waste disposal regulations to protect the quality and viability of Tesuque Basin’s drinking water, acequias and ecosystem.