PO Box 27162,  Albuquerque, New Mexico  87125    info@nm-ipl.org   www.nm-ipl.org

May 2022

Dear Governor, Senators, Representatives and other New Mexico Leaders,

The apocalyptic winds in our region on Earth Day and the unprecedented fires threatening traditional communities, wildlife, and precious forests and watersheds are the voice of “Our Sister, Mother Earth, who sustains and governs us”, St. Francis of Assisi, Canticle of Creation. While elected civic leaders are called to govern, it is Mother Earth who governs us all.  Are we taking direction from her? Are we listening?

According to the IPCC report “B.2 Net anthropogenic GHG emissions have increased since 2010 across all major sectors globally.” In his book, Choosing Earth, a Nautilus Book Award Winner, Duane Elgin writes that the 2020’s are the last possible era for a turning point toward transformation for Our Common Home. We are well into this decade.

We just celebrated another Earth Day, but it was not a celebration. The dust, winds and devastating fires in our region that day and the recent UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report overshadowed any celebrating.  As people of faith and conscience we are finishing holy days for Jewish, Christian and Muslim peoples in which prayers for wisdom and action for Our Common Home are paramount. Each breath with smoke filled air is a prayer as devastating wildfires consume our beloved lands, communities, culture, history, and watershed. We cherish each glass of water in this drought time as we pray for rain.

We thank you for public policy that is addressing climate crisis concerns like the Energy Transition Act, new Methane Pollution rules, policies and funding for energy efficiency for low income households, and efforts to support just energy transition.

But, we feel that more needs to be done to stop the causes of climate change crisis and to move into a fossil free future with just transition that is racially and economically equitable. We must address unjust economies and climate together as we move into the future. We encourage bold measures of adaptation and mitigation legislation and funding. This letter implores you as civic leaders for continued and increased thoughtful action.

Many in our faith communities have invested in energy efficiency, solar, driving less and purchasing fuel efficient cars, as income allows. We plant trees, conserve and work on public policy advocacy and offer comments in regulatory processes for strong methane rules, greater fuel efficiency, energy efficiency for low income neighbors and more.

We need moral and ethical leadership at the civic level. We must move from reactive to proactive actions to shift from fossil fuels, transition into just energy systems, face the threat of an authoritarian world view that is preventing needed climate crisis actions and listen to creative ideas from young as well as old to slow climate pollution and increase adaptation and mitigation.

As we grow increasingly desperate and disheartened we draw upon our sacred teachings which remind us that love without action is a clanging bell. We are hearing enough bells and alarms. We need bold action.

Faith Organizations and Organizational Leaders

Sr. Joan Brown, osf, Executive Director, New Mexico & El Paso Region Interfaith Power and Light

Rev. Lynne Hinton, Conference Director of the NM Conference of Churches

Archbishop John C. Wester, Catholic Archdiocese of Santa Fe New Mexico

The Right Rev’d Michael B. Hunn, Episcopal Bishop of the Rio Grande, NM

Rev. Dr. William Lyons, Conference Minister, Southwest Conference United Church of Christ

Rt Rev David E Bailey,Epicopal Church in Navajoland, Farmington, NM

Abbot Joel P. Garner, O.Praem. Santa Maria de la Vid Abbey, Albuquerque, NM

Sr. Rose Marie Cecchini, MM, Office of Peace, Justice & Creation, Catholic Charities Gallup

Sr. Odile Coirier, fmm, Organizer Interfaith Power and Light El Paso and Southern NM Region,  El Paso, NM

Kurt Rager, Director, Lutheran Advocacy Ministry-New Mexico

Christina Spahn, D. Min., Associate Director of the St. Norbert College MTS Program in NM

Rev. Andrew Black, EarthKeepers 360 and First Presbyterian Church of Santa Fe, NM

Pastor Anne Morawski, ELCA Global Mission in Hungary

Sr. Marlene Perrotte, Sisters of Mercy/partnership for Earth Spirituality, Albuquerque, NM

Adam Horowitz, co-founder: Nuns & Nones, Taproot, Albuquerque, NM

La Mesa Presbyterian Church, Albuquerque, NM

Signed General Faith Leaders

Rev. Anita Amstutz, Albuquerque Mennonite Church, Albuquerque, NM

Samia Assed, Woman leader, Islamic Center of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM

Sister Mary Ann Azanza, RA, Chaparral NM

Rev. Virginia Bairby, Pastor, First Presbyterian Church of Taos

Tanya Barlow, NM Conference United Women in Faith VP, Albuquerque, NM

Rev. Edward Barlow, Methodist clergy, retired, Albuquerque, NM

Kevin Bean, lay leader, Creation Care Committee at St. John XXIII Catholic Community, Albuquerque, NM

Judy Bierbaum, LPCC, Reverend, Albuquerque, NM

Rev. Adam Berndt, Pastor, Cross of Hope Lutheran Church and Schools, Albuquerque, NM

Leland H. Bowen, PE (Ret.), Elder Las Placitas Presbyterian Church, Placitas, NM

Barbara Brandt, lay leader, Morning Light Sangha, Gallup, NM

Rev. Jean Campbell, St. Francis Episcopal Church, Rio Rancho, NM

Rev Vangie Chavez, Rising Sun Christian Community, Albuquerque, NM

Rabbi Paul J. Citrin, retired, Albuquerque, NM

Rev. Tiffany Curtis, Pastor, The Open Circle: A Disciples of Christ Community, Santa Fe NM

Rev. Dr. Ken Cuthbertson, Presbyterian (PCUSA), retired, Albuquerque, NM

Rev. Jean Siegfried Darling, Minister Emerita, Co-Chair, UU Santa Fe Enviro, Justice Team Cerrillos, NM

Betsy Diaz, Environmental Stewardship Committee, La Mesa Presbyterian Church, NM

Chuck Doughty,  Lay Leader, Unitarian congregation of Taos, NM

Sister Maria Isabel Galbe RA, Chaparral NM

Fr. Gene Gries, Santa Maria de la Vid Norbertine Abbey, Albuquerque, NM

Don Handrick, Sr. Buddhist Teacher, Foundation for Preservation of Mahayana Tradition (FPMT), Santa Fe, NM

Rev. Madeline Hart-Andersen, Westminster Presbyterian Church, Santa Fe, NM

The Rev. Drew Henry, Pastor, Immanuel Presbyterian Church, Albuquerque, NM

The Rev. Angela Herrera, Senior Minister, First Unitarian Church, Albuquerque, NM

Marlin Johnson, Santa Fe Presbytery Earth Care Committee, NM

Rev. Sue Joiner, First Congregational United Church of Christ, Albuquerque, New Mexico

Ken Jones, Environmental Stewardship Committee leader, La Mesa Presbyterian Church, NM

Rabbi Min Kantrowitz, Congregation Nahalat Shalom, Albuquerque, NM

Ed Katzenberger, retired PCUSA clergy, Albuquerque, NM

Sr Betty Keegan, fmm El Paso, TX

Nicholas King, Pastor, Carlsbad Mennonite Church, Carlsbad, NM

Jenny Lasley, Chair, Mission and Outreach Committee, Westminster Presbyterian Church, Santa Fe, NM

The Rev. Bob LaVallee, Associate Minister, First Unitarian Church of Albuquerque, NM

Rev. Erica Lea-Simka, Albuquerque Mennonite Church, Albuquerque, NM

Rev. Alex Lenzo, Rector, St. Francis Episcopal Church, Rio Rancho, NM

Marlys Lesley, Environmental Stewardship Committee, La Mesa Presbyterian Church, Albuquerque, NM

Rev Judith Marshall, Retired Minister,Unity Spiritual Center Albuquerque, NM

Ann McCartney, Co-chair Board of NM & El Paso Region Interfaith Power and Light, Los Lunas, NM

Rev. Dr. Stephen J. Miller, Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) retired

The Rev. Sylvia Miller-Mutia, priest, St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, Albuquerque NM

Rev. Dr. Rachael Powell, Albuquerque, NM

Rev. Roger Scott Powers, Pastor, St. Andrew Presbyterian Church, Albuquerque, NM

Michael Prine, IPL board member representing Bahai community, Albuquerque, NM

Linda Pribble, Chaplain BCC, OFS Holy Cross Center, Las Cruces, NM

Rev. Susan J. Quass, Presbyterian Church (USA), Albuquerque, NM

Dr. Larry Rasmussen, Reinhold Niebuhr Prof. Emer. Social Ethics, Union Theological Seminary, NYC, Santa Fe, NM

Susan Rich, lay leader, Creation Care Committee at St. John XXIII Catholic Community, Albuquerque, NM

Rabbi Harry Rosenfeld, Rabbi Emeritus, Albuquerque, NM

Sister Anne Salaun RA, Chaparral NM

Rev. Dr. Bert Scott, Retired United Methodist Minister, Albuquerque, NM

Terry Sloan, board member IPL, Southwest Cultures, Albuquerque, NM

Judy Chasenoff Smith, Board of Directors Interfaith Power and Light, Congregation Albert, Albuquerque, NM

Fr. Tom Smith OFM Conv., Director, Holy Cross Retreat Center, Mesilla Park, NM

Sister Mary Soh, fmm, El Paso, TX

Ruth Striegel, IPL board member, music minister, First Congregational Church, Albuquerque, NM

Sister Maria Teresa Tellez RA, Chaparral NM

Sister Nha Trang Nguyen RA, Chaparral NM

Judy Traeger, lay leader, Creation Care Committee at St. John XXIII Catholic Community, Albuquerque, NM

Fr. Anne Tropeano, MDiv, MA, Albuquerque, NM

Conseulo Walker, Chair, Creation Care Committee, Westminster Presbyterian Church, Santa Fe, NM

Rev. Dave Wasserman, Rev. Dr., HR, Presbyterian Church (USA), Taos, NM

John Williams, Pastor Rio Grande Mission Center, Community of Christ, Albuquerque, NM

Sister Marie Paule Willem, Pastoral Minister, Las Cruces, NM

San Williams, Presbyterian Earth Care Team, NM

Rev. H. Blaine Wimberly, Mountainside UMC, Cedar Crest, NM

Elizabeth Windisch, Presbyterian (PC-USA), Mission Chair, Gallup, NM

Rev. Dr. Robert Woodruff, Albuquerque, NM

Signed People of Faith and Conscience

CoraLee Baughman, Christian Reformed Church, Gallup, NM

Gordonn Bronitsky, Congregation Albert, Albuquerque, NM

Victoria Camerlingo, B’Nai Israel, Albuquerque, NM

Susan Citrin, Congregation Albert, Albuquerque, NM

Luis Druxman, Congregation Albert, Albuquerque, NM

Wayne Evelo, First Unitarian Church, Albuquerque, NM

Cheryl Foote, St. Mark’s on the Mesa Episcopal Church, Albuquerque, NM

Donna Gianoulis, Silver City, NM

Jerry Goff, Congregation Albert, Albuquerque, NM

Elizabeth Hardin-Burrola, Gallup, NM

Brother Ernest John, Tyrone, NM

Susan Keith, Congregation Albert, Albuquerque, NM

Marilyn Lafer, Congregation Albert, Albuquerque, NM

Fred Malcolm, Partnership for Earth Spirituality, Norbertine community, Albuquerque, NM

Pat Malcolm, Partnership for Earth Spirituality, Norbertine community, Albuquerque, NM

Kathleen Mezoff, Methodist, Doctor, Gallup, NM

John Novat, Congregation Albert, Albuquerque, NM

Diana C. Paul, Congregation Albert, Albuquerque, NM

Willie Peters, B’Nai Israel, Albuquerque, NM

Winona Poole, La Mesa Presbyterian Church, Albuquerque, NM

Linda Popelish, member, Morning Light Sangha Gallup, NM

Anne Cerruti Porter, Morning Light Sangha, Gallup, NM

David Robertson, member First Unitarian, Hospice Chaplain, Albuquerque, NM

C Ruskin, B’Nai Israel, Albuquerque, NML. Ruskin, B’Nai Israel, Albuquerque, NM

Diana Joy Schmidt, Congregation Albert, NM

Jan Secunda, Congregation Albert, NM

Patricia Sheely, United Methodist Church, Gallup, NM

Charlotte Smith, Bahai Community, Albuquerque, NM

Jay Shofet, B’Nai Israel, Albuquerque, NM

Esthr Tenenbalm, B’Nai Israel, Albuquerque, NM

Brad Van Every, Silver City, NM

Nancy Winger, Congregation Albert, Albuqurque, NM

Sarah Winger, Congregation Albert, Albuquerque, NM

Evie Zlotkin, Congregation Albert, Albuquerque, NM

Signed Young Adults (17-35)

Dawson Allen, Board IPL; Engagement Center for Action & Contemplation, Placitas, NM

Arcelia Isais-Gastelum, Board member Interfaith Power and Light (IPL), Albuquerque, NM

Savannah Gold, Second Presbyterian Church, Young Adult Volunteer, Albuquerque, NM

Cynthia Gonzalez, Coordinator St Colomban Mission for Justice, Peace & Ecology, El Paso, TX

Clara Sims, Master of Divinity Student, Yale Divinity School, Los Lunas, NM