NMiF looks at new regulations involving forever chemicals and governor’s debate

This week on New Mexico in Focus, state Environment Secretary James Kenney visits the NMIF studio to explain new state regulations on PFAS, or "forever chemicals."

Several areas in the state have seen PFAS contamination, including sites around Holloman and Kirtland Air Force bases where toxic firefighting foam was used for years. Runoff from the foam-contaminated area groundwater, as reported by former Our Land producer and reporter Laura Paskus.

Amid decades of economic decline following coal mine closures, the city of Raton is working to use the great outdoors as a more sustainable economic engine. Correspondent Elizabeth Miller goes to the northern New Mexico town to learn about its history and how a multi-state effort to connect public lands for outdoor recreation prioritizes conservation.

The Albuquerque Journal published a poll over the weekend by Research and Polling, Inc. It found former congresswoman and Interior Secretary Deb Haaland well ahead of Bernalillo County District Attorney Sam Bregman, with 52% of likely Democratic and independent voters planning to vote for Haaland and 30% for Bregman. Pollster Brian Sanderoff explains his methodology and the demographics where each candidate scored best.

Mark Fine, of the local charitable group Dukes Up, chats with NMPBS Executive Producer for Public Affairs Jeff Proctor about the organization's Democratic primary debate for the governor's race. Fine explains Dukes Up's mission and the group's intention to create a forum for New Mexico citizens to evaluate the candidates and their positions. NMPBS is serving as the broadcast partner for the debate, airing Thursday, May 7 on channel 5.1.

In the latest episode of Indigenously Positive, reporter Bella Davis visits the Mescalero Apache reservation to learn how high school students are creating wildfire and flood sensors to protect their community from natural disasters. Indigenously Positive is a collaborative series from NMPBS and nonprofit newsroom New Mexico In Depth, telling joyful stories from Native communities around our state.

NMiF airs on NMPBS 5.1 (KNME HD) on Friday, May 1, at 7 p.m. and Sunday, May 3 at 7 a.m. and streaming on the PBS video app. Involved, informed, in-depth media: watch New Mexico in Focus again online shortly thereafter.

Host
Nash Jones

NMiF Segments
New Regulations for Forever Chemicals in New Mexico
and
Consumer Products & Forever Chemicals
Host
Nash Jones

Guest
James Kenney, cabinet secretary, N.M. Environment Department

Raton Seeks Revival in the Outdoors
Correspondent
Elizabeth Miller

Guests
Neil Segotta, interim city manager, Raton, N.M.
Lori Chatterley, mayor, Raton, N.M.
Brad Cory, director, Southern High Plains Initiative, The Nature Conservancy,
JJ Autry, Southeastern Colorado Project director, The Nature Conservancy

Democratic Governor's Race Primary Polling
Host
Nash Jones

Guest
Brian Sanderoff, president, Research & Polling, Inc.

Behind the Dukes Up Democratic Primary Debate
Executive Producer:
Jeff Proctor

Guest
Mark Fine, Dukes Up

Saving the World When You're Still in High School
Host/Producer
Bella Davis (Yurok)

Director/Producer
Benjamin C Yazza (Diné)

Guests
Cody Rice, Mescalero Apache School junior
Anavay Wheeler, Mescalero Apache School junior
Audrina Reynold, Mescalero Apache School sophomore
Hendrick Aldava, Mescalero Apache School junior
Nate Raynor, Mescalero Apache School STEM director
East Padilla, Mescalero Apache Tribe Division of Resource Management and Protection employee
John Salazar, Mescalero Tribal Fish Hatchery supervisor

New Mexico in Focus is the New Mexico PBS prime-time news magazine show covering the events, issues, and people shaping life in New Mexico and the Southwest. NMiF takes a multi-layered look at social, political, economic, educational, and art issues, exploring them in depth with a critical eye to provide context beyond the "news of the moment."

NMPBS Executive Producer, Public Affairs is Jeff Proctor. New Mexico in Focus's senior producer for public affairs is Lou DiVizio. Host and producer of New Mexico in Focus is Nash Jones. The producer is Antonio Sanchez, and the multimedia journalist is Cailley Chella.

Funding for New Mexico in Focus is provided by the McCune Charitable Foundation and Viewers Like You. Funding for the Your New Mexico Government Project comes from the Thornburg Foundation and New Mexico Local News Fund. Funding for Our Land: New Mexico's Environmental Past, Present & Future is provided in part by the Neeper Natural History Programming.