NMiF talks about President Donald Trump's Medicaid cuts and how wastewater use could expand

This week, New Mexico in Focus returns to a conversation with host Nash Jones and Democratic U.S. Rep. Teresa Leger Fernandez, as the congresswoman talks about President Donald Trump's multi-billion-dollar cuts to Medicaid.

Senior Producer Lou DiVizio sits down for a two-part discussion on Medicaid with Legislative Finance Committee Director Charles Sallee and Democratic former state senator Dede Feldman. Lou asks how Trump's Medicaid cuts will impact New Mexico's rural health care system.

Last month, state Environment Secretary James Kenney made a rare appearance at a meeting of the Water Quality Control Commission.

Kenney advocated for the board to adopt a proposal that would expand the state's use of "produced water" - oil and gas wastewater that's loaded with questionable chemicals.

Previous pushes to pass a similar proposal have died in the Legislature, as well as with the water commission. This latest proposal, however, has moved forward, and the board will consider it in November.

Jerry Redfern, an oil and gas reporter with Capital and Main, recently stopped by the NMIF studio to ask Kenney about his department's sudden embrace of expanded uses for wastewater.

NMiF airs on NMPBS 5.1 (KNME HD) on Friday, Aug. 22, at 7 p.m. and Sunday, Aug. 24 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
How Tens of Thousands in NM Could Lose Medicaid Coverage
and
How Trump's Medicaid Cuts Could Close Several Rural Hospitals
Correspondent
Lou DiVizio

Guests
Charles Sallee, director, Legislative Finance Committee
Dede Feldman, Democratic former N.M. state senator

Rep. Leger Fernandez on Trump's Medicaid Cuts
Correspondent
Nash Jones

Guest
U.S. Rep. Teresa Leger Fernandez, D-N.M.

NM Environment Secretary Advocates to Expand Use of Wastewater
Correspondent
Jerry Redfern

Guest
James Kenney, secretary, New Mexico Environment Department

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 health, education, and art issues and explores them in-depth with a critical eye to give them 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. Producer is Antonio Sanchez. 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.