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        <FormAndLineReferenceDesc>FORM 990 - ORGANIZATION'S MISSION</FormAndLineReferenceDesc>
        <ExplanationTxt>TO PROTECT NEW MEXICO'S COMMUNITIES AND THEIR AIR, LAND AND WATER IN THE FIGHT FOR ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE. THE LAW CENTER'S EFFECTIVE LEGAL ADVOCACY AND REPRESENTATION ON ENVIRONMENTAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE ISSUES WILL PROTECT NEW MEXICO'S COMMUNITIES AND CULTURES, AND ENSURE CLEAN AIR, LAND AND WATER FOR ALL. THE WORK OF THE LAW CENTER IS MADE POSSIBLE BY TAX- DEDUCTIBLE CONTRIBUTIONS FROM INDIVIDUALS, BUSINESS, FOUNDATIONS AND LIMITED EARNED INCOME.</ExplanationTxt>
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        <FormAndLineReferenceDesc>FORM 990, PART III</FormAndLineReferenceDesc>
        <ExplanationTxt>CASE 1 AQUIFER SCIENCE, LLC., V. SCOTT VERHINES, NEW MEXICO STATE ENGINEER. NEW MEXICO SECOND JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT CASE D-202-CV-2014-07209; NEW MEXICO COURT OF APPEALS CASE A-1-CA-39080. BACKGROUND: THIS CASE WAS TRIED IN THE NEW MEXICO DISTRICT COURT FOR THE SECOND JUDICIAL DISTRICT. IT WAS AN APPEAL FROM A DECISION OF THE NEW MEXICO STATE ENGINEER DENYING AN APPLICATION FOR WATER USE FROM THE AQUIFER SCIENCE COMPANY TO SUPPLY WATER TO A PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT ON ITS CAMPBELL RANCH PROPERTY. THE DISTRICT COURT DECIDED IN FAVOR OF OUR CLIENTS BY DISMISSING THE APPEAL, AND GRANTING OUR CLIENTS COSTS THAT THEY INCURRED DURING THE LITIGATION (FOR EXPENSES SUCH AS COPYING, EXPERT WITNESSES, ETC., BUT NOT FOR ATTORNEYS' FEES). THE AQUIFER SCIENCE COMPANY AND THE STATE ENGINEER APPEALED THE DISTRICT COURT'S RULING TO THE STATE COURT OF APPEALS. WE AND OUR CLIENTS WERE ABLE TO REACH A SETTLEMENT WITH THE STATE ENGINEER. IN DECEMBER 2022, THE STATE COURT OF APPEALS AFFIRMED THE DISTRICT COURT DECISION DENYING THE AQUIFER SCIENCE COMPANY'S APPLICATION AND AFFIRMED THE RULING GRANTING OUR CLIENTS THEIR COSTS. PUBLIC INTEREST: THE PUBLIC INTEREST HERE IS IN PROTECTING THE WATER SUPPLIES OF PERSONS WHO OBTAIN WATER FROM THE SANDIA BASIN--WHICH THE STATE ENGINEER DECLARED TO BE CLOSED TO FURTHER DEVELOPMENT, AS ALL WATER RIGHTS WITHIN IT HAVE BEEN PREVIOUSLY ALLOCATED AND ARE USED. THE NEW MEXICO ENVIRONMENTAL LAW CENTER REPRESENTS TWO GROUPS OF PEOPLE FROM AREAS ADJACENT TO THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT WHOSE USABLE WATER WOULD BE THREATENED BY AQUIFER SCIENCE, LLC BEING ALLOWED TO PUMP WATER FOR ITS DEVELOPMENT. THE CASE ALSO APPEARS TO BE A SPECULATIVE VENTURE FOR THE PROPONENTS OF THE DEVELOPMENT RATHER THAN AN ATTEMPT TO OBTAIN A WATER RIGHT THAT WOULD BE PUT TO BENEFICIAL USE. HERE, THE PURPOSE APPEARS TO BE TO UPGRADE THE VALUE OF THE PROPERTY WITH WATER RIGHTS IN ORDER TO MAKE IT MARKETABLE. ATTORNEYS' FEES: THE NEW MEXICO ENVIRONMENTAL LAW CENTER HAS NEITHER SOUGHT NOR RECOVERED ATTORNEYS' FEES FROM AN OPPOSING PARTY IN THIS CASE. CASE 2 AUGUSTIN PLAINS RANCH, LLC V. TOM BLAINE, P.E. NEW MEXICO SEVENTH JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT, D-728-CV-XXX-XX-XXXX; NEW MEXICO COURT OF APPEALS CASE A-1-CA-38615. BACKGROUND: IN 2014, THE AUGUSTIN PLAINS RANCH, LLC ("APR") SUBMITTED A MATERIALLY IDENTICAL APPLICATION AS ONE THAT WAS PREVIOUSLY SUBMITTED IN 2007, TO APPROPRIATE 54,000 ACRE FEET OF WATER ANNUALLY FROM THE SAN AUGUSTIN BASIN FOR THE PURPOSES OF "MUNICIPAL- AND "COMMERCIAL SALES" WITH THE NEW MEXICO OFFICE OF THE STATE ENGINEER. THE NEW MEXICO ENVIRONMENTAL LAW CENTER REPRESENTS WATER USERS AND ORGANIZATIONS IN THE SAN AUGUSTIN BASIN OPPOSING APR'S APPLICATION. APR'S 2007 APPLICATION WAS DENIED BY THE STATE ENGINEER IN 2011. THAT DENIAL WAS UPHELD BY THE NEW MEXICO SEVENTH JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT IN 2012, AND APR'S APPEAL OF THAT DECISION TO THE STATE COURT OF APPEALS WAS ULTIMATELY DISMISSED. APR'S 2014 APPLICATION WAS ALSO DENIED BY THE STATE ENGINEER ON THE BASIS THAT IT WAS SPECULATIVE, AND UPHELD BY THE NEW MEXICO SEVENTH JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT. APR APPEALED THAT RULING TO THE NEW MEXICO COURT OF APPEALS. THE STATE COURT OF APPEALS OVERTURNED THE DISTRICT COURT DECISION REGARDING ONE OF ITS BASES FOR ITS DECISION. THREE PARTIES FILED PETITIONS FOR WRIT OF CERTIORARI TO THE NEW MEXICO SUPREME COURT, AND ON OCTOBER 28, 2022, THE SUPREME COURT DENIED ALL THREE PETITIONS FOR CERTIORARI, MEANING THAT THE CASE WILL BE RETURNED TO THE DISTRICT COURT FOR ADDITIONAL LITIGATION IN 2023. PUBLIC INTEREST: GROUND WATER IN NEW MEXICO "BELONGS TO THE PUBLIC." NMSA 1978, 72-12-1 (2003). OUR STATE'S GROUND WATER DOES NOT BELONG TO THE OWNERS OF PRIVATE PROPERTY ABOVE GROUND WATER. ALTHOUGH INDIVIDUALS AND ENTITIES MAY USE GROUND WATER FOR "BENEFICIAL USE," SUBJECT TO APPROPRIATE AUTHORIZATION FROM THE STATE, ID., GROUND WATER IN NEW MEXICO IS A PUBLIC RESOURCE TO BE PROTECTED. ADDITIONALLY, THE CONSTITUTION DECLARES THAT "WATER AND OTHER NATURAL RESOURCES OF THIS STATE" ARE "OF FUNDAMENTAL IMPORTANCE TO THE PUBLIC INTEREST, HEALTH, SAFETY AND THE GENERAL WELFARE." N.M. CONST. ART. XX, 21. PUBLIC WATER IN NEW MEXICO IS HELD IN TRUST BY THE STATE FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE PUBLIC. NEW MEXICO V. G.E., 467 F.3D 1223, 1243 (10TH CIR. 2006). THIS CASE DEALS WITH THE PUBLIC INTEREST REGARDING GROUNDWATER APPROPRIATIONS, AS WELL AS THE PROTECTION OF TRADITIONAL WAYS OF LIFE IN RURAL NEW MEXICO. IF APR IS SUCCESSFUL AND ITS APPLICATION IS ULTIMATELY APPROVED, OVER 17 BILLION GALLONS OF WATER WILL BE TRANSPORTED OUT OF THE SAN AUGUSTIN PLAINS, A TRADITIONAL RURAL COMMUNITY, TO THE GREATER ALBUQUERQUE METRO AREA FOR FURTHER DEVELOPMENT OF NEW MEXICO'S LARGEST CITY. ATTORNEYS' FEES: THE NEW MEXICO ENVIRONMENTAL LAW CENTER HAS NEITHER SOUGHT NOR RECOVERED ANY ATTORNEYS' FEES FROM AN OPPOSING PARTY IN THIS CASE. CASES 3, 4, 5, AND 6 THE FOLLOWING FOUR CASES RELATE TO THE PROPOSED SANTOLINA DEVELOPMENT. CASE 3 SOUTHWEST ORGANIZING PROJECT, NEW MEXICO HEALTH EQUITY WORKING GROUP, PAJARITO VILLAGE ASSOCIATION, DANIEL RICHARD "RIP" ANDERSON, MARCIA BEAUREGARD FERNANDEZ, SANTIAGO JAMES MAESTAS, ROD MAHONEY, ROBERTO ROIBAL, AND KRISTINE SUOZZI V. BERNALILLO COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS AND THE INDIVIDUAL MEMBERS OF THE COUNTY COMMISSION, WAYNE JOHNSON, DEBBIE O'MALLEY, STEPHEN MICHAEL QUEZADA, MAGGIE HART STEBBINS, AND LONNIE TALBERT, AND WESTERN ALBUQUERQUE LAND HOLDINGS, LLC, AND CONSENSUS PLANNING, INC. NEW MEXICO SUPREME COURT, S-1-SC-39398, FORMERLY NEW MEXICO COURT OF APPEALS, A-1-CA-38717, FORMERLY NEW MEXICO SECOND JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT CASE D-202-CV-2017-07037 CASE 4 SOUTHWEST ORGANIZING PROJECT, PAJARITO VILLAGE ASSOCIATION, SOUTH VALLEY COALITION OF NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS, CENTER FOR SOCIAL SUSTAINABLE SYSTEMS, SOUTH VALLEY REGIONAL ASSOCIATION OF ACEQUIAS, DANIEL RICHARD "RIP" ANDERSON, MARCIA BEAUREGARD FERNANDEZ, SANTIAGO JAMES MAESTAS, ROD MAHONEY, ROBERTO ROIBAL, DR. VIRGINIA NECOCHEA, AND KRISTINE SUOZZI V. BERNALILLO COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS AND THE INDIVIDUAL MEMBERS OF THE COUNTY COMMISSION, WAYNE JOHNSON, DEBBIE O'MALLEY, STEPHEN MICHAEL QUEZADA, MAGGIE HART STEBBINS, AND LONNIE TALBERT, AND WESTERN ALBUQUERQUE LAND HOLDINGS, LLC, AND CONSENSUS PLANNING, INC. NEW MEXICO SUPREME COURT, S-1-SC-39398, FORMERLY NEW MEXICO COURT OF APPEALS, A-1-CA-38742 AND CONSOLIDATED WITH A-1-CA-38717, FORMERLY NEW MEXICO SECOND JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT CASE D-202-CV-2018-09049. CASE 5 JAVIER BENAVIDEZ, JAMES SANTIAGO MAESTAS, ROBERTO ROIBAL, THE SOUTHWEST ORGANIZING PROJECT, INCLUDING ITS INDIVIDUAL AND GROUP MEMBERS, AND THE PAJARITO VILLAGE ASSOCIATION, INCLUDING ITS INDIVIDUAL AND GROUP MEMBERS V. BERNALILLO COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS AND THE INDIVIDUAL MEMBERS OF THE COUNTY COMMISSION, ADRIANN BARBOA, WALT BENSON, DEBBIE O'MALLEY, CHARLENE PYSKOTY, AND STEVEN MICHAEL QUEZADA, AND WESTERN ALBUQUERQUE LAND HOLDINGS, LLC, AND CONSENSUS PLANNING, INC. NEW MEXICO SECOND JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT CASE D-202-CV-2021-05601 CASE 6 SOUTHWEST ORGANIZING PROJECT, CENTER FOR SOCIAL SUSTAINABLE SYSTEMS, SOUTH VALLEY REGIONAL ASSOCIATION OF ACEQUIAS, DANIEL RICHARD "RIP" ANDERSON, MARCIA BEAUREGARD FERNANDEZ, SANTIAGO JAMES MAESTAS V. BERNALILLO COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS AND THE INDIVIDUAL MEMBERS OF THE COUNTY COMMISSION, ADRIANN BARBOA, WALT BENSON, DEBBIE O'MALLEY, STEPHEN MICHAEL QUEZADA, AND CHARLENE PYSKOTY, AND WESTERN ALBUQUERQUE LAND HOLDINGS, LLC, AND CONSENSUS PLANNING, INC. NEW MEXICO SECOND JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT CASE D-202-CV-2022-05576 BACKGROUND: THESE FOUR CASES ALL INVOLVE THE PROPOSED SANTOLINA DEVELOPMENT, WHICH IS A PROPOSED PLANNED COMMUNITY THAT, AT FULL BUILD OUT, WOULD BE HOME TO APPROXIMATELY 90,000 PEOPLE ON THE WEST MESA OF ALBUQUERQUE. EACH OF THE CASES WAS FILED IN THE NEW MEXICO SECOND JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT BY THE NEW MEXICO ENVIRONMENTAL LAW CENTER ON BEHALF OF THE CLIENTS LISTED ABOVE FOR EACH CASE. THE CASES WERE FILED AGAINST THE BERNALILLO COUNTY (NEW MEXICO) BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS, THE INDIVIDUAL MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS (COLLECTIVELY THE "BOARD") AND THE TWO COMPANIES PROMOTING THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT, CONSENSUS PLANNING, INC. AND WESTERN ALBUQUERQUE LAND HOLDINGS, LLC. IN CASE 3, THE NEW MEXICO SECOND JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT AFFIRMED THE DECISION OF THE BOARD TO APPROVE THE SANTOLINA LEVEL B MASTER PLAN. THE NEW MEXICO ENVIRONMENTAL LAW CENTER'S CLIENTS APPEALED THE DECISION TO THE NEW MEXICO COURT OF APPEALS ON JANUARY 22, 2020. IN CASE 4, THE NEW MEXICO SECOND JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT AFFIRMED THE DECISION OF THE BOARD TO APPROVE THE SANTOLINA LEVEL B DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT, WHICH SERVES TO CODIFY AND IMPLEMENT THE SANTOLINA LEVEL B MASTER PLAN. THE NEW MEXICO ENVIRONMENTAL LAW CENTER'S CLIENTS APPEALED THE DECISION TO THE NEW MEXICO COURT OF APPEALS ON FEBRUARY 4, 2020. THIS CASE WAS CONSOLIDATED WITH CASE 3 ABOVE, AND ON APRIL 20, 2022 THE COURT OF APPEALS AFFIRMED THE DECI</ExplanationTxt>
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        <FormAndLineReferenceDesc>FORM 990, PAGE 6, PART VI, LINE 11B</FormAndLineReferenceDesc>
        <ExplanationTxt>FORM 990 IS REVIEWED WITH THE FINANCE COMMITTEE PRIOR TO FILING. A COPY OF THE 990 IS PROVIDED TO EACH MEMBER OF THE GOVERNING BOARD. THE FINANCE COMMITTEE REPORTS ON THE SUBSTANCE OF THE FORM TO THE BOARD.</ExplanationTxt>
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        <FormAndLineReferenceDesc>FORM 990, PAGE 6, PART VI, LINE 12C</FormAndLineReferenceDesc>
        <ExplanationTxt>ALL MEMBERS OF THE GOVERNING BODY AND MANAGEMENT ARE KEENLY AWARE OF THE CONFLICT OF INTEREST POLICY. POTENTIAL CONFLICTS ARE DISCUSSED AT BOARD MEETINGS AND ANYONE WITH A POTENTIAL CONFLICT IS RECUSED.</ExplanationTxt>
      </SupplementalInformationDetail>
      <SupplementalInformationDetail>
        <FormAndLineReferenceDesc>FORM 990, PAGE 6, PART VI, LINE 15A</FormAndLineReferenceDesc>
        <ExplanationTxt>THE ORGANIZAION CONDUCTS A REVIEW FO THE SALARIES PAID BY OTHER ORGANIZATION'S SALARIES ARE COMPARABLE FOR THIS AND POSITIONS. THE REVIEW IS CONDUCTED ON AN ANNUAL BASIS AS PART OF THE BUDGET PREPARATION PROCESS FOR THE FOLLOWING FISCAL YEAR WHICH IS APPROVED BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS. THE ORGANIZATION REGULARLY PARTICIPATES IN ANNUAL SALARY INFORMATION SURVEYS SO THAT THE ORGANIZATION CAN RECIEVE COPIES OF THE RESULTS TO USE IN ESTABLISHING ITS EMPLOYEE COMPENSATION, INCLUDING THAT OF THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR. APPROVAL OF PAY IS DOCUMENTED IN THE BOARD MEETING MINUTES.</ExplanationTxt>
      </SupplementalInformationDetail>
      <SupplementalInformationDetail>
        <FormAndLineReferenceDesc>FORM 990, PAGE 6, PART VI, LINE 15B</FormAndLineReferenceDesc>
        <ExplanationTxt>THE ORGANIZATION DOES NOT CURRENTLY COMPENSATE ANY ONE IN THESE CLASSES BUT IF IT WERE TO IT WOULD GO BY THE SAME PROCESS FOR DETERMINING COMPENSATION OF THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR.</ExplanationTxt>
      </SupplementalInformationDetail>
      <SupplementalInformationDetail>
        <FormAndLineReferenceDesc>FORM 990, PAGE 6, PART VI, LINE 19</FormAndLineReferenceDesc>
        <ExplanationTxt>GOVERNING DOCUMENTS, CONFLICT OF INTEREST POLICY AND AUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS ARE MADE AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC UPON REQUEST.</ExplanationTxt>
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</Return>
