Washington, D.C. – Senate Energy Committee Chairman Pete V. Domenici and ranking member Jeff Bingaman today released the names of officials slated to testify next week at a Senate field hearing they are hosting to look into the severe drought and associated water crisis facing New Mexico and the Southwest this year.

The committee will conduct an official field hearing at 10 a.m., Wednesday, April 19, to assess ongoing drought conditions, as well as legislative and technological initiatives that might alleviate escalating water shortages.  The hearing will be held in Salon Ortega at the National Hispanic Cultural Center, 1701 Fourth St. SW, Albuquerque.

“The seriousness of the ongoing drought cannot be overstated.  These dry days are just about the worst in a century and the ramifications of the drought are affecting everyone.  We have selected witnesses who can give us real-life assessments of what the drought is doing to our state, and to look at what resources might be applied to help the situation,” Domenici said.  “There is a pressing need now, not only in New Mexico, but in a majority of the Western states to address this problem.”

“The drought is wreaking havoc on our crops and rangeland, and our state is again facing a potentially devastating wildfire season.  The hearing we will have next week will help give us a more complete assessment of the ongoing drought in New Mexico and offer insights on what action is needed,” Bingaman said.

In addition to assessing the record low snow pack and drought conditions facing the state of New Mexico, the hearing will also include testimony on research efforts being carried out by Sandia National Laboratories to address water scarcity and pending federal legislation to authorize a grant program to carry out water efficiency and conservation projects.

The hearing will include two panels of witnesses, including:

Panel One

·        Bruce Knight, Natural Resources Conservation Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture
·        Larry Perkins, farm superintendent, Agriculture Science Center at Tucumcari
·        Randy White, Black Cattle Ranch LLC
·        L. Ray Nunley, mayor, Village of Ruidoso
·        Arvin Trujillo, executive director, Navajo Nation Division of Natural Resources

Panel Two

·        Mark Limbaugh, Assistant Secretary of Interior for Water and Science
·        José Otero, board chairman, Middle Rio Grande Conservancy District
·        John D’Antonio, New Mexico State Engineer and Interstate Stream Commission secretary
·        Mike Hightower, technical staff, Sandia National Laboratories

Other interested parties may also submit written testimony for the hearing record.