The State Public Regulation Commission has approved new rules to allow ride-sharing services Lyft and Uber to operate in New Mexico. The PRC voting 4-1 Wednesday on new regulations that clear the way for the companies to operate under guidelines separate from those that govern traditional taxi services. Commissioners were divided on drug testing requirements for ride-booking drivers and voted 3-2 to require testing only after accidents. It wasn't immediately clear if Uber and Lyft will apply for licenses under the new rules or continue to operate in the state without authority. Last year, the commission ordered Lyft to cease operations in Albuquerque, where the company had launched its service. A district judge in Santa Fe refused to enforce the commission's order, allowing the company to operate in the capital city.
On another issue, state regulators are moving closer to a final decision on a plan by the state's largest electric provider to replace part of an aging coal-fired plant with a mix of more coal, natural gas, nuclear and solar power. The PRC heard a briefing Wednesday by hearing examiner Ashley Schannauer. He's recommending that commissioners not approve the plan unless changes are made. Schannauer reiterated uncertainties surrounding the ownership makeup of the San Juan Generating Station and the lack of a coal-supply contract beyond 2017. Schannauer told commissioners the costs and risk associated with Public Service Co. of New Mexico's plan outweigh the benefits to customers. Commissioners asked questions about the urgency of making a decision but took no action. A final decision could come next month.
The City of Santa Fe might not conduct a full audit after a report found that more than 30-million dollars in parks bond funds were mismanaged. The New Mexican reports that the city's internal auditor Liza Kerr said Tuesday such an audit could be a waste of taxpayer money. Kerr says too many records are missing to conduct a thorough review. She said there is no reason to pay a team "to come in and look at boxes of nothing." The bond was supposed to pay for trail and park improvement projects, but many were never carried out or left incomplete. City officials say they money was managed correctly but have not explained how it was spent. An accounting firm found several flaws in the city's spending but only examined half the projects.
Authorities say a driver is in custody after he allegedly fled a traffic stop north of Albuquerque and crashed his car, killing his mother who was backseat passenger. New Mexico State Police say 54-year-old Monica Papuyo, of Isleta, died from injuries suffered in Tuesday afternoon's accident. A State Police officer tried to stop the car, but the driver drove off before crashing into a concrete barrier and several cars about a mile away on Highway 550. Police initially thought the woman in the backseat was dead before the crash before an autopsy was performed Wednesday. They say 29-year-old Anthony Lucero, of Isleta, told investigators he was drinking alcohol throughout the day before the crash. Lucero is jailed on suspicion of homicide by vehicle, aggravated fourth offense DWI and other charges.
A former Rio Arriba County Sheriff will remain in federal prison in Texas while awaiting his appeal charges of violating a person's civil rights while using a handgun. Former Sheriff Tommy Rodella was sentenced in January to 10 years in federal prison for abusing a driver in an off-duty traffic stop that prosecutors described as road rage. The Albuquerque Journal reports that Rodella's attorneys were unable to secure his release from prison. U.S. District Judge James Browning denied the appeal and said Rodella has no exceptional circumstances that would warrant release. Rodella's request said he should be released because he has a strong appeal, is in poor health and has status as a law enforcement officer, among other reasons.
The man appointed to lead the company that oversees the federal government's troubled nuclear waste repository in southern New Mexico previously ran a facility in Idaho where a radiation release contaminated workers in 2011. Philip Breidenbach was named president and project manager of the Nuclear Waste Partnership last week. The company manages the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant, which has been closed since last year due to a radiation release. The Albuquerque Journal reports Breidenbach used to run a plutonium facility at Idaho National Laboratory, where a radiation accident contaminated 16 workers. The incident was blamed on a lack of safety precautions and worker training, much like the WIPP mishap. Despite the criticisms of watchdogs, Nuclear Waste Partnership says Breidenbach has a track record of turning around a troubled operation.
Santa Fe Weather: Mostly sunny today with the high 66 and a slight chance for afternoon showers that could bring gusty winds. Tonight: Mostly cloudy with the overnight low 41 and a 20-percent chance for showers and thunderstorms. Tomorrow: Partly sunny with the high, 58 and a 20-percent chance for showers and thunderstorms.