Mayor Tim Keller has vetoed a decision by the Albuquerque City Council to repeal and replace the Albuquerque-Bernalillo County Air Quality Control Board.
Earlier this month, City Councilor Dan Lewis successfully introduced legislation to both replace the air board and establish a moratorium to stop air quality regulation until February next year.
The board had been due to hear a rule proposed by residents of the Mountain View neighborhood, which would have tightened rules for some businesses in areas where there are already several sources of air pollution.
The Mountain View Coalition says their neighborhood in the South Valley has long borne a disproportionate burden of industrial development.
Councilor Lewis’ resolution, which passed on Nov. 8, would stop the board from hearing that proposed rule until next year.
He also introduced an ordinance to replace all the members of the board and change the rules for who could qualify.
Wednesday, Nov. 22, Mayor Kellervetoed both bills. He said in a statement that he was not consulted about the changes and that they should have been vetted through discussions with his administration and Bernalillo County, as well as the air board itself.
Keller also said in a memo to the city council that the legislation would interfere with the board’s duties to ensure that Albuquerque has clean air.
In a statement from the city council, Councilor Lewis said that the mayor had sided with “environmental extremists” against crucial economic development.
The city council could override the mayor’s veto with six votes at its regular meeting on Dec. 4.
