Truchas, NM, Charging Set up Exhibits That NM Hasn’t Modified Since The Beanfield Battle

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I lately got here throughout a publish from a pal who likes to exit and test on charging station progress in New Mexico. This time, he was sharing photographs from a brand new station in Truchas, New Mexico. Sadly, what we’re seeing right here echoes an issue that was placed on show within the 1988 movie The Milagro Beanfield Battle, which was filmed within the city.

🚧⚡️Charger building replace. @JenniferSensiba @pluginsites @EVAdoptionTweet Francis Vitality will NOT be doing the Truchas, NM @NMDOT grant funded DCFC. As an alternative we’re getting 2 x 50 kW RT50s once more @brandenflasch Jemez Mtn Electrical Coop is the utility. https://t.co/ryt2hE3xlW pic.twitter.com/KeNqlC4sot

— ArtiePenguin1 (@MrArtiePenguin) February 18, 2024

“Who The F*** Is Joe Mondragon?”

In The Milagro Beanfield Battle, a star-studded forged tells the story of Milagro, New Mexico. Going through aggressive builders, the way forward for the neighborhood’s long-time residents is in peril. However a end carpenter named Joe Mondragon by accident places an enormous kink within the developer’s plans when he by accident begins watering his father’s outdated beanfield. One factor results in one other, and the following factor there are ghosts, gunfights, bulldozers going off cliffs, and an enormous standoff with a crooked plainclothes New Mexico State Police officer.

Ultimately, the townspeople win and protect their conventional lifestyle, however it required overcoming the machinations of a crooked and incompetent state authorities to do it.

In case you haven’t seen it already, it’s positively value shopping for! You may get it on most streaming companies that promote films or on DVD/Blu-Ray.

Issues Haven’t Modified A lot

One of many issues that made Milagro Beanfield Battle such a very good movie was how practical it was. When most individuals consider New Mexico, they give thought to Albuquerque and Santa Fe. They could take into consideration turquoise, Georgia O’Keeffee, and good Mexican meals, however the remainder of the state usually will get ignored.

The movie gave not solely a sensible take a look at life exterior of the bigger cities, however the state of presidency in New Mexico. The wants of builders and large companies usually get addressed as a result of they offer the state’s politicians massive cash and promise to convey jobs. It’s not unusual for governors to indicate up when an enormous employer strikes to city, even when it’s an organization that’s there to take advantage of low cost labor after which shut up store (name facilities have been an incredible instance of this).

This downside goes all the way in which again to the Teapot Dome Scandal, a 1922 bribery scheme carried out by former New Mexico Senator Albert Fall. The fallout and shame from what on the time was the worst scandal in U.S. political historical past led to New Mexico’s Republicans shedding energy within the state for many years. Going through a tarnished opposition, Democrats in flip have been emboldened to get into their very own corruption. When that obtained dangerous, corrupt Republicans obtained into workplace. This repeated cycle of corruption continues at present.

Don’t consider me? At the very least one New Mexico governor hung out with Jeffrey Epstein. That needs to be sufficient to relaxation my case.

The worst factor is that rural communities usually really feel the brunt of the corruption. Out of the way in which and with too few votes, they get uncared for and even robbed by state authorities. Even worse, the story of Joe Mondragon within the film was based mostly on the true story of Joe Cisneros, a person who fought for environmental justice towards an enormous company.

Paying Means Too A lot For Dangerous Chargers

With The Milagro Beanfield Battle rooted in actuality, it’s a little bit ironic that we’d now see the little city of Truchas get shafted. This time, the state obtained some huge cash from the Dieselgate payout, and was supposed to make use of it to increase EV charging across the state. Whereas they’re doing that, there are numerous small cities in northern New Mexico the place they aren’t doing it effectively.

As my pal factors out, Truchas obtained two Tritium RT50 chargers. These chargers are usually not solely an outdated design that has confirmed finicky elsewhere, however they’re additionally fairly sluggish by 2024 requirements (50 kW). In addition they don’t have a display or something to assist get the charging course of going.

To be truthful, Tritium isn’t a foul firm. Its newer {hardware} is nicer, sooner, and simply typically much more aesthetically pleasing. However New Mexico officers and the businesses contracting for these obtained some huge cash and are delivering the most affordable and least good charging expertise they may ship, particularly in rural areas.

Sadly, Truchas is simply the most recent small neighborhood within the state to get these chargers. Different locations, like Chama, Tierra Amarilla, and the Picuris Pueblo have gotten these put in, and solely after a completely too lengthy set up course of and months with out energy. The one in Chama has been down at the very least among the time in latest weeks, and is put in in a spot that’s “a little bit of a mudpit,” in response to one reviewer on Plugshare.

In different phrases, not a whole lot of thought has been put into putting in many of those charging stations. Not solely did the state not have a very good high quality management course of, however they didn’t appear to care that a lot about what occurred in these small cities.

However, what else is new? At the very least this time the small cities obtained one thing, even when it sucks.

How We Can Repair This

The excellent news is that it wouldn’t take a lot to repair this case.

On the upside, these rural communities now have some respectable energy connections. The {hardware} drawing energy from these connections sucks, however the energy is at the very least there. That’s a lot of the battle, particularly once you’re not near the ability crops.

Whereas these energy service connections are comparatively small, that doesn’t imply that they’ll’t help a lot sooner charging. By utilizing battery storage, these websites couldn’t solely retailer vitality for sooner charging classes, however present some grid stabilization to the communities. With sufficient storage and possibly some photo voltaic close by, the charging might rely extra on renewable vitality and make the city extra self-sufficient.

On prime of that, upgrades may very well be made to the parking tons. Even gravel over “mud pits” could be an enormous enchancment over what’s there now in a few of these locations, however a little bit concrete pad or a small patch of asphalt would clearly be higher so long as the drainage is effectively deliberate out.

Backside line: these websites can nonetheless develop into loads higher than they’re at present, and hold getting higher sooner or later if the state has the political will to do it.