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Local N.M. miners proudly display their Miners Heritage license plates. From L to right back row: Art Gebeau ; 36 years uranium, Mike Garcia 12 years uranium/ 31 years coal, Mitch Knapton, 40 years coal, Terry Fletcher 40 years uranium,Fred Chavez 25 years uranium/20 years coal, Roger Siegmann 18 years uranium /23 years coal. Front row: Laurence Sena, 12 years uranium/ 31 years coal.
We now have a specialty license plate.
New Mexico has some of the prettiest license plates in our country I believe, and they tell a story when you think about it.
Take the Farm and Ranch license plate for example: I think of horses and cattle and cowboys. I like the windmill on that license plate, it says a lot.
There are plates for retired State Police and firefighters as well. There are plates for military service and veterans, see the plates and think of their service. I am grateful for them. State Representatives and Senators have plates too. There are custom plates reflecting something about people, their cars or hobbies and reflect their pride for that specific item, occupation, or organization.
In August of 2018 I contacted Senator George Munoz of Gallup, N.M. and asked him to sponsor a license plate to honor N.M. Miners for their efforts spanning over a hundred years, benefitting society and securing peace. We miners need a license plate!
Senator Munoz replied and asked for me to write something up and send it to him, and I did. It went something like this: Whereas Native Americans first mined turquoise in our territory years ago…. And… Whereas Spaniards and Mexicans mined silver and gold in what is now New Mexico… And… Line by line I wrote about pumice, perlite, and coal, about potash, copper, fluorspar and uranium.
I finished by asking for an additional fee attached to the cost of plate to benefit the N.M. Miners hospital in Raton specifically for miner’s health research. I had friends that spent their last days there; it is a good place.
He responded that my request looks like a memorial and his aide will write the bill for introduction in the 2019 Legislative session.
Senate Bill SB 104 introduced in 2019 … didn’t go very far; postponed 2/12/2019.
I thanked the Senator for his efforts and will plan for the next 60 day session. I continued to seek support for this legislation.
Senate bill SB 379 introduced in 2021, nope not this year; dead on 3/20/21.
Thanked the Senator again and will plan for next session. I continued to seek support from friends, mining businesses, Representatives and organizations.
2023: Senator Munoz introduced SB 142 early in the session and the bill was substituted on March 18th to House Bill HB287, sponsored by Representative Christine Chandler from Santa Fe and Los Alamos, combining the miner’s license plate with her sponsored Look Twice for Motorcycles, safety awareness specialty license plate.
I got a message from Senator Munoz on June 1st 2023 to call him ASAP. I did so and he told me that both plates had passed.
We miners were rescued! I was overwhelmed and express gratitude on behalf of all of our States miners to Ms. Chandlers for her effort.
I was given a contact in Santa Fe DMV to talk to and proceed with the design of the plate. I called and was congratulated on the effort, and explained that I would like to start with a turquoise border to honor the Native American turquoise miners and perhaps a splash of silver and gold for the Mexicans and Spaniards and their efforts. I was informed it has to have a bright yellow background, with red letters (the colors of our State Flag) and has to say Land of Enchantment on the lower portion and has to say New Mexico USA. But, I can come up with a design on the left side about mid- point about 3” wide and x 4’’ tall, and I can have a title name on top centered between the mounting bolt holes.
I thought of an electric mining shovel… or perhaps a dragline… or perhaps a bulldozer… or perhaps a miner’s silhouette with a jackleg drill. Hmmm… yes… yes… an ideal struck me; a pick and shovel! So simple and says it all .Then a name and it too was easy: it’s about people not processes. Mining is a process, miners are people. This is for our miners and their heritage. AHHH… Miners Heritage!
I sent the information to our son-in law Eric and had him combine this information on a plate illustration following the Pollinators plate on the MVD site. He returned it to me and I submitted it to my contact. The State approved and the plate manufacturer was notified. The design met all criteria and was approved. The State ordered plates and I was notified on August 11th that the license plates are in and can be purchased as a replacement plate on the following link: https://eservices.mvd.newm exico.gov/etapestry/ . Go to “Replace my plate” option. You get the next number available, you can’t pick one. Over 100 plates have been purchased so far, and no one cares about the number. All are so appreciative of the 5 years of effort to remember and honor our States miners.
Special thanks again, to Senator Munoz for his patience with me and relentless support of N.M. miners, and a tip of our State’s miner’s hardhats to Representative Christine Chandler for her rescue of our plate, and to former mining friends and colleagues for their support; we did this together.
When you see a N.M. Miners Heritage license plate on a vehicle, think about us miners and what role we play in freedom, and….
One last thought: the “New Mexico USA” on the Miners Heritage specialty plate.…. Think of what role we New Mexico miners played and continue to play and why it says “New Mexico”….
….. and why it still says USA!
DIG IT!