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Reappointment of Jennifer Thatcher to the Water Protection Advisory Board.
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The City of Albuquerque, Bernalillo County, and the Water Authority jointly adopted an ordinance in 2006-2007 establishing the Water Protection Advisory Board (WPAB). The purpose of this ordinance was to expand the scope of the old Ground Water Protection Advisory Board to address surface water quality protection. It also included the Water Authority as a member government, allowing it to appoint two members to the WPAB. The purpose of the WPAB is to study and advise the Water Authority, City and County on surface and groundwater protection concerns, including policies necessary to enhance protection of surface and groundwater quality.
Dr. Jennifer Thacher was appointed by the Water Authority to the WPAB in February 2012 to fill a vacancy left by Susan Kelly, and reappointed for her first full-term in September 2012. Pursuant to the authorizing legislation, Ms. Thacher is eligible to serve two full terms following reappointment. She meets the WPAB membership qualifications by having technical proficiency in surface or groundwater matters. Below is Dr. Thacher’s background.
Background
Jennifer Thacher is an associate professor of Economics and Graduate Director of
Economics at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque, New Mexico. She received
her PhD and MA at the University of Colorado - Boulder and her BA at the University of
California - Davis. Her research focuses on environmental economics and she specializes in survey methods of non-market valuation. She has participated in a wide
array of survey research in topics as diverse as water utility infrastructure, management
of the San Pedro and Rio Grande rivers, cleanup of the Bagmati river in Nepal, national
forest use in the Southwest, depression treatment, egg production practices, ranching
practices for invasive weed management, and hurricane preparedness. Her research
has been funded by the Water Research Foundation, the USDA, and the National
Forest Service and she has consulted for NOAA, the FAA, and New York State Energy
Research and Development Authority. Professor Thacher teaches courses in
Environmental Economics, Microeconomic Theory, and Mathematical Economics.
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