A Statement from Lauren N. Ketcham, Environmental Advocate
Last Updated: March 19, 2007
Wrapping up a busy legislative session, I wanted to bring you an update about some of the environmental successes that have occured over the past 60 days. Particularly, we made huge strides on policy affecting New Mexico's renewable energy industry, global warming and energy independence. Environment New Mexico and our allies at the Coalition for Clean Affordable Energy and others have been tracking and working on hundreds of bills this session, but here’s an update on some of the most important victories for New Mexico’s air, water and land.
- Increasing the Renewable Energy Standard (SB418, Sanchez)—New Mexico increased the percentage of renewable energy produced by utilities from 10 percent by 2011 to 20 percent by 2020. This stronger standard will help us to fight global warming, while cleaning up our air and providing rural economic opportunities.
- Changing building codes to require “Solar Ready Roofs” (HB610, Stewart)—“Solar Ready Roofs” will require changes to building codes so that new buildings will be built with solar energy in mind, saving money if homeowners wish to add solar panels after construction.
- Studying water development planning (HM42, Stewart)—The House passed a memorial to create a stakeholder process to examine water planning horizons and ways to improve local water development plans. It is an important step in protecting our water from unsustainable development.
- Enhancing the renewable energy production tax credit (SB463, Cisneros)—Helping to increase our energy independence, credits to concentrated solar power producers were increased, and opened up to more producers, including farmers and small businesses.
- Reducing mercury emissions and exposure (HB318, Wirth)—This measure reduces exposure to mercury and requires that new power plants take advantage of the best available technology, making New Mexico’s air easier to breath and our water and land cleaner.
- Stopping an $85 million tax subsidy for the Desert Rock coal-fired power plant (HB178, Taylor; SB431, Altamirano)—After a lot of hard work and organizing by Navajos, environmentalists and public health advocates, we were able to stop the passage of a massive subsidy that would have gone to a 1500 MW power plant planned for the Navajo Nation. The plant would emit over 10 million tons of carbon dioxide, ozone, mercury and other pollutants into the air each year and wipe out major gains being made to reduce New Mexico’s global warming emissions.
- Protecting the Gila River—Governor Richardson vetoed a spending provision in HB 2 that would have provided funding to develop and dam New Mexico’s last free-flowing river.
Thanks to alot of coordinated work within the environmental community, other advocates and our members, the 2007 legislative session brought home some big wins for the environment. I hope that you’ll continue to support us as we gear up to build on these successes and win even bigger victories in the weeks and years to come.
