NMIPL IN THE NEWS

NM-IPL 2025 Spring Immersion Retreat

NM IPL Spring Immersion Retreat Update

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The New Mexico Interfaith Power and Light Spring Immersion Retreat over this past weekend brought together people of faith from Albuquerque, Carlsbad, Chaparral, El Paso, San Antonio and Laredo to Southeast New Mexico to learn about oil and gas production and concerns for health and the environment. The group met with frontline community members, viewed illegal methane emissions through a flr camera, prayed, shared concerns and committed to ongoing actions to protect air, water, climate and communities. The next pilgrimage will be in the fall.

New Mexico’s 2025 Legislative Session: Climate Legislation Tracker

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With the 2025 New Mexico legislative session concluded, NM IPL reflects on the environmental and climate-related bills it advocated for, acknowledging both progress and unmet hopes. Thanks to collective advocacy and key legislative support, meaningful strides were made. Above all, there is deep gratitude for the dedication of individuals and organizations working together for a just and flourishing future. A full list of prioritized bills and their outcomes follows.

Priority bills that passed

These bills now go to the Governor for signature before they can become law. Any legislation not acted on by the Governor by April 11 will be pocket vetoed.

SB 21 Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Act Following rollbacks to federal clean water protections in recent years, up to 95% of New Mexico’s streams have lost protection once provided under the Clean Water Act so it’s a huge victory that SB 21 passed! SB 21 ensures federal clean water protections that had existed in New Mexico for decades are continued at the state level. In addition, it provides authority for the state to take over permitting from the federal government for the waters that are still federally protected. American Rivers named all New Mexico rivers atop its list of most endangered rivers in the country, which you can read about here.
SB 48 Community Benefit Fund Was somewhat reduced funding-wise, but passed with $210M. These funds are intended for communities that have been disproportionately impacted by climate change, providing resources for workforce development and retraining, renewable energy and infrastructure projects, energy efficiency upgrades, and other projects that reduce carbon pollution and help build a more sustainable economy.
SB 83 Innovation in State Government Fund Establishes the Innovation in State Government Fund, a $13.5M fund that will better equip agencies with the resources and expertise needed to lead in sustainable energy innovation, including workforce development and accountability for pollution reduction.
SB 156 Low-Income Utility Users This will help provide stability and financial predictability for low-income solar systems owners by safeguarding the financial benefits of net-metering. The Coalition of Sustainable Communities NM, estimates that over 5,000 low income NM households could receive residential leased or owned systems through over the next 4 years. These systems would have 20-25 yr lifetimes, generating $10,000 – $20,000 in bill savings for low-income households. These savings would disappear if utilities imposed rooftop solar rate riders that don’t exempt low-income households (defined as 80% AMI or lower). SB 156 exempts low-income solar cystomers from rate riders, adds a defenition for “low-income customer” to the public utility act, and directs annual verification of low-income customers.
HB 91 Public Utility Structures Our friends at the Southwestern Energy Efficiency Project (SWEEP) and Prosperity Works, worked hard to pass this bill that gives investor-owned utilities the power to provide New Mexico’s most vulnerable residents with lower electric and gas bills. This bill grants the PRC (Public Regulatory Commission) the authority to review and approve reasonable low-income rate proposal submitted by Investor Owned Utilities. It supports utilities in addressing energy burdens while ensuring that rates meet regulatory standards for fairness and reasonableness.
HB 128 New Mexico Solar Access Fund Establishes a grant fund at the New Mexico Finance Authority, which will issue both planning and implementation grants to Tribes, Counties, Municipalities, School Districts, and Land Grants for solar and storage projects to power public buildings like community centers, libraries, schools, and fire stations, and infrastructure like water, wastewater, and street lighting. Planning includes procuring grant writers and technical expertise to plan and fund projects, and implementation includes funding construction, purchase, installation, and equipment of solar energy and storage systems. Public Power New Mexico has more information here.
Senate Memorial 14, House Memorial 37 Mount Taylor Cultural and Environmental Integrity & Mount Taylor as Cultural Property These memorials were initiated by Senator Angel Charley which passed in both the House and Senate. These memorials uplift the sacredness of Mount Taylor to Pueblos of Acoma, Laguna, and Zuni, the Hopi Tribe and Navajo Nation and call for protections of the mountain’s ecological intergrity overall and particularly from uranium mining. Among the many things the memorial calls for are the United States Congress to reform the Mining Act of 1872 to “priortize protection of sacred sites and require meaningful tribal consultation.” The new federal administration brings increased risk for uranium mining and development on Mount Taylor, which you can read about here.

Priority bills that did not pass

It often takes many sessions to pass a bill, so take heart that many of bills that did not pass will come back in the future and hopefully come back stronger with greater awareness among legislators and advocates. In particular, we hope that comprehensive climate legislation (SB 4), common sense set-backs of oil and gas operations from schools (HB 35), and funding for public health preparedness and resilience to climate change and extreme weather (HB 109 and 108) will get farther along in the coming years.

SB 4 Clear Horizons Act SB 4 would have codified into law climate pollution reductions goals in alignment with the Paris Climate Accords, but sadly it was tabled in the Senate Finance Committee. In the context of oil and gas industry influence in our state politics, this is not surprising but it is still extremrely dissapointing. Despite this, the two others bills that SB 4 was designed to work in tandem with did pass and now await the Governor’s signature. Those are the Community Benefit Fund (SB 48) and Innovation in State Government Fund (SB 83).
HB 35 Children’s Health Protection Zones Would have strengthened environmental protections by establishing “children’s health protection zones,” defined as areas extending 5,280 feet from school property lines, where oil and gas operations would be restricted.
HB 108 Statewide Public Health and Climate Program Would have established a new section within the Public Health Act to create a Statewide Public Health and Climate Program to enhance interagency collaboration focused on health equity and to mitigate the health impacts of extreme weather and climate change in New Mexico.
HB 109 Extreme Weather Resilience Fund Would have established the “Extreme Weather Resilience Fund” within the state treasury, aimed at addressing public health emergencies related to extreme weather and climate impacts.
HB 222 Fracturing Fluid and Disclosure Would have enhanced environmental protections related to hydraulic fracturing and downhole operations in New Mexico by instituting strict disclosure requirements for chemicals used in these processes. It would have prohibited the use of hydraulic fracturing fluids, drilling fluids, and proppants that contain per- or polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), which are known for their harmful environmental effects.
HB 310 Responsible Electric Car and Battery End of Life Would have established a framework for managing electric vehicle batteries at the end of their life cycle and prohibited the disposal of propulsion batteries in landfills. It would have mandated that batteries be managed with a focus on reuse, repair, and remanufacturing before recycling.
HB 333 Clean Up of Contaminated Sites Would have appropriated $50M for the purpose of assessing and cleaning up abandoned and neglected contaminated sites throughout the state, specifically including abandoned uranium mining sites.
HB 423 Water Security Planning Act Funds Would have appropriated a total of $62 million from the general fund to the Office of the State Engineer for various water-related initiatives over the fiscal years 2026 through 2028.
HJR 3, SJR 4 Green Amendment Would have amended the New Mexico Constitution by adding a new section to Article 2 that establishes environmental rights for the state’s residents. This amendment would guarantee the right to clean and healthy air, water, soil, and environments, as well as the preservation of native flora, fauna, ecosystems, and a safe climate.

Bills we did not want to pass

SB 139 Zero Emission Vehicle Rule Would have prohibited government entities from adopting rules that: (1) limit the delivery, use, lease, sale, or purchase of vehicles based on their energy source; (2) restrict the sale of new vehicles with internal combustion engines; or (3) establish quotas or percentages of vehicles that must be purchased based on their energy source. Tabled
HB 137 Strategic Water Supply We lament the passage of the Strategic Water Supply which allocates 75 million dollars toward treatment of brackish water. Some things were removed from the bill that we advocated for and celebrate, such as excluding treatment of “produced water” (toxic waste water from oil and gas production). Still, we feel this bill represents a grave missaplication of our public funds, and especially when no remotely comparable funding was granted for the management of our already existing fresh-water resources. NM Water Advocates has a greater speaker series you can access here. Passed
HB 270 Zero Emission Vehicle Prohibition Would have prevented any regulations that would restrict the delivery, use, lease, sale, or purchase of vehicles based on their energy source, including internal combustion engine vehicles. Tabled
HB 311 Reclaimed Water Act Would have allowed the creation of reclaimed water authorities (RWA). RWAs would act as nonprofit organizations responsible for working with a community that has requested an RWA to promote, facilitate, and organize the use of reclaimed water. Tabled

Key Bill to Restore Clean Water Protections Advances to House Floor

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A critical bill aimed at protecting New Mexico’s waters has cleared its final committee hurdle and is now headed for a decisive vote on the House floor. The House Energy, Environment, and Natural Resources Committee voted 5-4 in favor of SB 21, legislation designed to restore essential clean water safeguards and establish state-level oversight of water permitting.

In recent years, federal rollbacks to Clean Water Act protections have left up to 95% of New Mexico’s streams vulnerable to pollution and degradation. Without a state-level permitting system in place, the state’s waterways were ranked as the most endangered in the nation by American Rivers in its 2024 Most Endangered Rivers report.

SB 21 aims to fill the gap by reinstating long-standing clean water protections at the state level. Additionally, it grants New Mexico the authority to take over permitting responsibilities from the federal government for waters still under federal jurisdiction. This shift would streamline regulatory processes and ensure that oversight remains in the hands of local officials who understand the state’s unique water challenges.

Originally introduced as two separate bills—SB 22 and SB 21—by Senate Majority Leader Peter Wirth, Senator Bobby Gonzales, and Representative Kristina Ortez, the legislation has since been consolidated under SB 21. This combined effort creates a framework for a comprehensive state water permitting program, ensuring stronger, locally driven protection for New Mexico’s rivers and streams.

With the bill now set for a vote on the House floor, its passage would mark a major step forward in safeguarding New Mexico’s water resources for generations to come.

“Valuing water and valuing life are one and the same. In the absence of federal protections, our state leaders have an urgent and sacred responsibility to protect our precious waterways of New Mexico for the thriving of all our communities of life, human and beyond, for all generations to come.” – Rev. Clara Sims, Assistant Executive Director, New Mexico & El Paso Interfaith Power and Light

Carlsbad Current Argus. Sep. 3, 2020 New Mexico finalizes oil and gas wastewater regulations, lawmakers hear testimony (Rev. Nick King Quoted)

Las Cruces Sun-News,  Aug. 19, 2020, Report on solving climate crisis brings hope (Co-authored by Michael Sells, Clara Sims and Edith Yanez)

Santa Fe New Mexican, Aug. 15, 2020 Vote your values this November  (Commentary by Larry Rasmussen and Tabitha Arnold)