NMIPL IN THE NEWS

Photo: IPL New Mexico & El Paso at Land, Water and Wildlife Day at the State Legislature

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Tabling at the Roundhouse

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

IPL volunteers visited legislators and attended committee hearings at the #Roundhouse in #SantaFe to advocate for various climate related pieces of legislation.

They were part of a coalition that came together on Feb. 9 for Land, Water and Wildlife Day at the NM State Legislature

More than 30 groups advocting for climate justice, for communities, for health and to protect our sacred creation came together in Santa Fe that day.

The groups included 350 New Mexico, Sierra Club-Rio Grande chapter, Amigos Bravos,  New Mexico Wilderness Alliance, Conservation Voters New Mexico and many other dedicated organizations.

Video: The Green Amendment in the NM Legislature 2023

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Maya K. van Rossum, the founder of Green Amendments For The Generations, led a presentation at First Congregational Church in Albuquerque on Sunday, February 5, 2023.

Background: The Green Amendment has been introduced in New Mexico’s legislative sessions for several years. This year SJR6 is before the NM Senate, with Antoinette Sedillo Lopez as the lead sponsor. Maya is in New Mexico to help move the legislation forward, having driven here cross country in her electric car!

Report: New Mexico’s largest emitters overlooked in state climate policy

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Through an executive order and state legislation, New Mexico has committed to cutting greenhouse gas emissions 45 percent by 2030 and required all utilities to decarbonize their electricity supply by 2045.

In light of these ambitious climate policies, a team of researchers from PSE Healthy Energy and the University of New Mexico analyzed large stationary sources of climate- and health-damaging pollution—including fossil fuel-fired power plants, oil refineries, gas processing plants and compressor stations, manufacturing plants, and landfills—in New Mexico. The report includes a location-based analysis and provides suggestions for maximizing the public health and climate benefits of state policies.

Based on their analysis, the researchers found that:

  • Large stationary sources contribute approximately one quarter of New Mexico’s greenhouse gas emissions
  • Large stationary sources are significant contributors of health-damaging air pollutants
  • Oil and gas and electric power sectors are the largest contributors of health-damaging air pollutant emissions among large stationary sources
  • Smaller “large sources” are important contributors of health-damaging pollution
  • Many large stationary sources are located in communities with a high proportion of people of color or low-income households
  • Four areas stand out as regions with clusters of large stationary sources:
    • San Juan Basin: San Juan, Rio Arriba, and McKinley counties include 65 large facilities, 56 of which are in the oil and gas sector. This region has a very high population of Native American residents.
    • Permian Basin: Chaves, Lea, and Eddy are home to 69 facilities, 53 of which are in the oil and gas sector.
    • Albuquerque, Bernalillo, and Sandoval Counties: The metropolitan area has the largest population in the state and contains 15 large stationary sources, including a mine, landfills, manufacturing, an airport, and the university.
    • Las Cruces and Dona Aña County: Nine large stationary sources are situated in this region, and three facilities are located in low-income communities of color in Sunland Park.

Here are more details of the study

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)