NM Legislative Activity
Contents
Governor’s Office
Some good news in New Mexico is Governor MLG’s 2019 third executive order on climate, see: https://www.governor.state.nm.us/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/EO_2019-003.pdf
2020 Session
HB233 Energy Grid Modernization Roadmap
Passed in 2020 Short Session this bill funds initiatives via grants to suitable institutions in an effort to create a New Mexico energy roadmap.
https://www.nmlegis.gov/Legislation/Legislation?Chamber=H&LegType=B&LegNo=233&year=20
HM9 - State Renewable Investment Plan
The 'State Renewable Investment plan' directed the NM State Investment Council to create a plan to invest part of its $28 billion dollar state investment fund into New Mexico renewable energy projects. This could include loans, financing or equity in renewable energy generation, storage or transmission, and economically targeted investment to place infrastructure on State Land and Native American land.
https://www.nmlegis.gov/Legislation/Legislation?chamber=H&legType=M&legNo=9&year=20
2019 Session
SB489 - The NM Energy Transition Act
The Passing
NM Energy Transition Act SB 489, was signed by governor MLG March 22, 2019
https://www.nmlegis.gov/Legislation/Legislation?Chamber=S&LegType=B&LegNo=489&year=19 and states that NM will be:
50% carbon-free electricity by 2030
100% carbon-free electricity by 2045 (same as CA and Hawaii)
Challenges
But NEE et al filed suit in NM Supreme Court on 8/26/19 challenging parts that they perceived as unconstitutional (Aug/2019), see NEE’s announcement at:
https://www.newenergyeconomy.org/challengeeta
and the writ at:
http://docs.wixstatic.com/ugd/1cb5ae_48e31e3fffae426b814b13beb82e72e4.pdf
The NM Supreme Court refused to hear this writ. NEE efforts continue to ‘restore’ power to the PRC to regulate PNM. Other NMSC efforts are still in progress.
What is the ETA?
High Country News called the ETA a mini-Green New Deal in this thorough reporting from March 25, 2019, see https://www.hcn.org/issues/51.7/climate-change-a-green-new-deal-template-gets-passed-in-new-mexico
Western Resource Advocates explains what’s in the act and it’s benefits in their on-line article The Energy Transition Act Makes New Mexico a National Leader in Clean Energy at:
