LCV 2025 National Environmental Scorecard Shows NM Delegation Held the Line Against Republican attacks
Scorecard highlights Congressional Republicans’ efforts to pull the plug on clean energy, advance Big Polluters’ wish list, and undermine free and fair elections
Wednesday, February 26th 2026, Conservation Voters New Mexico released the New Mexico delegation’s scores for the League of Conservation Voters’ 2025 National Environmental Scorecard highlighting our state’s leaders’ work to protect our environment despite an unprecedented year with a record number of attacks on our environment and democracy. Our delegation fought against climate deniers in Congress who repeatedly chose loyalty to the Trump administration and Big Polluters over making life more affordable, safer, and healthier for their own constituents. The result has been higher energy costs for working families, lost jobs and economic opportunities, the selling of tens of millions of acres of public lands and waters to Big Polluters, fewer clean air and water safeguards, and increased pollution. Congressional Republicans also threatened free and fair elections; however, thanks to Senators Heinrich and Lujan these efforts were blocked in the Senate.
The full delegation’s scores for 2025 are:
- Senator Martin Heinrich – 94%
- Senator Ben Ray Lujan – 94%
- Representative Melanie Stansbury (CD-1) – 100%
- Representative Gabe Vasquez (CD-2) – 79%
- Representative Teresa Leger Fernández (CD-3) – 100%
New Mexico’s delegation led efforts to keep public lands in public hands, defending New Mexico’s lands and waters from persistent attacks to sell and open them to extractive industry. Senator Heinrich was among those most outspoken in Congress, and cosponsored an amendment to the Senate’s budget resolution last spring to prevent privatization of public lands. Senators Heinrich and Lujan have also consistently amplified the impacts that Trump’s devastating budget cuts have had on land management, from park maintenance to wildfire prevention. New Mexico is currently experiencing record snow drought, contributing to growing concerns about the severity of wildfire risk this summer.
“As New Mexicans, our lands and waters are our livelihood,” stated Demis Foster, CVNM Chief Executive Officer. “That’s why 9 out of every 10 voters believe our land protections are essential. This was clearly demonstrated when tens of thousands of New Mexicans protested federal threats to sell off public lands last year. We applaud Senator Heinrich for his tenacity and fierce advocacy each and every day, holding the line for our lands, water, democracy, and public health.”
Senators Heinrich and Lujan have also consistently amplified the impacts that Trump’s devastating budget cuts have had on land management, from park maintenance to wildfire prevention. New Mexico is currently experiencing record snow drought, contributing to growing concerns about the severity of wildfire risk this summer.
“The West is experiencing the warmest winter in over 100 years,” stated Molly Taylor, CVNM Chief Operating Officer. “The snowfall we rely on to recharge our watersheds and forests is at a record low. This, combined with longer and hotter summers, is creating dangerous conditions for our communities. The 2025 budget cuts to environmental agencies, including the Forest Service, will have tangible and devastating impacts in New Mexico. We thank Senators Heinrich and Lujan for pushing back against federal disinformation, and tirelessly advocating for agency funding to protect our communities.”
New Mexico’s delegation in the house received an average score of 93%, with Representatives Melanie Stansbury (CD-1) and Teresa Leger Fernández earning 100% scores in 2025. Both leaders have also led courageous fights against the Trump Administration’s policy decisions, from serving on the House Oversight and Accountability Subcommittee on Delivering on Government Efficiency (DOGE) to fighting against sweeping policies to gut our democracy.
“New Mexicans should be proud to have leaders who are holding the Trump Administration accountable and fighting for our rights,” said John Martinez, CVNM Political Director. “Every day, Representatives Stansbury and Leger Fernandez show the nation what courageous resistance, leadership, and accountability looks like. We thank them for championing New Mexico’s families and communities by amplifying the importance of science, justice, and democracy in these unprecedented times.”
LCV’s 2025 Scorecard illustrates the scale of the Trump Administration’s attacks on bedrock environmental and democratic policy, with a majority of bills included dismantling critical public safeguards. A combined record number of 66 votes made up the Scorecard this year, including: – 34 Senate votes:
- – 11 amendments showing where members stood on affordable clean energy, manufacturing jobs, public lands, and federal workers on the Big Ugly Bill and its final passage (which LCV double scored)
- – 7 nominees picked solely for their loyalty to Trump and fossil fuels
- – 13 Congressional Review Act (CRA) attacks on clean air and water, wildlife, and public lands
- – House votes:
- – 8 bills driving up energy costs by blocking clean energy or giving handouts to dirty energy and the final passage of the Big Ugly Bill (which LCV double scored) – 4 bills undermining public input on decisions affecting our environment and communities
- – The SAVE Act to make voter registration more onerous
- – The same 13 Congressional Review Act (CRA) attacks on clean air and water, wildlife, and public lands scored on the Senate side
“We’ve never seen a Congressional majority so willfully abandon its responsibilities to protect their own constituents and the Constitution and instead relentlessly attack the health and safety of our communities, our environment, and our right to a free and fair democracy,” said LCV Senior Vice President for Government Affairs Sara Chieffo. “Those
members of Congress who voted for the Big Ugly Bill, killed clean energy incentives at a time when energy demand is at all-time highs and energy prices are rising higher than ever. It’s no surprise that while this Congress has been doing the bidding of President Trump and Big Polluters, utility costs rose 13% nationwide last year. We commend the members of Congress who forced votes to protect U.S.-made clean energy, our treasured public lands, critical federal agency funding, and our rights — pushing back on extreme Republican efforts to make it harder for people to vote and hand even more power to Trump.”
LCV has published a National Environmental Scorecard every Congress since 1970. The Scorecard represents the consensus of experts from more than 20 respected environmental and conservation organizations who selected the key votes on which members of Congress should be scored. LCV scores votes on the most important issues of the year, including energy, climate change, environmental justice, public health, public lands and wildlife conservation, democracy, and spending for environmental programs. The votes included in the Scorecard presented members of Congress with a real choice and helped distinguish which legislators are working for environmental protection. More information on individual votes and the Scorecard archive can be found at lcv.org/2025-scorecard.
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CVNM is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization connecting the people of New Mexico to their political power to protect our air, land, water, wildlife and communities for a healthy Land of Enchantment. CVNM does this by mobilizing voters, winning elections, holding elected officials accountable, and advancing responsible public policies.