This year, the New Mexico Legislature passed a $10.2 billion budget including the most significant environmental investments in state history. Over $400 million was allocated to once-in-a-generation climate and conservation programs in the state’s budget bill, House Bill 2. This includes $300 million for the Land of Enchantment Legacy Permanent Fund, $75 million for the New Mexico Match Fund and $7 million to the New Mexico Environment Department (NMED) to begin building a state-level surface water permitting program.
“Each legislative session is unique, and 2024 was no exception,” stated Demis Foster, CVNM Chief Executive Officer. “This year, we secured historic funding for conservation, infrastructure, and climate resiliency projects across the state. Bipartisan legislation, like the Conservation Legacy Fund and New Mexico Match Fund, will deliver sustainable resources for New Mexico communities and help to maximize millions of dollars in federal resources made available by President Biden’s Investing in America agenda. These big wins for the environment and our communities result from years of tireless work by leaders across New Mexico, from community advocates to our state legislators. We applaud the Legislature for passing a visionary state budget that supports our wild and working lands, creates good-paying local jobs, and seeks to protect communities across the state from the ongoing impacts of the climate crisis.”
The Legislature initially passed the Land of Enchantment Legacy Fund (SB 9) in 2023, which created a permanent trust fund to secure and administer dedicated conservation funding in perpetuity. However, the fund received only seed money last year. With the revenue windfall this year, the Legislature passed full funding for the legacy program, ensuring it will be adequately funded permanently. This represents a historic level of funding for conservation, communities and wildlife protection.
“Since the end of the 2023 session, we have been working with a bipartisan coalition of leaders and organizations from across New Mexico to continue building momentum to fund the Land of Enchantment Legacy Fund fully,” stated Greg Peters, CVNM Vice President of Programs. “The passage of $300 million to fully equip the Conservation Legacy Permanent Fund sends a clear message: our lands, water, and wildlife deserve protection for future generations. These funds will be used by state and local agencies and organizations to bolster our agricultural heritage amidst the ongoing drought, tackle inequalities in outdoor recreation, and build climate resilience from corner to corner.”
Following the passage of the federal Inflation Reduction Act in 2022, states have set their sights on opportunities to leverage dollars for state projects for water and renewable energy infrastructure, improving existing infrastructure and access to broadband internet in rural and underserved communities. The bipartisan passage of HB 177 NM Match Fund creates a state matching fund to increase New Mexico’s competitiveness in federal grant processes and unlock millions of dollars for critical projects. The Match Fund received $75 million in seed funding in House Bill 2.
“This was a big session for climate,” said CVNM Climate and Energy Director Samantha Kao. “President Biden’s Investing in America agenda has helped to jumpstart our clean energy economy, improve our roads and bridges, and bring greater broadband access to New Mexico. The NM Match Fund means that thousands of eligible entities across the state will have a leg up in accessing the most ambitious climate funding in this country’s history.”
The Legislature sent a Clean Transportation Fuels Standard bill (HB 41) to the Governor. It will give the NM Environmental Improvement Board the task of setting technology-neutral standards for lower carbon-intensity transportation fuels and a credit system to incentivize the development of these fuels and their introduction into New Mexico’s fuel pipeline. In addition, following the 2023 session’s failure to get signed energy-related tax credits, the Legislature included seven credits for initiatives like geothermal energy production, clean car purchases and solar energy panel installation, among others.
“We are extremely pleased to see Clean Fuels Transportation Standards pass the finish line in both chambers,” stated Samantha Kao, CVNM Climate and Energy Director. “This is an incredibly important step in decarbonizing our energy sector while creating a market for alternative fuel sources and supporting rural communities in the transition away from fossil fuels. We still have a lot of work to do, but this session proved to be an incredibly important step for shoring up funding that will benefit our communities and everyday New Mexicans.”
Appropriators also set aside $7 million that the New Mexico Environment Department can use for surface water and groundwater protections. This is a historic win for New Mexico waters and the communities that rely on them, especially in light of the devastating Sackett decision last year. Under the new interpretation of the Clean Water Act, as much as 94% of New Mexico waters remain without protection.
“The inclusion of these dollars in the budget shows that the state is prioritizing protecting our vulnerable waters,” stated Zoe Barker, CVNM Lands and Water Advocate. “There is enough flexibility in the funding so that it can be used to support a variety of critical water projects around the state, which is important in meeting the varying needs of New Mexico communities. Perhaps most importantly, this funding will help the state better protect our surface waters, which are increasingly under threat due the ongoing drought and other impacts of the climate crisis. We applaud the Legislature for investing key resources in New Mexico’s water future.”
The Legislature also passed policies to protect democracy and voting rights. SB 5 Firearms Near Polling Places ensures voters can cast their ballot without the uptick in political intimidation witnessed across the country during the last election cycle. HB 182 Election Changes will require campaigns to disclose when artificial intelligence (AI) is used to create advertisements and other materials, cutting down on misinformation. Both bills passed the House and Senate and now go to the Governor’s desk for signature. Efforts to pay lawmakers a salary did not pass this year, although momentum is increasing to address systemic barriers to office.
“Voting is the bedrock of our democracy,” said CVNM Campaigns and Civic Engagement Director John Martinez. “HB 5 is a necessary and common-sense approach to mitigating voter intimidation and allowing for a thoughtful and fair process. Similarly, artificial intelligence (AI) is already being used for nefarious campaign purposes, such as faking candidates’ voices to make inflammatory statements. We all deserve transparent and safe elections, and must continue to pursue responsible policies that both uphold democracy and reduce barriers for holding elected office”.
There were high expectations ahead of this session for real oil and gas reform, but the issue failed to get traction due to time constraints and the complexity of the issues. The Legislature also debated the importance of establishing setbacks to protect communities, wildlife, land and water from the impacts of oil and gas extraction. New Mexico does not currently have setback distances codified into state statute.
“New Mexico is the second-largest oil and gas producer in the nation, and yet our laws haven’t been modernized for over five decades,” stated Douglas Meiklejohn, CVNM Water Quality and Land Restoration Advocate. “We call on the Legislature to prioritize oil and gas reform in the 2025 long session to ensure New Mexico gets its fair share of revenues and protects our families from pollution. We commend Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department (EMNRD) leadership for months of negotiations ahead of the session. We look forward to working with partners and legislators during the interim committee process”.