2023 – Senator Carrie Hamblen

District: 38, Doña Ana County

Secretary Oliver was honored in 2023 because of her her courageous climate and conservation championship and strong ethical leadership in the Legislature. She has been a fierce advocate for rural, frontline and LGBTQ+ communities.

2022 – NM Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver 

Secretary Oliver was honored in 2022 because of her advocacy to expand and protect voting access across all our diverse New Mexico communities, and for her compassion in keeping communities at the center of her elections work.

2020 – Representative Georgene Louis

District: 26, Bernalillo County

Rep. Louis was honored in 2020 because of her efforts to address uranium pollution, protect cultural sites, call for greater government transparency, and advocate for community health. She is also an outspoken advocate for renewable energy, addressing climate change and protecting wildlife.

2018 – Senator Jeff Steinborn

District: 36, Doña Ana County

Sen. Steinborn was honored in 2018 because he was instrumental in efforts to establish the Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monument and the Rio Grande Trail system. He has also repeatedly sponsored measures to prohibit coyote killing contests and is a staunch proponent of clean, renewable energy development.

2017 – Representative Gail Chasey

District: 18, Bernalillo County

Rep. Chasey was honored in 2017 because she has consistently voted to protect New Mexico’s air, land, water and communities. She has also sponsored efforts to streamline environmental permitting for public projects that protect public and environmental health.

2016 – Senator Cisco McSorley

District: 16 (from 1997 – 2019), Bernalillo County

Sen. McSorley was honored in 2016 because he had demonstrated strong leadership and an unwavering commitment to protecting our land, air, water and the health of New Mexico’s communities through the New Mexico Legislature since 1984. In the many years since CVNM began scoring legislators’ conservation performance, Sen. McSorley had earned an outstanding 99% lifetime score in CVNM’s Conservation Scorecard. Senator McSorley resigned from the Senate on January 8, 2019.

2015 – House Democratic Leader Brian Egolf

District: 47, Santa Fe County

Rep. Egolf was honored in 2015 because of his unwavering leadership as chair of the House Energy and Natural Resources Committee from 2011 to 2015, and many efforts to champion legislation to protect cultural properties, advance renewable energy, and address the climate crisis.

2014 – Senator Peter Wirth

District: 25, Santa Fe County

Sen. Wirth was honored in 2014 because of his thoughtful leadership as chair of the Senate Conservation Committee, and his efforts to ensure that proposed policies had a rigorous but fair review by committee staff, fellow legislators, and members of the public. He has also been a strong advocate for addressing the climate crisis, government transparency, and community-centered policy.

2013 – Senator Mimi Stewart

District: 17, Bernalillo County

Sen. Stewart was honored in 2013 when she served in the House of Representatives to recognize her for her tireless leadership sponsoring legislation to protect wildlife, deepen state investment in renewable energy, and ensure that families have access to water conservation and the outdoors.

2012 – Senate Majority Leader Michael Sanchez

District: 29 (1993-2016), Bernalillo & Valencia Counties

Sen. Sanchez was honored in 2012 to celebrate his deep commitment to centering the public in renewable energy, oil and gas, and other environmental policy debates during his many years of public service. Sen. Sanchez was first elected to the state legislature in 1993.

2011 – Auditor Hector Balderas

Auditor Balderas was honored with CVNM’s Sunshine Award, a variation of the Luminaria Award, in 2011. This award recognized Balderas for his steadfast work in rooting out fraud and corruption, and shining sunlight on the operations of state government. His hard work resulted in millions of dollars of savings and the enforcement of key safeguards to protect New Mexico’s natural resources.

2010 – Mark Fesmire, Director of Oil Conservation Division

District: 36, Doña Ana County

Under Fesmire’s leadership, New Mexico adopted some of the strongest rules in the country that addressed water contamination from the oil and gas industry, called Pit Rules. Fesmire was also an outspoken advocate during the 2009 legislative session to protect the Oil Conservation Division’s authority to address pollution from the oil and gas industry.

2009 – Speaker of the House Ben Lujan & Senator Cisco McSorley

Ben Lujan
District: 46 (1975 – 2012), Santa Fe County

Senator Cisco McSorley
District: 16 (from 1997 – 2019), Bernalillo County

Speaker Lujan and Sen. McSorley received the Luminaria Award in 2009 to honor their leadership on environmental issues in the legislature. Speaker Lujan was elected as Speaker in 2001, and worked tirelessly to champion renewable energy and wildlife policy. Sen. McSorley served as Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, where he advocated for balanced debate and passage of environmental policy.

2008 – Lt. Governor Diane Denish

Lt. Gov. Denish received the Luminaria Award in 2008 to honor her leadership in casting deciding votes on the Senate Floor to pass critical pieces of legislation that impacted public lands, wildlife and energy, and good governance. Her demonstrated commitment to conservation resulted in better air quality for every New Mexican, and strong bills passed into law.

2007 – Governor Bill Richardson

Gov. Richardson was honored in 2007 because of his unwavering advocacy to center environmental policy throughout his administration and legislative priorities, including championing the state’s renewable energy standard in 2007. He also vetoed anti-conservation legislation that reached his desk that would have harmed government transparency and public lands.