In every session, CVNM identifies bills that impact the air we breathe, the water we drink, our public lands and treasured wildlife, and our diverse communities. We evaluate each conservation-related bill and determine our top priority bills, other bills we’ll support, and any we oppose.
In the coming days the House floor will be voting to pass SB 21 – Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Act! As you probably know, in 2023, the Supreme Court released a devastating ruling that eliminated federal safeguards for our waterways by gutting the Clean Water Act. SB 21 would put water quality management in local, New Mexican hands responsive to our waters’ unique conditions and needs.
Next week, the House floor will be voting to pass SB 5 – Game Commission Reform! This is the moment to have your voice heard! Contact your Representative and let them know you support SB 5!
This Saturday, March 1st, 2025, the Senate floor will be voting on the fate of SB 5 – Game Commission Reform. While the Department of Game & Fish staff are doing a good job, our current wildlife management system is outdated and underfunded, and our State Game Commission has been politicized. That’s why we’re urging you to contact your Senator and let them know you support SB 5!
In every session, CVNM identifies bills that impact the air we breathe, the water we drink, our public lands and treasured wildlife, and our diverse communities. We evaluate each conservation-related bill and determine our top priority bills, other bills we’ll support, and any we oppose.
Next Tuesday, January 28th, at 9:00 am, the Senate Conservation Committee meets, and we are hitting the ground running. Four of our priority bills are on the docket, and we’d love for you to attend in a show of support! The four bills up are:
New Mexico is a national leader in natural gas production. Liquified natural gas, or LNG for short, is a supercooled form of the fossil fuel that allows it to be more readily stored and transported. New Mexico, Utah, Wyoming, three tribal nations, and Baja California recently signed an agreement to increase LNG exports to Asian markets. If approved, this could have far-reaching consequences for state and local energy security, climate goals, and public health.
On November 21, the Public Regulation Commission (PRC) will meet to hear public comments on a proposed rulemaking to take the next step to ensure New Mexico’s rural electricity providers generate electricity sourced by renewable energy. New Mexico has 19 rural electric cooperatives (co-ops) statewide, which provide electricity to over 434,000 households. The proposed rulemaking, Renewable Energy for Rural Electric Cooperatives, aims to set standards for rural co-ops to provide 40% renewable energy by 2025, 50% by 2030, and at least 80% by 2050.
We have a landmark chance to get strong water quality protections for headwater streams on the Jemez, the Rio Hondo and in the Upper Rio Grande. Last month, the Water Quality Control Commission (WQCC) held a hearing on designating the Upper Pecos watershed as an Outstanding Natural Resource Water (ONRW), the most protective water quality designation under the Clean Water Act. There was near-unanimous public comment in support of that designation, including from Conservation Voters, and we expect the WQCC will approve the designation at a future meeting.
The Climate Policy Bureau (CPB) of the New Mexico Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department (EMNRD) is launching a series of community conversations to collect…
