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Public Lands, Water & Wildlife

By Accountability, Legislature, Water Quality & Land Restoration, Updates, Press Releases, Public Lands, Water & Wildlife, Outcomes, Focus Areas

CVNM statement on Pearce BLM confirmation

May 19, 2026

On Monday, the U.S. Senate voted to confirm former congressman Steve Pearce as director of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). The vote was 46-43, along partisan lines.  Pearce’s confirmation was one among 48 voted on as a bloc, diluting any sense of how much support he could have garnered on his own. The Senate has 53 Republicans, 45 Democrats, and 2 Independents.  

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By Outcomes, Focus Areas, Accountability, Legislature, Water Quality & Land Restoration, Updates, Press Releases, Public Lands, Water & Wildlife

CVNM Issues Statement in Response to Public Lands Rule Rollback and Steve Pearce Confirmation Vote

May 13, 2026

On Monday, the U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) formally cancelled the 2024 “Public Lands Rule”, which required BLM to consider conservation and development equally in land decisions. The rule, formally known as the Conservation and Landscape Health Rule, provided guidance to ensure that land protection was considered alongside mining, timber, and grazing. It also enabled BLM to issue leases specifically for conservation. This action also dovetailed with a Monday procedural vote in the U.S. Senate to advance former congressman Steve Pearce’s nomination to lead BLM. Pearce has been an outspoken advocate for selling off public lands and investing in polluter projects. In response, CVNM Legislative Director Zoe Barker issued the following statement: 

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By Democracy, Outcomes, Focus Areas, Accountability, Climate & Energy, Legislature, People & Health, Water Quality & Land Restoration, Updates, Air, Press Releases, Public Lands, Water & Wildlife

CVNM Press Release – LCV 2025 Scorecard

February 27, 2026

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.

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By Air, Public Lands, Water & Wildlife, Focus Areas, Accountability, Climate & Energy, People & Health, Water Quality & Land Restoration, Press Releases

Response to Trump Endangerment Finding Rollback

February 12, 2026

Today, the Trump Administration rescinded the Endangerment finding, which eliminates the Environmental Protection Act’s requirement to protect people from the pollution that causes climate change. The finding, instated in 2009, is the legal underpinning for nearly all climate regulations under the Clean Air Act for vehicles, power plants, and other pollution sources. In response, CVNM Chief Executive Officer Demis Foster issued the following statement: 

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By Press Releases, Air, Public Lands, Water & Wildlife, Democracy, Agendas, Accountability, Climate & Energy, Legislature, People & Health, Water Quality & Land Restoration

‘Not here. Not in New Mexico’ – Legislative Session To Define the Future of Our Democratic State

February 2, 2026

CVNM strongly supports this legislation because we know that global heating and climate change impacts everyone, and is a predominant contributing factor to driving human migration. Equity and climate justice require that all climate migrants–whether U.S. residents moving internally or international climate migrants crossing the border into the U.S.–be treated with respect and dignity.

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By Press Releases, Public Lands, Water & Wildlife, Accountability, Water Quality & Land Restoration

CVNM Statement in Response to Water Quality Control Commission Dismissal of Public Comment

November 13, 2025

Today, during a Water Quality Control Commission public meeting, Commission members publicly dismissed and prohibited public comment on oilfield wastewater (misleadingly called produced water) or items pertaining to the agenda. This decision was announced after a long queue of members of the public lined up to speak in objection to the Commission’s July decision to rehear an oilfield wastewater rule adopted in May 2025.

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By Public Lands, Water & Wildlife, Water Quality & Land Restoration

Water Quality Control Commission should reinstate rule

October 24, 2025

We live in a time of profound erosion of faith in public institutions of all kinds and at every level. New Mexico’s Water Quality Control Commission may be the latest victim. In May, the commission adopted a rule prohibiting the discharge of treated and untreated oil field wastewater (misleadingly called “produced water”) to all groundwater and surface water outside oil fields in New Mexico, as well as prohibiting its reuse for industrial projects outside the oil field.

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By Accountability, Campaigns & Elections, Climate & Energy, People & Health, Water Quality & Land Restoration, Press Releases, Air, Public Lands, Water & Wildlife

CVNM Statement in Response to EPA Announcement Gutting Endangerment Finding

July 29, 2025

Tuesday, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin announced the agency is proposing a draft rule eliminating the endangerment finding and repealing all resulting greenhouse gas emissions regulations for motor vehicles and engines, in particular the Clean Car and Truck Standards.

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By Air, Public Lands, Water & Wildlife, Democracy, Accountability, Campaigns & Elections, Climate & Energy, People & Health, Water Quality & Land Restoration, Press Releases

Conservation Voters New Mexico Condemns Final Budget Reconciliation Bill

July 3, 2025

President Trump’s budget bill cleared the House on a final and narrow vote of 218-214, concurring with changes made in the U.S. Senate earlier this week. All of the House Democrats and two Republicans, Representative Fitzpatrick (PA) and Representative Massie (KY) voted “no.” The legislation now heads to Trump’s desk for signing, despite widespread backlash and the legislation’s numerous devastating provisions and tremendous fiscal impact. The final package includes provisions that will have a disproportionate impact on New Mexico and low-income families, including slashed funding for Medicaid and SNAP food assistance, repeal of Inflation Reduction Act dollars and tax credits, dismantled programs for workforce training and student loans, and more

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By Air, Public Lands, Water & Wildlife, Democracy, Accountability, Campaigns & Elections, Climate & Energy, People & Health, Water Quality & Land Restoration, Press Releases

Conservation Voters New Mexico Issues Statements on U.S. Senate Passage of Reconciliation Bill

July 2, 2025

July 1st 2025, the U.S. Senate voted narrowly to pass President Trump’s tax reconciliation package, with Vice President Vance casting the tie-breaking vote. The controversial legislation follows weeks of deliberations and has received broad opposition from the public over harmful provisions to cut medicaid funding, gut resources for popular renewable energy and manufacturing projects, and fast-track extractive industry. The legislation now goes back to the U.S. House for concurrence.

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