New Mexico climate action more important than ever

SANTA FE – Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham issued the following statement on Earth Day 2022 celebrating the many actions New Mexico has taken under her leadership to combat climate change, protect the environment, and further climate resiliency initiatives:

“Every year we are one step closer to reaching our climate goals – and every year those goals are more and more important, which is underscored by the increasingly severe wildfires we’re seeing in New Mexico,” said Gov. Lujan Grisham. “While we celebrate our progress today, we know that we must continue to be vigilant in our pursuit of further climate action.”

The Lujan Grisham administration, through the work of the New Mexico Climate Change Task Force, has taken more action to combat climate change than any other administration in state history, committing to the goals of the Paris Agreement in the governor’s first month in office and acting to reach those goals by:

• Implementing nationally leading methane rules that will result in hundreds of millions of pounds of reductions in methane and harmful air pollutants from the oil and gas industry:
  • Last week, the state adopted a second oil and gas rule that will eliminate the emission of harmful air pollutants by 260 million pounds annually and over 850 million pounds of methane emissions annually. The rule will go into effect this summer.
  • In May of 2021, the state implemented natural gas waste rules that require 98% gas capture from oil and gas production and midstream operations by the end of 2026
• Enacting the landmark Energy Transition Act, requiring state energy utilities to produce 100% clean electricity by 2045
• Enforcing current policies that will reduce emissions by 30.9 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent by 2030
  • Additional planned policies will further reduce emissions by an additional 17.3 metric tons of carbon dioxide by 2030
• Ensuring a just transition that provides for sustainable livelihoods for those reliant on the fossil fuel economy in the shift to more sustainable systems and practices
• Bringing a total of 1,395 megawatts of renewable power online between 2019 and 2021, more than double the growth in renewable generation in the two years prior
• Reimplementing the Solar Market Development Tax Credit in 2020, which enabled over 2,300 solar projects to be installed in its first year of implementation, an annual energy cost savings of $1,400 per customer
• Expanding the state’s electric transportation framework to more easily allow for the construction of electric vehicle charging stations and the expansion of electric transportation in New Mexico
• Committing to conserve and protect at least 30% of state lands and waters by 2030

The Lujan Grisham administration will continue to pursue every available avenue to drive down emissions and prepare for the effects of climate change already being felt.

Later this year, the state’s Environmental Improvement Board will consider the adoption of clean car rules, significantly decreasing emissions from the state’s second-largest greenhouse gas emitting industry.