Sen. Linda Lopez Senate District 11 | Sierra Club Rio Grande Chapter
Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham has vetoed all significant climate-protecting measures passed by the Legislature in 2023. In response, Camilla Feibelman, Director of the Sierra Club Rio Grande Chapter, expressed disappointment. She stated that the rejected measures included credits for electric vehicles, energy storage, and geothermal development which could have contributed to preventing climate disaster and boosting economic development in New Mexico.
Feibelman highlighted the urgency of climate action: "We are facing a climate emergency that requires emergency action, not vetoes." She noted that over 1,000 people had reached out to the governor urging approval of various reforms and developments related to climate change, none of which were enacted into law.
The proposed climate tax credits aimed to promote technologies like electric vehicles and energy storage systems. They were described as short-term with a sunset period of five years but considered essential for advancing emerging industries. Among these was HB412/SB22 offering credits for purchasing or leasing electric vehicles, HB32 providing tax credits for home energy storage investments, SB173 supporting geothermal electricity production, SB45 encouraging efficient ground-source heat pumps, and HB67 offering tax deductions on sales of energy-storage systems to governments.
Additional bills left unsigned included HB365 for establishing a Geothermal Center & Fund at NM Tech, HB184 reforming the Game Commission appointment process to include broader representation, and SB182 aiming at recycling and litter reduction initiatives.
Contact: Camilla Feibelman can be reached via email at camilla.feibelman@sierraclub.org or phone at (505) 715-8388.
