As one of her initial actions in office, Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham signed an executive order in 2019 aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions in New Mexico. However, six years later, the state is not on track to meet the order's initial target of a 45% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 compared to 2005 levels.
This situation has prompted Senate President Pro Tem Mimi Stewart from Albuquerque to introduce the Clear Horizons and Greenhouse Gas Emissions bill. The bill successfully passed its first committee on Tuesday morning with a narrow vote of 5-4. The opposition included three Republican committee members residing near the Permian Basin and Senator Joseph Cervantes from Las Cruces.
Senator James Townsend from Artesia expressed concerns about the potential economic impact, stating, "It would be incomprehensible to look at this piece of legislation and think that it would not demonstrably impact the price of energy." In response, Stewart consistently denied that the bill would lead to higher energy prices.
Senate Bill 4 aims to formalize the governor's emissions limit for 2030 and introduces new targets: a 75% reduction by 2040 and complete elimination by 2050 compared to 2005 levels. The bill emphasizes prioritizing reductions in "overburdened communities," which include minority or Native communities or other groups disproportionately affected.
