Santa Fe, NM — Senate Republicans voiced strong opposition to Senate Bill 48 during a lengthy debate on its final passage in the Senate Chamber. The bill, known as the "Community Benefit Fund," allocates $340 million of taxpayer money for various environmental initiatives throughout New Mexico. These projects are aimed at the state's oil and gas industry.

Senate Republicans suggested several amendments to the bill. They proposed including natural gas as a clean energy source, incorporating nuclear energy innovation similar to that in Massachusetts, Minnesota, and New York, and focusing solely on enhancing the reliability and capacity of New Mexico's power grid.

Senator Larry Scott (R-Hobbs) expressed his concerns with the following statement: "Over Republican objections, Senate Democrats have just passed a bill to spend $340 Million to pursue their unachievable green agenda. How arrogant to believe that these projects could alter the course of climate change by any measurable number of degrees. A more appropriate course of action would be to educate and equip our constituents so that they are prepared to adapt to whatever ‘climate crisis’ the extreme environmentalists keep claiming is going to happen."

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