More than 200 educators from across New Mexico sent a letter to members of the state legislature and the U. S. Congress on Nov. 30 asking that the New Mexico Oil & Gas Association stop using educators and students in public campaigns to promote more oil and gas development, block efforts to diversify state revenues, address climate change and make changes to the federal oil and gas program.

The letter follows an early effort in July 2021, when organizations representing thousands of teachers and educators across New Mexico sent a letter to Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham and state legislative leaders expressing concern about the state’s over-reliance on fossil fuel extraction for education...

Ever since the 1970s, when Americans woke up to the dangers of government secrecy thanks to Watergate and Vietnam, the value of transparency in public policy making has become more and more apparent. Bad things are more likely to happen in darkness, not only when it comes to crime, but also when it comes to laws made in secrecy, or decisions made without public input. That’s why New Mexico enacted the Open Meetings Act in 1974.

As it says in the act itself, the legislature recognized that a representative government is dependent upon an informed electorate armed with the greatest possible information regarding the affairs of government and the official acts of its officers and...

WASHINGTON, D. C.— Four members of the New Mexico delegation expressed their support of President Joe Biden’s 20-year leasing ban around Chaco Canyon.

Sens. Martin Heinrich, D-N.M., Ben Ray Luján, D-N.M. and Reps. Teresa Leger Fernández, D-N.M. and Melanie Stansbury, D-N.M. issued a statement backing the president’s announcement to ban oil and gas leasing around Chaco Canyon and surrounding areas in northwestern New Mexico for 20 years.

“President Biden’s executive order to ban leasing on federal lands around Chaco Canyon is a significant step forward in protecting this historical sacred site for generations to come,” they stated.  “As we continue to work to provide...

Prepares for action on orphaned wells

Staff Reports

New Mexico’s District Three Rep. Teresa Leger Fernández, D-N.M had a checklist of reasons to smile when President Joseph Biden signed the Infrastructure Act Nov. 15.

As Chair of the Subcommittee on Indigenous People, Leger Fernández advocated for investments to make broadband accessible and affordable for low-income and rural households, funding for water infrastructure projects, including the Navajo Gallup Water Supply Project, tribal funding and $4.7 billion to plug orphaned wells.

Leger Fernández introduced the Orphaned Wells Cleanup and Jobs Act of 2021 in April to clean up over 56,000 known “orphaned” oil and gas...