Opinion: Time to repeal New Mexico’s Green New Deal

Larry Behrens
Power the Future
Larry Behrens

As more New Mexicans learn the truth about the Energy Transition Act, or ETA, the less they support it. Called New Mexico’s own “Green New Deal” the ETA will kill jobs, raise electric rates and will only enrich green energy companies at our expense.

That’s why it’s time New Mexicans come together to repeal the Energy Transition Act.

Not long after the ink was dry on the ETA it was revealed how Governor Lujan Grisham’s administration worked closely with PNM and radical environmentalists to write the law. New Mexico’s energy workers and rate payers were left behind while “big green” and PNM were allowed insider access. Of course, it’s those same parties who now want to pretend they’re being transparent by putting forth plans to implement the ETA.  

Make no mistake, that’s like a doctor deciding they’re going to amputate one of your limbs, except they’re being “transparent” by letting you choose which one.

If you need further proof the ETA was rushed through the Legislature look no further than the New Mexico Public Regulation Commission. When a bipartisan group of commissioners wanted to take a closer look to make sure rate payers weren’t getting left out, the ETA’s supporters screamed. They’re using every political intimidation tool at their disposal from Supreme Court lawsuits to empty threats of impeachment. PRC commissioners are continually facing the scorn of the regressive green movement just because they want to do their job and protect New Mexicans from higher electric bills.

Of course, supporters of the ETA promise your electric bills won’t increase due to the forced transition. They want you to ignore how green initiatives like the ETA have raised rates across the country and across the world, but apparently New Mexico is different. What can’t be ignored is their own faulty math. 

Recently PNM put out a press release saying they “miscalculated” the impact to customers in the ETA transition. They admitted trying to figure out the different scenarios is “complex.” This is the beginning of a sad pattern of every regressive energy transition: Promised savings always evaporate once we have to come to terms with economic reality. PNM said they have made the disclosure in a transparent fashion, but supporters of the ETA continue to hide things from public scrutiny.

My organization, Power The Future asked the Legislature for the emails between one of the sponsors of the ETA and legislative staff. We wanted to take a look at the bill while it was being created. What we received in return was a denial to disclose more than 300 emails because they have been deemed “confidential and privileged.” 

Earlier this year one of the Senators who voted for the ETA told energy workers “…that bill was very, very controversial and I do believe you’re going to see some modification of that bill.” We agree. We also believe New Mexicans would support not only modifications to the bill, but a full repeal.

Insider access and lack of transparency would be reason enough for us to fight for this repeal, but there is one reason that is even more important: our way of life. 

Thousands of energy workers and many communities across New Mexico depend on our energy industry for high-paying jobs that allow their families to grow stronger. They develop our state’s natural resources that help our nation be energy independent.  And the billions of dollars in revenue they generate support every classroom, every road project and every family in New Mexico. The ETA and its radical supporters want to see that come to an end.

They believe our way of life is a threat. We know they’re wrong.

Larry Behrens is the Western States Director for Power The Future which has launched EnergyTransitionTruth.Com to allow New Mexicans to sign up and support the repeal of the regressive Energy Transition Act.