Our Land: New Mexico’s Environmental Past, Present and Future
Climate Change and Politics
Season 6 Episode 32 | 17m 42sVideo has Closed Captions
Discussion on why climate change doesn't arise to the top of the political agenda in NM.
New Mexico legislators passed very few bills related to climate change this session, and those that did pass were vetoed by Democratic Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham. Guests this week talk with Our Land Senior Producer Laura Paskus about why climate change still doesn’t arise to the top of the political agenda in New Mexico.
Problems with Closed Captions? Closed Captioning Feedback
Problems with Closed Captions? Closed Captioning Feedback
Our Land: New Mexico’s Environmental Past, Present and Future is a local public television program presented by NMPBS
Our Land: New Mexico’s Environmental Past, Present and Future
Climate Change and Politics
Season 6 Episode 32 | 17m 42sVideo has Closed Captions
New Mexico legislators passed very few bills related to climate change this session, and those that did pass were vetoed by Democratic Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham. Guests this week talk with Our Land Senior Producer Laura Paskus about why climate change still doesn’t arise to the top of the political agenda in New Mexico.
Problems with Closed Captions? Closed Captioning Feedback
How to Watch Our Land: New Mexico’s Environmental Past, Present and Future
Our Land: New Mexico’s Environmental Past, Present and Future is available to stream on pbs.org and the free PBS App, available on iPhone, Apple TV, Android TV, Android smartphones, Amazon Fire TV, Amazon Fire Tablet, Roku, Samsung Smart TV, and Vizio.
Providing Support for PBS.org
Learn Moreabout PBS online sponsorship>> Gene: 2023 WAS A GRIM YEAR IN THE LEGISLATURE FOR PROGRESS ON CLIMATE CHANGE.
LAWMAKERS PASSED VERY FEW BILLS.
AND THOSE THAT DID GET THROUGH FELL UNDER THE VETO PEN OF DEMOCRATIC GOVERNOR MICHELLE LUJAN GRISHAM.
THIS WEEK OUR LAND SENIOR PRODUCER LAURA PASKUS GOT TOGETHER WITH LEADERS OF THREE NONPROFITS FOR A CONVERSATION ABOUT WHAT WENT WRONG AND WHY.
WE ALSO TALKED ABOUT WHY CLIMATE CHANGE NEVER SEEMS TO RISE TO THE TOP OF THE POLITICAL AGENDA EVEN IN THE STATE WHERE THE PUBLIC CLEARLY WANTS POLITICIANS TO MOVE ON CLIMATE CHANGE.
>> Laura: WE ARE HERE TODAY TO TALK ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE AND POLITICS.
WE HAVE JULIE BERNAL, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE PUEBLO ACTION ALLIANCE.
CAMILLA FIEBELMAN, DIRECTOR OF THE RIO GRANDE CHAPTER OF SIERRA CLUB AND ERIC SCHLENKER-GOODRICH, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE WESTERN ENVIRONMENTAL OFFICE.
WELCOME.
SO, IT SEEMS LIKE THERE WAS MOMENTUM ON CLIMATE CHANGE AHEAD OF THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION THIS YEAR, BUT IT ENDED UP BEING ANOTHER REALLY DISAPPOINTING YEAR FOR CLIMATE ACTION IN THE NEW MEXICO LEGISLATURE.
IN A NUT SHELL, CAMILLA, WELL, IT IS SIMILAR TO WHAT HAS GONG ONE THE LAST FEW YEARS.
WHAT WENT WRONG THIS YEAR?
>> Feibelman: IT IS SIMILAR TO WHAT HAS GONE WRONG THE LAST THREE YEARS IN A ROW THAT WE HAVE TRIED TO BRING COMPREHENSIVE CLIMATE LEGISLATION.
WE WERE PRESENTED WITH A DRASTICALLY WEAKENED BILL BY THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE AT THE BEGINNING OF THE SESSION, ASKED TO SUPPORT IT, AND OFFERED SOME STRONGER WAYS FORWARD BUT WERE TOLD THAT THERE WOULDN'T BE A BILL IF WE WEREN'T GOING TO SUPPORT THE ONE THAT WAS THERE.
SO, WE TOOK A DIFFERENT PATH OF TRYING TO PUSH FORWARD FIVE DIFFERENT CLIMATE TAX CREDITS THAT WERE, TO THE CREDIT OF HOUSE AND SENATE LEADERSHIP, INCLUDED IN THE COMPREHENSIVE TAX PACKAGE AND THEN WERE PART OF A BIG LINE ITEM VETO IN THAT BILL BY THE GOVERNOR.
AND THAT AMOUNTS TO ZERO ACTION ON CLIMATE IN THIS LEGISLATIVE SESSION EVEN THOUGH THERE WAS GOOD NEWS IN MANY OTHER REALMS IN THE ENVIRONMENT, JUST NOT ON THE CLIMATE.
>> Laura: INTERESTED IN WHAT ARE SOME OF THOSE BEHIND THE SCENES CONVERSATION THAT HAPPEN LEADING UP TO THE SESSION.
WHO WAS TALKING?
WHO IS MAKING THESE THINGS HAPPEN OR NOT HAPPEN?
>> Schlenker: I THINK ONE WAY TO THINK ABOUT IT IS OVER THE COURSE OF THE GOVERNOR'S LEADERSHIP OVERALL IN HER FIRST TERM AND NOW INTO HER SECOND TERM.
I THINK IN THE FIRST TERM SHE DID EXERCISE LEADERSHIP IN TERMS OF PROMULGATING, PIONEERING METHANE RULES BOTH THROUGH THE OIL CONSERVATION DIVISION AND NEW MEXICO ENVIRONMENT DEPARTMENT.
SHE ALSO PASSED THE ENERGY TRANSITION ACT WHICH IS HELPING IN THE SAN JUAN BASIN BOTH TO RETIRE COAL FIRED POWER BUT THEN TO ALSO PUT MONEY ON THE GROUND FOR COMMUNITIES TO TRANSITION AWAY FROM DEPENDENCY ON FOSSIL FUELS.
ONE OF THE THINGS WE ARE THINKING ABOUT AT WESTERN ENVIRONMENTAL LAW CENTER IS, WHAT IS THE GOVERNOR'S AGENDA ON CLIMATE IN HER SECOND TERM?
AND DOES SHE EVEN HAVE ONE?
THERE IS A SENSE THAT SHE CHECKED A BOX ON THE METHANE RULES, SHE CHECKED THE BOX ON THE ENERGY TRANSITION ACT AND, IN FACT, DOESN'T HAVE AN AGENDA ON CLIMATE ACTION FOR HER SECOND TERM.
WHEN I THINK ABOUT WHAT THE REASON IS FOR THAT, I THINK IT IS THE ENTRENCHED POWER OF THE OIL AND GAS INDUSTRY AND AN UNWILLINGNESS OF THE STATE POLITICAL LEADERSHIP, STARTING WITH THE GOVERNOR, TO TRULY CHALLENGE THAT POWER AND TO POSITION NEW MEXICO FOR THE FUTURE, TO REALLY OPEN NEW DOORS FOR A THRIVING, RESILIENT FUTURE THAT ISN'T CONTINGENT ON THE VOLATILITY OF OIL AND GAS REVENUE, WHICH ULTIMATELY IS GOING TO GO AWAY.
>> Laura: LET'S TALK ABOUT THAT A LITTLE BIT BECAUSE OF THE FACT THAT WE ARE AN ENERGY PRODUCING STATE AND WE ARE SEEING IMPACTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE.
HOW DO WE DECOUPLE OIL AND GAS FROM OUR ECONOMY?
HOW DO WE RECTIFY THESE TWO PARTS?
>> Bernal: THANK YOU ERIK FOR WHAT YOU HAD TO SAY.
I THINK -- I FEEL LIKE IN A SENSE THEY ARE LIKE -- I FEEL LIKE SHE DOES HAVE AN AGENDA WHERE IT IS BASED ON SUPPORTING FOSSIL FUELS STILL AND USING -- UTILIZING WHAT ARE CALLED MARKET-BASED MECHANISMS TO ALLOW THE CONTINUATION OF FOSSIL FUEL INDUSTRIES SO APPEASING TO THAT CONSTITUENCY IN NEW MEXICO, BECAUSE, OF COURSE, WE ALL KNOW THAT NEW MEXICO IS VERY SEVERELY ADDICTED TO FOSSIL FUEL REVENUES, BUT I FEEL LIKE A LOT OF WHAT GRASS ROOTS, INDIGENOUS YOUTH ORGANIZATIONS ARE REALLY LOOKING TO IS HOW DO WE DIVERSIFY OUR ECONOMY.
HOW CAN WE ALSO STIMULATE THE ECONOMY?
IS THAT THROUGH A COMMUNITY SOLAR GRID PROJECT.
IS THAT BY CREATING ECONOMIES AROUND REMEDIATION AND CARE.
I THINK THAT THERE IS A LOT OF THINKING BEHIND WHAT A TRULY EQUITABLE, JUST TRANSITION COULD LOOK LIKE, BUT IT IS NOT GOING TO BE A SOLUTION THAT IS GOING TO APPEASE THE OIL AND GAS INDUSTRY OR EXTRACTIVES IN GENERAL.
SO, THAT IS, I THINK, THE DUALITY OF THIS ISSUE IS THAT WE ALL RECOGNIZE THAT NEW MEXICO IS IN SEVERE NEED OF JUST TRANSITION BUT WE CAN'T DO THAT WHILE ALSO BOLSTERING THE FOSSIL FUEL ECONOMY.
>> Schlenker: IF I MAY, WHAT JULIA IS SAYING REMINDS ME THAT, IN FACT, MAYBE THERE IS AN AGENDA AND PART OF THAT AGENDA IS FOSSIL GAS HYDROGEN.
IT IS INTERESTING THAT ON FRIDAY, AFTER THE SESSION, SHE VETOED THE FIVE TAX CREDITS AND THEN ON THE MONDAY, THE NEXT BUSINESS DAY, SHE THEN SUBMITTED THROUGH HER AGENCIES A 1.25 BILLION DOLLAR HYDROGEN HUB PROPOSAL THAT VERY MUCH WAS GROUNDED IN FOSSIL GAS HYDROGEN.
THE WAY WE THINK ABOUT HYDROGEN, AND I SUSPECT JULIA ECHOS THIS, IS THAT THAT IS A WAY TO PERPETUATE OUR DEPENDENCY ON OIL AND GAS, NOT A WAY FOR US TO TRANSITION AWAY FROM THAT DEPENDENCY AND NOT A WAY TO TRULY ADDRESS CLIMATE ACTION IN SUPPORT OF FRONT LINE COMMUNITIES.
>> Laura: I FEEL LIKE, YOU KNOW, ESPECIALLY AFTER A YEAR LIKE 2022 THAT WAS HARD ON MANY NEW MEXICANS IN CLIMATE RELATED WAYS.
PEOPLE ARE SAD, PEOPLE ARE OVERWHELMED.
THEY WANT TO DO SOMETHING AND I HEAR FROM PEOPLE A LOT WHO ARE WORRIED ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE.
AND I OFTEN SAY TO THEM, TALK TO YOUR ELECTED OFFICIALS, MAKE SURE YOUR ELECTED OFFICIALS KNOW THAT YOU CARE ABOUT CLIMATE, ENERGY, WATER.
AND YET HERE WE ARE IN A STATE WHERE WE ARE NOT LIKE TEXAS OR FLORIDA.
OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS UNDERSTAND CLIMATE CHANGE, UNDERSTAND WHY IT IS HAPPENING AND YET IT SEEMS TO ME LIKE DEMOCRATS WILL NOT DELIVER ON CLIMATE ACTION.
WHAT ARE THE ROADBLOCKS?
WHAT ARE THE BARRIERS TO THIS?
JULIA, DO YOU HAVE A SENSE?
>> Bernal: THIS IS SPEAKING FROM, LIKE, A YOUNG PERSON THAT HASN'T BEEN IN THIS WORK AS LONG AS CAMILLA OR ERIK.
IN THEORY DEMOCRACY AND DEMOCRATIC PROCESS IS LIKE, YOU KNOW, PARTICIPATION AND, LIKE, HAVING THE ABILITY TO TALK TO YOUR POLITICAL LEADERS AND, LIKE, SEE THE DEBATE OUT IN THE LEGISLATURE.
BUT, WHAT WE ARE SEEING IS THAT A LOT OF THESE DEBATES AND TOPICS ARE REALLY DEPENDENT ON RELATIONSHIPS THAT PEOPLE HAVE, WHETHER THAT IS WITH THE GOVERNOR, WITH ORGANIZATIONS AND THEIR POLITICAL LEADERS OR LEGISLATURES.
AND THAT, I FEEL, IS ALSO A DETERRENT FOR LIKE FORWARDING, LIKE, REAL CLIMATE ACTION AND REAL PROGRESS BECAUSE THERE IS A LOT OF POLITICAL CAPITAL THAT I THINK A LOT OF FOLKS ARE REALLY TRYING TO PROTECT.
I UNDERSTAND THAT LIKE HAVING RELATIONSHIPS WITH PEOPLE IS A MECHANISM TO SEE YOUR AGENDA GO THROUGH THE LEGISLATURE, BUT, LIKE, LET'S HAVE THE DEBATE.
LET'S, LIKE, SEE HOW DEMOCRACY IS SUPPOSED TO WORK WITHOUT GETTING IN THE WAY OF PERSONALITIES OR RELATIONSHIPS.
>> Feibelman: I'LL JUST ADD A LITTLE BIT.
AFTER THE GOVERNOR VETOED THOSE FIVE TAX CREDITS, YOU SAW AN OUTPOURING OF GRASS ROOTS COMMUNITY CONCERN ON TO THE OPINION PAGES, FULL PAGES OF LETTERS TO THE EDITOR ASKING WHY IN A YEAR LIKE LAST YEAR WHERE WE SAW MASSIVE FIRES, AT ONE POINT IN EVERY COUNTY IN THE STATE, GENERATIONAL HOMES BURNED, FLOODING AS AN AFTER CONSEQUENCE.
IF WE DO NOT DO SOMETHING NOW WE ARE TALKING ABOUT AGRICULTURAL COLLAPSE.
WE ARE TALKING ABOUT SKYROCKETING FOOD PRICES.
WE ARE TALKING ABOUT LEAVING OUR KIDS AN UNINHABITABLE LANDSCAPE.
AND I THINK THAT THERE WAS A CALCULATION THIS YEAR IN THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE THAT SHE COULD CUT THE BUDGET BY CUTTING PROGRESS ON CLIMATE THROUGH THE TAX PACKAGE.
AND I THINK THE CLEAR ANSWER FROM OUR GRASSROOTS ALL AROUND THE STATE IS THAT THAT WILL NOT WORK.
WHEN IT COMES TO THOSE RELATIONSHIPS, WHAT WE ARE DOING IS ASKING OUR MEMBERS TO REACH OUT IN A VERY PERSONAL WAY TO THEIR LEGISLATORS.
YOU KNOW, WE MADE SOME GOOD PROGRESS IN THE LEGISLATURE ON BANNING THE TRANSPORT OF HIGH LEVEL NUCLEAR WASTE HERE, FINALLY GETTING A PERMANENT FUND FOR CONSERVATION EFFORTS, AND I THINK LEGISLATORS MORE THAN EVER ARE HEARING FROM THEIR CONSTITUENTS SAYING, YOU HAVE GOT TO DO SOMETHING HARD.
YOU KNOW, WE DID VOTING RIGHTS.
WE DID GENDER AFFIRMING AND ABORTION CARE, BUT WHEN YOU'RE STANDING UP AGAINST THE WELL MONEYED OILED AND GAS INDUSTRY, IT IS GOING TO BE THAT MUCH HARDER BUT THERE IS NOT A SINGLE DOLLAR THAT COMES INTO THIS STATE THAT CAN JUSTIFY A KID'S ASTHMA ATTACK, THE HEALTHCARE THAT PEOPLE HAVE TO GET BECAUSE OF THE IMPACTS NOT JUST OF CLIMATE AND ON HEALTH.
AND WE WILL WORK HARDER THAN EVER AS WE ALWAYS HAVE, A BIT OF CASSANDRA, YOU KNOW, CALLING ON PEOPLE TO ADDRESS THIS CRISIS.
BUT WE WILL KEEP DOING THAT AND WE WILL DO IT UNTIL WE DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT, BUT IT IS GOING TO REQUIRE A TRANSFORMATIONAL APPROACH.
WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO LEAVE OIL AND GAS.
WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO SAY GOOD-BYE AND I THINK IT IS WORTH RECOGNIZING THAT NO MATTER HOW WELL OR POORLY OIL AND GAS ARE DOING, IT DOESN'T SEEM TO CHANGE HOW WELL NEW MEXICANS ARE DOING.
THOSE JOBS ARE DANGEROUS.
PEOPLE GET BURNED AND SCARRED FROM DOING THOSE JOBS AND SO DOES OUR PLANET SO WE HAVE GOT TO JUST KEEP COMING BACK, AS DISAPPOINTING AS IT MIGHT BE, AS SCARY AS IT MIGHT BE OUR KIDS DESERVE WE DO NOT QUIT.
>> Laura: I AGREE WITH YOU AND I DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW THE POTENTIAL FOR SORT OF PLANETARY DESTRUCTION DOESN'T RISE TO THE TOP OF PEOPLES' POLITICAL AGENDAS, BUT IT JUST FEELS TO ME LIKE SOMETHING NEEDS TO CHANGE BECAUSE I STARTED COVERING THE ENVIRONMENT IN THE RICHARDSON ADMINISTRATION AND WE WENT THROUGH EIGHT YEARS OF A REPUBLICAN GOVERNOR WHERE BILLS WEREN'T GOING TO GET INTRODUCED BECAUSE SHE WASN'T GOING TO SIGN THEM.
I FEEL LIKE WHAT REALLY NEEDS TO CHANGE IN HOW WE ARE APPROACHING THIS?
>> Schlenker: I FEEL THERE IS A POLICY ANSWER AND NON-POLICY ANSWER.
THE NON-POLICY ANSWER IS WHAT JULIA WAS TALKING ABOUT IN TERMS OF RELATIONSHIPS.
ONE THING WE ARE ALL THINKING ABOUT IS HOW DO WE BUILD SOLIDARITY AND POWER IN THE PROGRESSIVE SECTOR SO THAT IT IS NOT VIEWED AS A STOVEPIPE ISSUE BUT AS AN ISSUE THAT IS REALLY ABOUT THE FUTURE OF NEW MEXICO OVERALL.
THIS IS A MOMENT FOR US TO ACT.
WHAT GOVERNOR LUJAN GRISHAM DOES NOW, WHAT THE LEGISLATURE DOES NOW IN THE COMING YEAR OR TWO WILL DICTATE WHAT NEW MEXICO'S FUTURE IS 10 YEARS FROM NOW, 20 YEARS FROM NOW.
THAT IS GOING TO BE CONTINGENT ON GROUPS LIKE OURS ORGANIZING TO COUNTER THE POWER OF THE OIL AND GAS INDUSTRY.
THE OIL AND GAS INDUSTRY PROVIDES A HUGE AMOUNT OF MONEY TO POLITICIANS.
IT ALSO PROVIDES A HUGE AMOUNT OF REVENUE TO THE STATE, TO THE STATE COFFERS, AND IT IS ALSO THE RELATIONSHIP THAT MOST POLITICAL LEADERS ARE USED TO AND COMFORTABLE WITH LISTENING TO THE OIL AND GAS INDUSTRY, NOT LISTENING TO THE PEOPLE.
I THINK THAT IS SOMETHING THAT REALLY NEEDS TO CHANGE.
FROM A MORE POLICY TECHNOCRATIC PERSPECTIVE, IT IS REALLY TRANSITIONING AWAY FROM OUR DEPENDENCY ON FOSSIL FUELS REVENUE WHILE CONCURRENTLY PROVIDING SUPPORT FOR COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE STATE, ESPECIALLY IN THOSE OIL AND GAS PRODUCING REGIONS, TO BE ABLE TO RETRAIN THEIR WORKERS AND MOVE FORWARD.
I THINK THINKING BACK ABOUT THIS SESSION, THAT IS ONE OF THE MOST FRUSTRATING THINGS BECAUSE THERE WERE BILLS TO START BUILDING OUT A GEOTHERMAL INDUSTRY IN NEW MEXICO THAT WOULD BE VERY CONSISTENT AND SUPPORTED BY THE CONSERVATION COMMUNITY AND THE CLIMATE COMMUNITY TO HELP MAKE THAT TRANSITION, BUILD NEW INDUSTRIES.
AND WE SAW THOSE BILLS AND THOSE TAX CREDITS ALSO VETOED.
SO I THINK RIGHT NOW WHAT WE ARE SEEING IS THE GOVERNOR ESSENTIALLY NOT LEADING, INCLUDING AT THE LEGISLATURE, AND PASSING UP WHAT IS OTHERWISE AN AMAZING OPPORTUNITY TO SET THE STAGE FOR NEW MEXICO'S FUTURE.
THAT IS JUST NOT HAPPENING RIGHT NOW.
>> YOU TALKED ABOUT RELATIONSHIPS AND KIND OF, YOU KNOW, THE WAY I WAS THINKING ABOUT IT IS SORT OF BACK ROOM DEALS BETWEEN LOBBYISTS AND LAWMAKERS.
I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE OTHER KINDS OF RELATIONSHIPS THAT WE NEED TO BE BUILDING TO BE ADDRESSING CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION AND ADAPTATION.
WHAT ARE THOSE TYPES OF RELATIONSHIPS.
>> Bernal: YEAH, SO, WE ARE A PUBLIC ACTION ALLIANCE.
WE ARE AN INDIGENOUS PUEBLO ORGANIZATION AND SO A LOT OF OUR CAMPAIGN DEVELOPMENT AND PROGRAMS WITHIN OUR ORGANIZATION ARE REALLY ROOTED IN OUR VALUES AS PUEBLO INDIGENOUS PEOPLE.
A LOT OF THOSE VALUES ARE ALSO THESE RELATIONSHIPS THAT WE HAVE WITH THE NATURAL WORLD AND WITH OUR COMMUNITIES AND, YOU KNOW, IN THIS BIGGER GLOBAL CONVERSATION AROUND CLIMATE MITIGATION AND ADAPTATION, IT HAS BEEN STATED NUMEROUS TIMES THAT INDIGENOUS TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE OR TRADITIONAL ECOLOGICAL KNOWLEDGE IS GOING TO BE A MECHANISM TO GETTING TO THOSE CLIMATE GOALS.
AND A LOT OF WHAT INDIGENOUS GROUPS ACROSS THE WORLD ARE TRYING TO DO IS CENTER THAT ANALYSIS BECAUSE ULTIMATELY IF YOU'RE DOING THAT, YOU'RE THEN STARTING TO LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE STARTING TO LOOK AT THE WORLD DIFFERENTLY, NOT AS A RESOURCE BUT AS AN ENTITY, AS A LIVING ENTITY.
THAT RELATIONSHIP THAT WE HAVE WITH THE NATURAL WORLD IS REALLY A PART OF OUR ANALYSIS AS CLIMATE ACTIVISTS OR CLIMATE ADVOCATES, WHATEVER WE CALL OURSELVES.
AND I FEEL LIKE THAT CONCEPT ISN'T ALWAYS AS INTUITIVE TO NONINDIGENOUS PEOPLE AND MAY EVEN SEEM A BIT, LIKE, NEBULOUS OR NOT GROUNDED IN ANYTHING THAT CAN BE ACTION ORIENTED.
BUT ULTIMATELY IT IS.
YOU KNOW.
I THINK THAT HAS BEEN A BIG CHALLENGE IN PARTICIPATING IN THE LEGISLATURE BECAUSE ULTIMATELY A LOT OF THE TIMES WHEN WE ARE TALKING ABOUT WATER, LAND, RESOURCES, WE ARE TALKING ABOUT THEM AS MATERIALS RATHER THAN LIKE BEINGS AND OUR RELATIVES.
YOU KNOW, ULTIMATELY, IT IS JUST A CHALLENGE THAT WE ARE CONSTANTLY HAVING TO FACE, BUT, AGAIN, I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT IT IS GOING TO BE VERY VITAL FOR THE FUTURE TO CENTER THOSE TYPES OF CONCEPTS AND IDEOLOGIES.
>> Laura: YOU ALL ARE WITH DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS AND HAVE DIFFERENT STRATEGIES AND CAMPAIGNS, BUT I WOULD LIKE FOR EACH OF YOU JUST TO VERY BRIEFLY, WHAT IS THE ONE MISTAKE YOU THINK NEW MEXICO CANNOT MAKE RIGHT NOW?
>> Feibelman: DOING WHAT WE ARE DOING RIGHT NOW.
WE REALLY NEED A CLEAR, COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
60% OF THE GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS THAT WE ARE EMITTING AS A STATE COME FROM OIL AND GAS AND INDUSTRY.
WE NEED TO KNOW THAT OPERATING OIL FACILITIES ARE COMPLYING WITH THE STRONGEST RULES AND WE NEED TO KNOW THEY ARE WORKING.
AND WE NEED TO DO MORE IF THEY ARE NOT.
WE ULTIMATELY NEED TO KEEP IT IN THE GROUND OR WE WILL NOT CREATE THE FUTURE WE NEED.
BUT WE ALSO HAVE HUGE -- >> Laura: DON'T FORGET ONE.
ONE THING WE CAN'T AFFORD TO NOT DO RIGHT NOW.
>> Schlenker: WE HAVE A WEALTH OF RESOURCES AT THE TABLE IN NEW MEXICO IN TERMS OF STATE REVENUE.
WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT STATE REVENUE IS DIRECTED TO GOOD THINGS NOT THE BAD THINGS.
IN OTHER WORDS, DON'T DIRECT THAT TOWARDS FOSSIL GAS, HYDROGEN, DIRECT THAT TOWARDS COMMUNITY.
DIRECT THAT TO THE BUILD OUT OF CLEAN ENERGY INFRASTRUCTURE LIKE GEOTHERMAL, LIKE SUN, LIKE WIND, AND MAKE USE OF THAT OPPORTUNITY.
I THINK WHAT IS KEY HERE IS CREATE A SENSE OF BELONGING AMONG THE PEOPLE OF NEW MEXICO.
THE OIL AND GAS INDUSTRY SHOULD NOT DICTATE OUR ENERGY FUTURE.
THE PEOPLE SHOULD DICTATE OUR ENERGY FUTURE.
>> Laura: ONE THING -- >> Bernal: ERIK KIND OF -- I AM TRYING TO TRANSITION.
WHAT I WAS GOING TO SAY, I'LL JUST ADD QUICKLY THAT NEW MEXICO IS REALLY UNIQUE IN ITS DIVERSITY OF TRADITIONAL LAND-BASED PEOPLE, WHETHER THAT IS INDIGENOUS PEOPLE, ACEQUIA COMMUNITIES AND THOSE TYPE OF COMMUNITY MODELS AROUND LAND AND WATER STEWARDSHIP ARE REALLY GOING TO BE IMPORTANT FOR CLIMATE ADAPTATION.
IT WOULD BE A HUGE MISTAKE IF THOSE IDEAS AND MODELS WERE IGNORED BY THE STATE.
>> Laura: ALL RIGHT.
THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE TODAY.
I APPRECIATE IT.
Support for PBS provided by:
Our Land: New Mexico’s Environmental Past, Present and Future is a local public television program presented by NMPBS