New Mexico’s legislative session is halfway over, but efforts to regulate the oil and gas industry are bogged down by political resistance, industry lobbying, and shrinking federal oversight.
Jerry Redfern reports for Capital & Main.
In short:
- The Trump administration has eliminated key environmental oversight rules, leaving New Mexico with fewer tools to regulate oil and gas development on public lands.
- Democratic lawmakers have proposed bills to curb emissions and restrict drilling near schools, but industry lobbying and bipartisan reluctance have stalled progress.
- SB4, the Clear Horizons & Greenhouse Gas Emissions Act, called for reducing New Mexico's greenhouse gas emissions to zero by 2050 but died in a Senate Finance Committee hearing.
- The oil and gas sector remains New Mexico’s largest greenhouse gas emitter, yet legislators have struggled to advance regulations before the session’s March 20 deadline.
Key quote:
“With today’s vote it’s clear that no amount of community input can sway the legislature to take action on climate in any meaningful way.”
— Lucas Herndon, energy policy director at ProgressNow New Mexico
Why this matters:
New Mexico is the second largest oil producer in the U.S., and its policies significantly impact national energy production and emissions. With the federal government scaling back environmental oversight, the burden falls on state lawmakers to regulate pollution and protect public health. However, political gridlock and industry influence continue to stall climate action. Without legislative action, the state risks worsening air pollution, environmental degradation, and long-term economic uncertainty as the energy transition accelerates.
Related: New Mexico's legislative push for oil and gas reform
