US energy secretary touts nuclear power as tech sector's thirst for electricity grows - By Susan Montoya Bryan Associated Press
U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright says it's critical that the nation be out in front when it comes to artificial intelligence, and that means having reliable and affordable sources of electricity to meet the growing demands of the technology sector.
Wright made the comments Tuesday before touring Sandia National Laboratories. On Monday, he visited Los Alamos National Laboratory, home to the top secret project during World War II that created the atomic bomb.
An engineer and businessman, Wright highlighted the labs' legacies and said they will play a role in what he described as this generation's Manhattan Project — a critical scientific undertaking that will change the course of the world in ways yet to be imagined.
To win the AI race, he said the nation needs reliable and affordable electricity and the infrastructure to move it around.
"I'm a believer," Wright said, adding that nuclear power will be part of the solution.
How big is the nuclear piece of the energy pie?
Federal energy analysts say the U.S. has generated more nuclear electricity than any other country and that plants here have supplied close to 20% of the nation's total annual electricity since 1990. That's enough to power more than 70 million homes.
Nuclear power makes up less of the world's portfolio when it comes to generating energy than other sources, Wright said. That's despite plants having small footprints and running on small amounts of material that pack a big punch.
"It's playing a shrinking role in our energy pot," he said. "That doesn't square."
However, many states are looking to nuclear energy to fill the gap as more data centers come online and tech companies develop more energy-thirsty AI tools.
Arizona already is home to one of the nation's largest nuclear plants and utilities there have teamed up to explore the potential for building more. Meanwhile, California extended the life of its last operating nuclear plant with the help of more than $1 billion in federal funding. Officials say the Diablo Canyon plant is vital to California's power grid.
In Wyoming, TerraPower, a company started by Bill Gates, broke ground last summer on what officials say will be one of the first advanced reactors to operate in the U.S.
What does it take to feed nuclear power plants?
Nuclear power plants are fueled with uranium — the mining and milling of which is a major sticking point for environmentalists who point to legacy contamination from early operations in western U.S. states and on Native American lands. Concerns still swirl today, with some groups criticizing the revival of mining near the Grand Canyon.
The back end of the fuel cycle also is an issue, with commercial reactors across the country producing more than 2,000 metric tons of spent fuel annually, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. Most of the waste remains at the sites that produce it because there's nowhere else to put it.
Private companies plan to temporarily store spent fuel in New Mexico and West Texas. In the case of Texas, the U.S. Supreme Court is weighing whether federal regulators have the authority to grant licenses for such facilities to operate.
Barring a permanent solution, both Republican and Democratic leaders in the two states have said they don't want to become the nation's nuclear dumping ground.
Wright acknowledged the challenge of spent fuel, saying there are "some creative ideas" on the horizon that could lead to long-term storage solutions at multiple sites around the U.S.
Is there a clear path for more nuclear power?
U.S. President Donald Trump has set the stage, signing executive orders aimed at stoking American innovation when it comes to AI, declaring a national energy emergency and establishing a national council that will be focused on "energy dominance."
The administration also supports a multibillion-dollar venture by OpenAI, Oracle and SoftBank that involves building data centers and the electricity generation needed for further AI development.
The Biden administration, too, had touted nuclear power as a way to meet demands without emitting greenhouse gases. The administration last year set a target of at least tripling nuclear power in the U.S. by 2050.
Standing in a corner of the national nuclear science museum in Albuquerque, Wright noted that the nation's nuclear history began in large part in New Mexico with the development of the atomic bomb.
There are many reasons for the lack of progress over recent decades, including government regulations he called overly burdensome. Beyond ensuring human safety, he said the high bars that have been set have stifled the development of next-generation nuclear power.
"Our goal is to get that out of the way, bring private businesses together, and figure out what kind of nudge we might need to get shovels in the ground and next-generation small modular reactors happening," he said. "I think they will be part of the solution."
New Mexico signs agreement to build infrastructure campus in Santa Teresa with up to 5,000 jobs – By Megan Kamerick, KUNM News
A new partnership between the state of New Mexico and the company BorderPlex Digital Assets will create a digital infrastructure campus in Santa Teresa in southern New Mexico.
Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham was joined by lawmakers and BorderPlex chairman Lanham Napier Monday, who signed a memorandum of understanding with the state.
Officials say the partnership will bring a $5 billion investment and 1,000 jobs. The campus will be an integrated hub that combines advanced manufacturing, data centers, water treatment, and utility and microgrid power generation.
Napier called the region a “national gem.”
“I think the border is an asset. I think we can invest in that border,” he said. “I believe we're having an infrastructure moment, and I think New Mexico is going to lead the way.”
El Paso Electric worked with BorderPlex to provide the power and create integrated infrastructure around the campus.
BorderPlex is also working with New Mexico State University to explore solutions around water management and a water desalination plant. The governor said there’s an appetite to think about brackish water supplies and preserving New Mexico’s fresh water.
“So, we're going to start at business-scale levels for blackish water using the best technology and innovation the world has to offer,” she said.
Phase One will break ground this year.
State implements identity verification for new unemployment claimants - By Matthew Narvaiz, Albuquerque Journal
New Mexico residents filing for unemployment benefits must now verify their identity.
That’s according to the New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions, which announced the change Tuesday. The department in a news release said the change applies to people filing online and in person.
“We are committed to strengthening the integrity of our unemployment insurance system while also increasing options for the public,” Workforce Solutions Secretary Sarita Nair said in a statement. She said the change will “particularly benefit rural communities.”
Residents applying for unemployment benefits can do so online using Login.gov, the department said in a news release. Those who want to verify their identity in person can head to the more than two dozen America’s Job Center New Mexico locations and participating U.S. Postal Service offices.
The department said all new unemployment claimants must verify their identities within 10 days of submitting claims.
If verifying in person at a postal office, residents can bring a state-issued driver’s license, a state-issued ID card, a U.S. armed forces ID card, or a U.S. passport — the latter two of which require a secondary ID.
If applying in person at a local America’s Job Center, a Social Security card, past year’s W-2 tax form with a full Social Security number, or paycheck stubs with the last four digits of the Social Security number must be submitted alongside either a birth certificate, state-issued driver’s license, state-issued ID card, passports and passport card, tribal identification or military ID.
New Mexico is the seventh state to offer multiple identity verification options and the 22nd to utilize the postal service — a collaboration between the USPS and the U.S. Department of Labor.
The news comes as Nair and state Economic Development Secretary-designate Rob Black held a Monday news conference to discuss options for laid-off federal workers in New Mexico. Nair told reporters about 140 federal workers have so far filed for unemployment claims, with another 2,200 workers on their probationary period — the latter a target for the Trump administration and the Department of Government Efficiency to cut costs.
Bill raising oil and gas royalty rates on premium Permian Basin parcels passes Senate - Hannah Grover, New Mexico Political Report
The royalty rates that New Mexico charges for oil and gas production on the best parcels of state trust land are one step closer to increasing.
The Senate passed SB 23 on a 21-15 vote over the weekend.
Bill sponsor Sen. George Muñoz, D-Gallup, said royalty rates in New Mexico have not increased since 1970. Royalties are the price that companies pay for the right to extract oil and gas resources from publicly-owned state lands.
The majority of money earned from activities such as oil and gas development on state trust lands goes to support public education.
Should SB 23 become law, producers who extract oil and gas from the premium parcels could pay up to 25% in royalties. This would only impact future leases.
Muñoz said legislators in the past have attempted to raise royalty rates statewide to 25%. SB 23 would not do that.
“This takes the best of the best, the best rock in New Mexico. It allows them to increase it to 25% if the auction sells at that rate,” he said.
The higher royalty rates would primarily impact leases in Lea and Eddy counties, Muñoz said. He said some parcels in Roosevelt and Chaves counties could also be impacted.
He said it would also allow the State Land Office to offer new leases in the most productive parts of the Permian Basin and provide increased transparency regarding how lease rates are set.
Opponents say raising the royalty rates could increase the costs of doing business in New Mexico and cause oil and gas companies to favor parcels in other states such as Texas.
Muñoz said the State Land Office does not have to bid the premium leases at the maximum rate, which would be 25% if SB 23 passes. He said if the State Land Office offers a parcel for lease with a 25% royalty rate and companies do not bid, the State Land Office can lower the rate on that parcel.
“They’re going to have to make those adjustments to see what the market is bringing on leases,” he said. “If the market’s not going to bring the 25%, then the leases won’t sell for that, but they’ve never had the capability to go to 25%.”
Currently, the State Land Office cannot charge more than 20% in royalties on those leases.
State Land Commissioner Stephanie Garcia Richard is among the people pushing for the increase in royalty rates. In a press release, she described the Senate passage of SB 23 as a “major breakthrough for this legislation.”
“We are now one step closer to ensuring millions more for our education system and other institutions every year,” she said. “Large, out-of-state companies have benefited from below-market royalty rates on New Mexico’s premium lands for far too long. We should be doing everything we can to get maximum returns for our public resources on behalf of New Mexico’s school kids.”
BSCO Undersheriff resigns after FBI questioning about DWI scandal — Colleen Heild, Albuquerque Journal
Bernalillo County Undersheriff Johann Jareno resigned Monday as the FBI investigation widened into a decades-old criminal racketeering enterprise in which Albuquerque-area law enforcement officers accepted bribes to help a local defense attorney and his office get DWI cases dismissed.
BCSO Sheriff John Allen, in a statement, said he was informed by the FBI on Saturday “of an ongoing inquiry that implicates a member of our command staff in the broader investigation into DWI case manipulations. Given the seriousness of the investigation, I took immediate action to preserve the integrity of the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office.”
“To prevent any potential conflicts of interest and ensure our agency’s focus remains on our mission,” Allen said he asked for Jareno’s resignation, effective Monday. Jareno has not been charged criminally and couldn’t be immediately reached for comment Monday afternoon.
He is among 13 law enforcement officers, most from the Albuquerque Police Department, to have resigned, retired, or been terminated since the FBI executed five searches in January 2024 at four residences and the law office of prominent DWI attorney Thomas Clear III. Last week, New Mexico State Police placed longtime DWI Sgt. Toby LaFave on administrative leave in connection with the FBI investigation. BCSO placed Deputy Jeff Hammerel on administrative leave earlier this month in connection with the investigation.
Clear has pleaded guilty, along with his office investigator Ricardo “Rick” Mendez, and three former APD DWI officers, to bribery, racketeering conspiracy, and extortion as participating in the organized criminal enterprise that dates back to the mid-1990s, according to federal records.
Law enforcement officers involved alerted Mendez and Clear to the contact information for motorists they arrested for DWI, and received cash, gifts and other services in exchange for intentionally failing to show up to required pretrial hearings, or furnishing discovery evidence in cases where the suspects hired Clear. Clear would then file motions to dismiss the charges. Clients whose cases were dismissed would typically pay more in legal fees, but some weren't aware of the scheme, according to federal prosecutors.
Jareno began his employment as a deputy with BCSO in March 2009, serving in the DWI Unit from December 2011 until October 2019. Allen appointed him as undersheriff in January 2023.
Jareno emigrated from Chile and became a U.S. citizen with the goal of becoming a deputy with the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office in 2009, according to a prior news release.
“Overall, the ongoing DWI investigation has shed light on deep-seated issues in law enforcement that predate my administration, which began in January 2023,” Allen said. “I am profoundly disappointed by these revelations, which undermine the hard-earned trust between the community and law enforcement. As Sheriff, my foremost responsibility is to safeguard the trust and safety of our community, which we can only achieve through transparency and ethical conduct.”
“... We are fully cooperating with the FBI and the U.S. Attorney’s Office to ensure that all aspects of this investigation are thoroughly addressed. I am grateful for the FBI bringing this new development to my attention directly and due to the ongoing nature of this federal inquiry, our comments must be measured, but be assured that transparency and communication will continue to be a priority of my administration.”
BCSO is undertaking a “thorough review of our internal policies and control mechanisms to prevent such incidents in the future.” he stated. “Part of this initiative includes the creation of a new accountability and compliance role, enhancing our ability to monitor and enforce ethical conduct within our ranks.”
“The trust between the public and law enforcement is sacred, and I am committed to actions that strengthen this bond,” Allen said. “We will be proactive in strengthening this relationship through continuous improvement of our operational practices and technological capabilities. This includes enhancements to our monitoring of court attendances and other critical areas of our operations.”
Vasquez slams immigration agents over incident with high school athletes - New Mexico Political Report
Last week, U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents boarded a charter bus with Las Cruces high school athletes on their way to a swim meet in Albuquerque. The driver reportedly didn’t speak English, which led to the agents entering the bus to question the students over the objections of coaches.
State and local leadership with the American Federation of Teachers New Mexico issued a statement that said, “Under no circumstance should students be harassed, intimidated, or frightened by federal agents either while in school or while participating in school activities.”
U.S. Rep. Gabe Vasquez held a press conference Monday to discuss the situation, where he said there was no place for border patrol agents to harass students.
“Harassing and frightening children does not make New Mexico safer,” he said.
In the press conference, in which he spoke both English and Spanish, Vasquez noted that many New Mexico residents speak Spanish and that should not be a cause for questioning their immigration status.
“Unfortunately, this incident is not an isolated one,” Vasquez said.
He cited an incident in which a member of the Mescalero Apache tribe was questioned by an immigration agent.
Vasquez also said there are anonymous reports across the district of residents feeling “threatened or otherwise had to answer to Customs and Border Patrol or ICE agents.”
Vasquez sent a letter to the Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem demanding information on the incident and said he wanted “full transparency” on what happened.
He also said, in response to a media question, “legislation is merited to make sure we prevent these types of abuses.”
Whitney Holland, the president of the American Federation of Teachers New Mexico, said this situation was different because agents boarded the bus and yelled at the students.
In a press release, the Republican Party of New Mexico sided with the border patrol agents.
“These officers are not to be feared. They are protectors of our communities, ensuring that our laws are upheld, and our citizens are secure,” Republican Party of New Mexico Chairwoman Amy Barela said. “Rep. Vasquez’s reckless rhetoric demonizes law enforcement, stoking fear among our youth and undermining the trust we need in those who serve.”
In a statement on Bluesky, U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich said, “Trump’s border patrol agents should focus on solving real problems like going after the cartels responsible for driving the fentanyl crisis that’s killing our children and ripping apart families. Not harassing our kids on their way to a swim meet.”
Bill clarifying local control of school calendars moves forward in the Legislature - By Leah Romero, Source New Mexico
Legislation that would allow local school districts to determine their own calendars for the school year — a proposal that aligns with a recent court decision — advanced unanimously through the House Education Committee Monday morning.
House Bill 65, sponsored by Reps. Gail Armstrong (R-Magdalena) and Rebecca Dow (R-Truth or Consequences), clarifies the state requirements for school instructional time in the Public School Code.
Since Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham signed House Bill 130 into law in 2023, public school students in K-12 have been required to receive a minimum of 1,140 instructional hours per year. Lawmakers increased instructional hours in response to the ruling in the landmark Yazzie-Martinez education lawsuit, which found the state was not providing equitable opportunities to at-risk students.
The Public Education Department, under former Secretary Arsenio Romero, established a rule requiring schools adopt a 180-day school calendar in March 2024 as a way of providing additional instructional hours. The New Mexico School Superintendents Association sued the PED over the mandate in April 2024 because they claimed it conflicted with state law.
Ninth Judicial District Court Judge Dustin K. Hunter agreed and recently ruled the PED lacks the authority to mandate a minimum number of instructional days. The PED still has time to appeal the court’s decision. Janelle Garcia, communications director for the PED, told Source NM that the department is “dissatisfied” with the decision.
“PED firmly believes that our students can achieve better educational outcomes when we maximize learning opportunities, as the rule intended. PED is currently in the process of reviewing the decision for the purposes of determining the appropriate next steps,” Garcia said in a statement.
Stan Rounds, executive director of the New Mexico School Superintendents Association, joined Armstrong Monday to address the House Education Committee and said HB65 will erase any uncertainty surrounding instructional hours.
“This codifies, in my opinion, what the court ruled. Once you codify the statute and sign and put it into law, then it’s not of any question,” Rounds said. He added that the bill includes an emergency clause, meaning the bill will go into effect immediately if signed by the governor, to stop any challenge to the rule if PED appeals the court’s decision.
Representatives from AFT (American Federation of Teachers) New Mexico, Public Charter Schools of New Mexico, New Mexico School Board Association, New Mexico Cattle Growers’ Association and Grady Municipal Schools all spoke in favor of the bill, citing local control of the calendar as a benefit.
Colt Grau, president of the school board for Grady Municipal Schools in Curry County, highlighted his school district’s high performance under a four-day a week schedule.
“We should know [students’] circumstances and that of their families,” Grau said during the meeting. “We do as a board and I do personally as a father of two elementary-aged children. Respectfully, agency officials in Santa Fe don’t, nor can they be expected to. They need to understand that New Mexico school districts cannot function effectively with a one-size-fits all approach.”
House Education Committee members voiced their agreement with local control and quickly passed HB65 through the committee unanimously. It now heads to the House Government, Elections and Indian Affairs Committee.