New Mexico expands loan repayment program in push to close doctor shortage - Gregory R.C. Hasman, Albuquerque Journal
Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham announced Tuesday that New Mexico is expanding a loan repayment program to address a doctor shortage plaguing most of the state.
The move to grow the Health Professional Loan Repayment Program is the latest effort to address the shortage that has left 32 of the state’s 33 counties with “critical gaps in care,” a spokesperson for the governor said.
In March, Lujan Grisham signed into law medical malpractice legislation aimed at capping punitive damages in medical malpractice cases and increasing the legal threshold for punitive damages that can be awarded. The legislation is expected to reduce physician malpractice premiums by up to 16%.
Under the expanded program, licensed physicians will get $75,000 a year for student debt relief over a four-year service commitment, according to the Governor’s Office.
Previously, New Mexico’s awards for physicians were capped at $25,000 annually over three years, with the expansion representing a 200% increase in annual support for physicians who opt in.
House Bill 66, the Health Care Professional Loan Fund that passed this year, also directs 50% of the program’s $25 million annual appropriation to licensed physicians. More than 25 other healthcare fields — like nursing and physical therapy — are also eligible for awards of up to $25,000 per year with a three-year commitment, the Governor’s Office said.
“Every New Mexican deserves access to the care they need, and today, we're putting $300,000 on the table for physicians who want to serve communities that need them most,” Lujan Grisham said in a statement. “We’re committed to cutting wait times, closing care gaps and making New Mexico the best place in America to practice medicine.”
The Governor’s Office said the program — 96% of its participants remain in New Mexico to practice — has grown 3,500% since 2019. Currently, 1,213 nurses, physicians and mental health counselors are receiving student debt relief. Lujan Grisham has committed $87.9 million to the program over her two terms.
The expansion comes as New Mexico faces a critical shortage of more than 5,000 healthcare professionals.
Nearly 40% of the state’s doctors are 60 or older and expected to retire by 2030, the Governor’s Office said, and a Legislative Finance Committee survey published earlier this year found that two-thirds of New Mexico physicians were considering leaving the state.
In an email, Feliz Rael, president of the New Mexico Trial Lawyers Association, said the organization is “100% supportive of the governor’s plans to reduce student loan debt as a way to attract and retain more physicians.”
“We know there is a statewide physician shortage, which is a concern to everyone,” Rael said. “Compounding the issue is the continual influx of private equity firms buying up our hospitals and medical practices, which has physicians earning less in New Mexico than in our neighboring states and in other parts of the country.”
State Rep. Christine Chandler, D-Los Alamos, one of the sponsors of the bill that helped expand the program, said she was pleased with the governor’s willingness to “work with us” on the legislation.
“Obviously, the hope is (physicians will) realize what a wonderful place it is to practice and then stay,” Chandler said. “That’s the goal.”
New Mexico has spent $500M on housing in last 3 years as homelessness persists, new report says - Joshua Bowling, Source New Mexico
Homelessness in New Mexico has increased, particularly in the Albuquerque, Las Cruces and Santa Fe areas, despite a half-billion dollar investment in recent years, according to a new report from the Legislative Finance Committee.
Housing leaders last week briefed state lawmakers at a hearing at Central New Mexico Community College. Analysts with the LFC found that Bernalillo County’s unhoused population, in particular, doubled between 2022 and 2024.
“I want everyone to be able to have the dream of owning their own home,” Gilbert Ramirez, Albuquerque’s Health, Housing and Homelessness director, told the panel of state lawmakers, adding that the cost of home construction and ownership has significantly increased in recent years, which has shifted increased costs onto rentals.
Indeed, nearly half of New Mexico renters are “cost-burdened,” meaning they spend more than 30% of their income on rent and related housing expenses.
The report highlighted recent efforts in Albuquerque and Bernalillo County to build new and transitional housing for low-income families, and found that such projects can range in cost from $36,000 per unit to more than $350,000 per unit.
Albuquerque officials in recent years have expanded operations at the city’s Gateway Center, which provides overnight beds and services for sobering and case management, after previously promising to house 1,000 people by this summer. Ramirez said that as of last week, the city was serving more than 1,200 people experiencing homelessness and instability. Recent Gateway Center improvements include 50 new beds for women and 41 new “young adult” beds.
Issues of instability and homelessness increasingly impact New Mexico’s youth. Another recent LFC report found that 32,000 New Mexicans between the ages of 16 and 24 don’t work or go to school, which increases their likelihood of experiencing housing instability.
Last week’s report also found the state Department of Workforce Solutions and the Office of Housing are projected to invest more than $58 million in nearly 1,000 affordable housing units, the majority of which are rentals.
Sen. George Muñoz (D-Gallup), who serves as the vice chair of the interim Legislative Finance Committee, told state, county and local housing officials that affordable housing projects need to be “attainable,” as well.
“It has to be affordable and attainable,” he said. “If you’re generating money off the rent…are you going to use it to lower the rent? Because that’s what affordable is, to me.”
Uranium company’s finalized NM plan includes treating, dumping water into nearby river - Patrick Lohmann, Source New Mexico
A Colorado uranium company recently submitted a finalized operation plan to New Mexico officials, signaling that it — along with multiple other out-of-state companies — is increasingly serious about mining uranium in the state.
Energy Fuels, Inc. submitted a 273-page operations and “reclamation” plan earlier this month that details how it plans to extract uranium from more than 1,600 feet below the surface within the Cibola National Forest boundaries in McKinley County, then transport it to its mill in Blanding, Utah.
New Mexico Environmental Law Center Legal Director Eric Jantz told Source NM on Tuesday that the plan represents the company’s renewed intent to receive a permit following more than a decade on hiatus.
“We’re taking it seriously,” he said of the plan. “And we’re going to be doing what we can to make sure that this environmental review is done properly, and that community interests are protected.”
The company’s plan describes how it would pump groundwater from the mineshaft to access the uranium ore, then treat the water and release it into the nearby Rio San Jose. Jantz told Source NM that the “dewatering” of the mine is an immense technical undertaking and one that threatens to deplete the groundwater supply during a period of prolonged drought.
“It’s gonna deplete the water table in a significant radius around the proposed mine, and that water table won’t recover for decades, if ever,” he said.
Energy Fuels officials did not respond to Source NM’s emailed request for comment Tuesday.
In addition to the “dewatering,” the proposed mine site lies within the boundaries of the Mount Taylor Traditional Cultural Property. Mount Taylor is sacred to several Indigenous tribes and pueblos in New Mexico, including the Navajo and Laguna peoples.
Energy Fuels’ operations plan notes that if its permit is approved, the company will take steps to preserve the “viewshed” of Mount Taylor in recognition of the sacred mountain and will, to the extent possible, “protect scenic values” at the site.
After reading that section of the plan, Diné anti-nuclear advocate Leona Morgan told Source NM that Energy Fuels officials clearly do not understand the value of Mount Taylor to the Navajo people.
“It’s not just a visual aspect. It’s not just to look at the mountain. It’s for the integrity of the mountain itself,” she said. “When we’re talking about sacred places and Mother Earth, these are our relatives. That’s how we consider them. They themselves have rights and definitely should not be basically raped and pillaged, which is what mining is.”
The Roca Honda undertaking is one of two that Cibola National Forest officials deemed “priority projects” shortly after President Donald Trump began his second term and declared an energy “emergency” that sought to boost domestic production of oil, gas and uranium, among other resources.
Laramide Resources, Inc., the company behind the other priority uranium mine, known as La Jara Mesa project, submitted its operations plan in January. Following a groundswell of comments in opposition to the mine proposal, state officials agreed to hold a public hearing. It has not yet been scheduled.
In addition to their priority designation, the Federal Permitting Improvement Steering Council has identified both La Jara Mesa and Roca Honda as deserving of fast-tracked federal permits.
But both projects also require state permits from the New Mexico Mining and Minerals Division before they can proceed any further.
Now that Energy Fuels has submitted its plan to the state, the state will accept public comments until July 19, 2026, said Sidney Hill, public information officer for the state Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department, in an email Tuesday Source NM.
Unlike the Jara Mesa plan, the state has not yet deemed the Roca Honda plan “administratively complete,” Hill added. That means the company will likely have to submit additional information to proceed to the next step in the permitting process.
Despite rising uranium prices and Trump’s efforts to reduce the regulatory burden, Jantz said he remains skeptical that a new uranium venture in New Mexico would be profitable.
Nonetheless, he said the public should take the company’s plans seriously and weigh in at the next opportunity.
“Given the heft of this document, I definitely think that it’s really important for the public to have some shot at giving their opinion on this and providing additional technical perspectives,” he said.
New exploration permit approved
The New Mexico Mining and Minerals Division also recently approved an exploratory uranium mine permit, according to a state database and public announcements.
North Shore Uranium Ltd., a Canadian company, received approval for a Minimal Impact Exploration Operation Permit on May 21. The company plans to drill up to 26 holes for what it calls the Rio Puerco project about 40 miles east of Grants.
The company intends to confirm the existence of uranium based on exploration data collected by uranium company Kerr McGee in the 1960s and 1970s, according to a news release. North Shore President and CEO Brooke Clements cited increasing global energy demand as the reason behind the New Mexico project.
“The United States has indicated an intention to increase its domestic uranium supply, and we believe this supports advancing a project like Rio Puerco,” Clements said in a statement.
The exploratory drilling could occur as early as this month, according to the company.
New Mexico Environmental Law Center Legal Director Eric Jantz told Source NM that the company’s announcement and intent to drill “illustrates how federal policies are creating a speculation frenzy.
State auditor expresses 'grave concern' over Doña Ana County probe - Algernon D’Ammassa, Albuquerque Journal
State Auditor Joseph Maestas presented a special audit report to Doña Ana County commissioners Tuesday, expressing “grave concern” over systemic failures in governance and management in the seat of New Mexico’s second most populous county.
The 355-page audit report, published on the Office of the State Auditor’s website Monday, was presented during a commissioners’ meeting that ran all day long.
The list of findings was long, reflecting the breathtaking scope of a probe “covering virtually every aspect of County operations, including governance, financial management, procurement, human resources, legal compliance, and public safety functions” from 2021 to 2025.
“The county is not broken; they just need to get to work,” Maestas said in an interview following the presentation. He argued that the county needed a fundamental change of its organizational culture, beyond addressing the audit findings.
Maestas ordered the audit last year after county commissioners and Sheriff Kim Stewart separately requested one amid long-running disputes over her authority over personnel decisions involving deputies and staff.
Stewart even threatened to cease commissioning deputies due to what she characterized as overreach and interference by county HR, specifically over her desire to strip commissions from two officers in her command. The squabble prompted a lawsuit by the county, which was later dropped. Stewart has since commissioned cadets.
That conflict was addressed in one of the audit findings, citing the county for a lack of procedures that might have addressed the conflict without litigation. Audrey Jaramillo, the founder of Jaramillo Accounting Group, said that Stewart was right to assert her authority to make decisions about law enforcement commissions with county HR properly in a “supporting role.”
The findings were not limited to the county’s dispute with the sheriff. Commission Chairman Manny Sanchez remarked that it was the most comprehensive deep dive into county operations he could remember. The audit encompassed organizational culture across county departments, including instances where elected officers’ authority came into conflict with bureaucratic leadership.
It also uncovered potential violations of New Mexico’s sunshine laws, procurement laws and the Governmental Conduct Act. Maestas reminded the commissioners that the findings and the county’s promised corrective actions would be examined in regular annual financial audits until the issues were resolved.
The audit report revealed that in 2022, the county became aware of apparent misappropriation of county jail inmates’ money, but did not report it to the state auditor as required. In its response, the county attributed the issue to a communications failure and promised to update its procedures.
Auditors also tracked funds derived from the county’s 40-year lease with Memorial Medical Center for the hospital’s use of public land.
The analysis found that proceeds were recorded in the county’s general fund; but, as they are required to be used for health-related programs or projects, the report says they should have been accounted for via a special revenue fund to prove the money was used appropriately.
In the same finding, auditors said the county had not accounted for its investment in the Camino Real Regional Utility Authority, a joint entity with the city of Sunland Park that is in the process of being dissolved, with the city assuming responsibility for water and sewer services in city limits and the county for its territory.
The audit flagged a longstanding issue in the county assessor’s office, where a special fund designated for property valuation procedures has been used for the office’s personnel and operational costs since 2008.
County Assessor Eugenia Montoya Ortega raised the issue herself earlier in the meeting when commissioners considered a preliminary budget, saying she needed a general fund appropriation so that the valuation fund, which raises approximately $1.5 million annually, could be used for its legal purpose.
The findings also included compliance failures with New Mexico’s public records law, conflict-of-interest disclosures, internal controls over financial reporting, payments and bank changes and numerous financial reporting concerns.
The audit report recommended that the county establish an inspector general position as a central conduit for allegations of misconduct. New Mexico’s two largest cities, Albuquerque and Las Cruces, both have inspectors general. In its response, the county committed to bringing the recommendation to commissioners at a work session.
County employees who participated anonymously in a survey reported low confidence in the county’s transparency, accountability or their ability to report concerns without retaliation.
Maestas told the Journal the county would be well advised “to address employee morale – whatever it’s going to take to reestablish trust and confidence in the personnel system. … They may need some outside help, maybe a professional firm to facilitate some leadership retreats.”
Stewart responded to the report from the podium, evoking her own history as a whistleblower from within the county ranks. Stewart was a formal internal investigator who sued the county, claiming in a 2015 trial that she had been terminated for investigating racial discrimination within county law enforcement. She was awarded a $1.6 million judgment.
“Many things that were found in this audit existed in 2008,” she told the commissioners. “Your culture never changed. That’s the hardest thing. … My lawsuit wasn’t to make me wealthy. My lawsuit was to make change.”
The audit report landed a week ahead of primary elections for the offices of sheriff and assessor. Stewart is near the end of her second four-year term and barred from running again.
Montoya Ortega is seeking the Democratic nomination for a second term with two challengers, including former County Commissioner Shannon Reynolds.
Although the office of County Clerk is not up for election this year, the incumbent, Amanda López Askin, is running for secretary of state in a Democratic primary contest with Santa Fe County Clerk Katharine Clark.
County Manager Scott Andrews, who arrived at the county in 2024, said the full report would be made available on the county’s website for public consumption and stressed that many corrective actions were already in process.
Maestas emphasized that the road ahead would be long.
“This is a lot,” he said. “I can’t emphasize enough how much works is required to really turn this county around.”
US Rep. Vasquez calls for New Mexico county to approve data center moratorium - Joshua Bowling, Source New Mexico
U.S. Rep. Gabe Vasquez (D-N.M.) is calling on county officials in New Mexico to approve a temporary moratorium on building new data centers after a Canadian developer made the controversial proposal to build a data center and solar array on 10,000 acres in Socorro County.
Residents first learned of Green Data’s proposal to build in partnership with the local university, New Mexico Tech, in March, when company CEO Jason Bak spoke before the Socorro Electric Cooperative Board of Trustees.
Since then, residents have mobilized against the project, which Bak has said would be the world’s largest “renewable-led” data center.
Residents have packed the room to voice their opposition to the project at town halls hosted by the Socorro City Council and New Mexico Tech, arguing that the proposal would threaten their views, land and water. The Socorro County Board of Commissioners recently voted to begin the process of considering a data center moratorium.
“I’ve heard it loud and clear from folks in Socorro County: they don’t want one of the world’s largest data centers in their backyard,” Vasquez said in a statement. “The current proposal offers limited transparency and a lack of clear answers, and it should not be considered at this time. This massive data center would likely degrade quality of life for many residents who have strongly voiced their opposition.”
Vasquez, whose congressional district includes much of Southern New Mexico, said the proposal would “permanently alter” the region’s night sky and imperil its wildlife corridors.
Bak has previously said that the “vast majority” of water for the project would come from cutting-edge “atmospheric water generation,” a technology that aims to pull moisture from the air and convert it into usable water. Vasquez said the “uncertain impact” on the area’s water resources is cause for concern.
“I encourage the County to approve the temporary moratorium it is considering to ensure there is more time to listen to the community and better understand the short and long-term impacts of such a project on the community as a whole,” Vasquez said.
When reached by phone, Bak would not respond to Vasquez’s statement beyond saying, “We’re currently reviewing the moratorium and we’ll comment later.”
In a follow-up written statement, Bak said his company “shares the community’s deep appreciation for what makes Socorro special and we welcome a thoughtful, fact-based conversation about our project.”
“Our design reflects that commitment, it’s built around solar and battery as primary power and uses atmospheric water generation, minimizing reliance on the region’s land, grid and water resources,” Bak wrote. “We respect the county’s process, including its consideration of a temporary moratorium, and we’re committed to engaging openly with residents, local leaders and elected officials as the review moves forward. We believe responsible development and a thriving Socorro go hand in hand, and we look forward to demonstrating that in the months ahead.”
Lovelace, Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Mexico reach four-year deal, averting coverage disruption – Gregory R.C. Hasman, Albuquerque Journal
Lovelace Health System and Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Mexico reached a new four-year deal Monday, a move that averts coverage disruption for thousands of patients just days before the previous agreement was set to expire.
In announcing the new deal, the companies said Lovelace’s patients who use Blue Cross and Blue Shield of New Mexico, or BCBSNM, insurance — including all commercial, individual and family, Medicare Advantage and Turquoise Medicaid plans — can continue to access the health system’s services at in-network rates.
“This agreement is about stability for the patients and communities who count on us every day,” Lovelace President and CEO Cliff Wilson said in a statement. “Our teams worked to reach a solution that preserves uninterrupted access to care while also recognizing the resources required to sustain high-quality healthcare in New Mexico.”
Roughly 700,000 people are insured by BCBSNM, which is one of the state’s managed care organizations for its Turquoise Care Medicaid program. About 79,000 Lovelace patients were insured by BCBSNM as of last year, said Whitney Alcantar, a spokesperson for the health system.
In an interview last week, as negotiations were underway, Dr. Vesta Sandoval, Lovelace’s chief medical officer, said patients were expressing concern about whether a deal would be reached before a June 1 deadline — the day the current deal would have expired.
Sandoval said negotiations between the two parties began in February. Before the agreement, she said, BCBSNM was paying Lovelace less than other insurers — those companies negotiate separate in-network rates with health systems, which means payouts can vary significantly from one plan to the next — but did not discuss further details.
“We’re not asking for extra — we’re just asking to be on that level playing field,” Sandoval said.
It is unclear whether the new deal has leveled up that playing field. Lovelace and Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Mexico didn't discuss the terms of the deal.
“BCBSNM has supported our members and communities for more than 85 years and we value our long-standing relationship with Lovelace Health System,” BCBSNM President Janice Torrez said in a statement. “Our customers are our priority, and we were able to reach an agreement with LHS that protects our members’ access to quality care.”
Lovelace, one of the state’s three major health systems along with Presbyterian Healthcare Services and the University of New Mexico Health System, runs five hospitals and dozens of clinics.
The health system has also made a jump into the urgent-care market, purchasing six NextCare Urgent Care locations — four in Albuquerque, one in Rio Rancho and another in Taos — in 2025. It also opened an urgent care in Bernalillo late last year.