Many climate scientists and researchers point to meaningful legislative action as the most effective path forward to both mitigate and adapt to a changing climate.
New Mexico’s past legislative session had climate groups feeling hopeful –– but a series of line-item vetoes from Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham left them disappointed.
Groups from all across New Mexico issued a joint statement on Friday voicing their concerns and disappointment with many of the vetoes by the governor.
Camilla Feibelman is with the Sierra Club Rio Grande Chapter. She says the vetoes came as a surprise.
“There’s no reason for that and it merits criticism,” said Feibelman. “This is a climate crisis, our state has been on fire. Our state receives the magnified impacts of global warming. Any veto of climate legislation is taking us backwards, not forward. That has to be named.”
Fiebelman said the Sierra Club and other groups are specifically criticizing the governor’s vetoes of tax credits for electric vehicles, geothermal development and energy storage. The other groups include Moms Clean Air Force, EcoMadres New Mexico, Progress Now, Southwest Energy Efficiency Project and 350 New Mexico.
Criticism also came from some elected officials, including Sen. Martin Heinrich, D-Albuquerque, who voiced his disapprovalin a tweet.
These critiques come after Gov. Lujan Grisham spoke at a press conference addressing her veto of five climate-related tax credits. The governor told reporters she rejected “overly harsh criticism” because there is “more coming in the environmental space.”
