Listen to the story HERE
By Roz Brown
April 3, 2025
New Mexico conservation advocates say the state’s budget awaiting the governor’s signature would make great strides in addressing climate change and protecting public health.
Justin Garoutte, advocate, climate and energy with the group Conservation Voters New Mexico, highlighted 21 bills awaiting the governor’s signature that will protect air, land, water and wildlife resources. He said Senate Bill 48, known as the Community Benefit Fund, would be a groundbreaking investment in adapting to climate change through locally driven projects that strengthen communities and create jobs, including jobs for those employed in the extraction industry.
“So, helping workers in the oil and gas industry or other industries transition to more clean jobs – there’s 17-million that’s going to the workforce solutions department for clean-energy worker training,” he explained.
SB 48, which passed by a vote of 39 to 26, would provide grants for infrastructure and clean energy projects that reduce pollution, improve resiliency against extreme weather, and enhance grid reliability in cities and towns across the state. The governor has until April 11th to approve spending for fiscal year 2026, which begins on July 1st and ends on June 30th next year.
Garoutte said with state guidance, individual communities could implement projects unique to their region, prioritizing rural and underserved communities.
“The end goal is ensuring that we as a state continue advancing to protect our communities from the impacts of climate change that we’re feeling now, right? We have to adapt, we have to do mitigation efforts, and we just want to keep moving forward as a state when we don’t see that at the federal level,” he continued.
Legislation included in the next budget includes two transportation provisions. $60 million for electric vehicle charging infrastructure for school districts and improved pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure are part of the spending plan.