President Joe Biden traveled to New Mexico on Wednesday to promote his economic policies, dubbed Bidenomics, which he claims are leading to a resurgence in manufacturing and increasing investments in clean energy that create jobs. The visit comes as state leaders and environmental groups in New Mexico are urging federal officials to align national policies with the state’s efforts to address climate change through pollution reduction in the energy sector.
A coalition of environmental organizations, including New Mexico Climate Justice, 350 New Mexico, and Youth United for Climate Crisis Action (YUCCA), penned a letter to U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai, arguing that international trade agreements should be updated to reflect the state’s recently enacted environmental policies. The letter emphasized the need to limit global warming to no more than 1.5 degrees Celsius and prevent extreme weather events. It also expressed concerns about potential trade disputes by the European Union against the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), a significant piece of legislation signed by Biden last year.
According to the European Parliament’s analysis, certain provisions of the IRA could favor U.S. operations through tax incentives, potentially leading to the migration of renewable energy companies from Europe. The environmental groups called for a moratorium on the use of international trade agreements to challenge U.S. climate policies, safeguarding the pollution-reduction efforts of U.S. states and encouraging other countries to take similar actions.
State lawmakers, including New Mexico State Rep. Angelica Rubio and State Sen. Bill Tallman, echoed similar concerns in their own letter, requesting federal action to protect state-level policies and legislation from international challenges. They highlighted the importance of incentives for renewable energy projects in supporting the state’s economy, especially in diversifying its revenue sources beyond oil and gas production.
New Mexico’s heavy dependence on the oil and gas industry makes it crucial for the state to embrace renewable energy and other incentives to bolster its economic growth. Recent budget analysis shows that approximately half of the state’s revenue is tied to oil and gas production. State leaders have emphasized the need for investments in clean energy jobs to support local communities and fulfill environmental commitments.
In addition to the aforementioned efforts by environmental groups and state lawmakers, New Mexico Attorney General Raul Torez joined forces with 20 other state attorneys general, urging the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to implement stricter greenhouse gas emission controls. The proposed rule, unveiled by the EPA in May, seeks to increase emission requirements for both new and existing fossil-fuel-based power generation facilities across the country. This would involve retrofitting existing sites with emission-limiting technology and requiring states to develop and implement plans for compliance.
The attorneys general emphasized the role of these regulations in safeguarding the environment from pollution and addressing the risks associated with climate change. The United States, like many other parts of the world, experiences the impacts of climate change daily, such as extreme heat, severe droughts, wildfires, poor air quality, and flash floods. They hailed the proposed rule as a crucial step towards setting meaningful carbon pollution limits on power plants relying on fossil fuels.
President Biden’s visit to New Mexico provided an opportunity to showcase the administration’s commitment to renewable energy development and job creation. However, the calls from state leaders and environmental groups to protect state-driven climate policies and implement stricter emission controls demonstrate the ongoing challenges faced in balancing economic growth with environmental sustainability. As the nation continues to navigate its energy transition, it remains critical to address these concerns and foster collaboration between federal, state, and local governments, ensuring a sustainable future for all.
