Santa Fe, NM —This afternoon, Senate Republicans strongly opposed Senate Bill 48 through hours of debate on the bill's final passage in the Senate Chamber. The "Community Benefit Fund" appropriates $340 Million of taxpayer funds for the implementation of numerous environmental initiatives across the state. The eligible projects target our state's vital oil and gas industry.
In response, Senate Republicans proposed several amendments for consideration that would have adjusted the bill to:
Include natural gas as an eligible clean energy source
Include nuclear energy innovation such as that being used in Massachusetts, Minnesota, New York, and other states
Focus exclusively on increasing the reliability and capacity of New Mexico's power grid
Senator Larry Scott (R-Hobbs) issued the following accompanying statement:
"Over Republican objections, Senate Democrats have just passed a bill to spend $340 Million to pursue their unachievable green agenda. How arrogant to believe that these projects could alter the course of climate change by any measurable number of degrees. A more appropriate course of action would be to educate and equip our constituents so that they are prepared to adapt to whatever 'climate crisis' the extreme environmentalists keep claiming is going to happen."
