• Bipartisan opposition prompts decision to shelve bill
• SB4 would have had disproportionate economic impact on rural, tribal communities
SANTA FE, New Mexico – Consumer Energy Alliance (CEA), the leading energy and environmental advocate for families and businesses, issued the following statement after the New Mexico Senate Finance Committee shelved Senate Bill 4, Clear Horizons & Greenhouse Gas Emissions, due to strong bipartisan concerns about its disproportionate impact on rural and tribal communities, such as the Navajo Nation and its agricultural operations.
“We appreciate the bipartisan leadership of Senator Shendo and Chairman Muñoz in recognizing that Senate Bill 4 would have harmed New Mexico’s working families, small businesses, and industries,” CEA Southwest Executive Director Matthew Gonzales said. “While we all want to reduce emissions and create a cleaner future, this bill failed to provide a realistic, achievable path forward and instead would have imposed mandates that drive up costs, eliminate jobs, and make it harder for communities to thrive.”
CEA strongly opposed SB 4 because it failed to account for the realities of rural New Mexico, where many families still rely on traditional energy sources like wood for cooking and heating not by choice, but by necessity. A forced transition to alternative energy sources by some estimates could have cost up to $25,000 per household, an unmanageable burden for low-income and working-class families.
Additionally, agriculture, manufacturing, construction, and mining would have faced higher operational costs, further threatening jobs and investment in rural and tribal economies. This includes the Navajo Nation’s NAPI, which is among the nation’s largest tribally-owned agricultural enterprises and which provides substantial financial dividends to the Navajo people.
“We need policies that balance environmental goals with economic and energy realities,” Gonzales said. “New Mexico already has the Energy Transition Act, which sets clear carbon reduction mandates for our utilities.”
CEA appreciates the legislators who stood up for energy affordability and economic fairness and encourages lawmakers to work toward practical, bipartisan solutions that protect both consumers and New Mexico’s economic future.
###
About Consumer Energy Alliance
Consumer Energy Alliance (CEA) is the trusted voice advocating for affordable, reliable, and cleaner energy solutions that benefit all Americans. Representing families, farmers, small businesses, distributors, producers, and manufacturers, CEA champions sensible, balanced policies that support economic growth and environmental resiliency; and ensures families and businesses are a vocal part of the nation’s energy dialogue. Every day, we work to inspire practical, responsible solutions that meet America’s energy needs while protecting the environment for generations to come.
Contact:
Bryson Hull
(202) 657-2855
bhull@consumerenergyalliance.org