Seven New Mexico Democratic state senators on Wednesday sided with their Republican colleagues and voted down legislation that would have codified emissions reduction goals into state law.
In a 19-23 vote following just over an hour of debate, Senate Bill 18 failed to clear the floor, dashing the hopes of lead sponsor Senate President Pro Tempore Mimi Stewart (D-Albuquerque) to enshrine emission reduction goals into state law based on a 2019 executive order released by Michelle Lujan Grisham. The bill marked Stewart’s second effort to pass The Clear Horizons Act, after making several changes to last year’s legislation in response to some of its critics.
Republican opponents and lobbyists representing oil and gas, agriculture, construction and chambers of commerce nonetheless remained opposed, and have said the bill would impact the costs of food and fuel and hurt the state’s economy.
In a statement issued after the bill failed, the Senate Republican Caucus described the Clear Horizons Act defeat as a “massive victory” and said they were “proud to stand united in our fierce opposition to radical and damaging policies like Senate Bill 18 that seek to destroy our state’s lifeline: our vital industries and businesses.”
The seven Democratic senators joining Republicans were: Roberto “Bobby” Gonzales from Taos; Shannon Pinto from Tohatchi, George Muñoz of Gallup, Benny Shendo of Jemez Pueblo, Joseph Cervantes of Las Cruces; and Albuquerque’s Martin Hickey and Antonio Maestes.
Stewart called the vote’s results “disappointing,” but said the threat from climate change still looms large.
“New Mexicans are already paying the price of pollution and climate-driven disasters through higher insurance costs, emergency response spending, and rising household expenses,” Stewart said in a statement after the vote. “The Clear Horizons Act offered a responsible, transparent plan to reduce those risks and protect families over the long term.”
In the halls, advocates consoled one another and tears flowed freely.
Ahtza Chavez (Diné/Kewa), the executive director of New Mexico Native Vote, said she was “overwhelmed with hurt.”
“When it comes time for elections, we need accountability, we need our communities to remember, we have powers to fill these districts with people who will listen, not just to lobbyists with deep pockets, but real people from New Mexico,” Chavez said.
New Mexico Environment Secretary James Kenney blamed the bill’s demise on “misinformation and disinformation” in recent advertising campaigns by organizations representing oil and gas and other industries. He said the ads mischaracterized economic impacts.
“None of the things they are saying are related to any factual information presented to us,” Kenney told Source NM after the vote.
In one example, the New Mexico Oil and Gas Association bought $10,000 to $15,000 social media new ads targeting SB18 in recent days, according to a Source NM review of Meta’s advertising library. Advertisements against Clear Horizons were purchased as far back as October.
The full picture of ad spending across television, radio and social media will likely become clearer after the session, as lobbying spending reports are due in May.
Molly Taylor, the chief operating officer at Conservation Voters New Mexico, said a coalition of groups supporting the bill spent about $94,000 on television ad spending in support of SB18. Taylor said she believed it was not enough to counter ads in opposition to the bill.
“What we saw was a very intentional disinformation campaign to spread fear and blow the impact of the bill way out of proportion in a way that made legislators feel like it was going to have a negative impact in ways that the bill’s scope doesn’t touch,” Taylor said. And I think that just shows what we’re up against, polluting industries are apprehensive to change.”
Sen. Antoinette Sedillo Lopez (D-Albuquerque), chair of the Environmental Caucus, issued a statement following the vote noting that Clear Horizons Act “was designed to align New Mexico law with the state’s existing climate commitments, providing long-term regulatory certainty, transparency, and accountability around emissions reductions.”
Climate change, she said, “has devastated our state,” and despite the bill’s failure to advance, “the need for durable climate accountability remains.”
