Source New Mexico

Conservation groups sue New Mexico over unplugged oil and gas wells • Source New Mexico Enviro groups sue New Mexico for endangering residents’ health by failing to address “thousands of unplugged, inactive oil and gas wells

Suit accuses NM Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department of endangering residents’ health.

NM Department of Justice, police search former Zorro Ranch owned by Jeffrey Epstein • Source New Mexico The New Mexico Department of Justice and two law enforcement agencies searched the former Zorro Ranch owned by Jeffrey Epstein on Monday.

The New Mexico Department of Justice announced that it searched convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein’s former Zorro Ranch on Monday along with officers from the New Mexico State Police and deputies from the Sandoval County Sheriff’s Office.

New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham signs literacy, special education bills into law • Source New Mexico New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham signed several education bills, including one to permanently establish the Office of Special Education.

New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham signed a suite of literacy and special education bills into law Monday in a ‘race to the top’ with Mississippi, which has seen dramatic improvements in its national rankings.

NM Democratic candidates appeal to delegates for ballot placement at pre-primary convention  • Source New Mexico New Mexico Democrats gathered March 7 for a pre-primary convention to rally for the June 2 primary election and pick candidates

On Saturday, about 1,100 New Mexico Democratic delegates listened online or in-person as 19 candidates for offices ranging from United States senator to state auditor gave impassioned speeches about their visions for the offices they seek.

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Protesters converged on the Lensic Performing Arts Center Sunday in Santa Fe in opposition to SCOTUS Justice Amy Coney Barrett's appearance.

NM Gov. Lujan Grisham signs 48 bills from recent legislative session • Source New Mexico The governor has now signed 48 of the 74 bills the Legislature approved during the 30-day legislative session that ended Feb. 19.

New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham this week signed a flurry of bills that lawmakers sent to her desk during the recent legislative session, including measures related to health care, law enforcement’s use of automatic license plate reader data, water and more.

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New Mexico governor signs suite of health care bills, including medical malpractice reform, into law • Source New Mexico New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham signed medical malpractice reform and several other health care bills into law on Friday.

Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham also left the door open to "a little more work" on interstate compacts before leaving office at the end of the year.

NM governor candidate Haaland proposes overhauling troubled child welfare agency • Source New Mexico Former Interior Secretary and New Mexico governor candidate Deb Haaland unveiled her proposals for public safety, including overhauling CYFD.

Former U.S. Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland on Thursday announced her gubernatorial campaign’s plan for public safety issues, which includes overhauling the troubled CYFD and creating a statewide behavioral health response department.

Raton officials to study Interstate 27 extension into NM with $2.6M in federal funds • Source New Mexico A $1.5 trillion appropriations bill Congress enacted in 2022 enabled the extension of Interstate 27 from Amarillo, Texas, into Raton.

Interstate 27 will extend from Amarillo to Raton, thanks to a congressional appropriation a few years back. Northern New Mexico cities received funding last month to study what that could mean.

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Trump's second tariff push faces immediate legal challenge from two dozen states, including New Mexico • Source New Mexico Two dozen states sue to block Trump's new tariffs, calling the 1974 law he's relying on archaic and misapplied

New Mexico is part of a coalition that filed suit today over President Trump's tariffs.

Report says national push for AI data centers leading to outsized energy, water consumption • Source New Mexico A new report from advocacy group Food and Water Watch says the national push for AI data centers threatens clean energy and water supplies.

The findings come amid revelation that a Texas company seeks to build a gas pipeline for New Mexico’s Project Jupiter.

BREAKING: Kristi Noem out as DHS secretary; Trump to tap Oklahoma Sen. Mullin • Source New Mexico WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump Thursday said Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem will be leaving the post for a job as a special envoy, following an appearance before a U.S. Senate panel…

Who's surprised?

NM U.S. Sen. Luján introduces ICE transparency, training legislation  • Source New Mexico Lujàn introduced a trio of bills he says will make ICE more transparent, better trained and more accountable following a recent hiring spree.

Luján introduced three bills that seek to rein in ICE, which announced a 120% increase in officers earlier this year.

Texas energy company seeks federal approval for pipeline through New Mexico to power data center • Source New Mexico Several southern New Mexico Democratic lawmakers and environmental groups plan to object to the gas powered pipeline for Project Jupiter.

A Texas energy company has applied to build a 17-mile pipeline in Doña Ana County in order to help power a controversial data center in Southern New Mexico.

Navajo Nation commission issues report on Gallup schools’ disparate discipline for Native students • Source New Mexico The Navajo Nation Human Rights Commission issued a report on Gallup-McKinley school discipline following public hearings at chapter houses last fall.

The Navajo Nation Human Rights Commission is calling on Gallup-McKinley County Schools to develop an alternative, culturally appropriate disciplinary system following findings that the district imposes disproportionately harsh punishments, including expulsion, on Native students.

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A secretive ad campaign calls on New Mexicans to support controversial Project Jupiter data center • Source New Mexico A new campaign has emerged in New Mexico that urges residents to support a controversial data center, Project Jupiter, in southern New Mexico.

NEW: Physical mailers and digital ads have urged New Mexicans to support the controversial Project Jupiter data center. The company behind the effort is registered in Virginia, and seemingly no one wants to claim credit for it.

NM officials, advocates: Proposed changes to federal toxic chemical rules would hinder state laws • Source New Mexico New Mexico environment officials say propsals to change federal regulation of toxic chemicals would undercut state laws on PFAS.

New Mexico environment officials and national advocates say congressional Republican proposals to overhaul federal regulation of toxic chemicals would undercut state laws, including those currently under review by New Mexico.

Snow drought, higher temps spell active NM wildfire season, forecasters warn • Source New Mexico Fire season has already begun in New Mexico, with much of the northeastern part of the state under a Red Flag warning.

“We’re kind of dependent on hope this fire season, like last year,” a UNM fire ecologist said.

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Former NM transportation secretary named deputy state treasurer • Source New Mexico Former New Mexico Department of Transportation Secretary Ricky Serna started a new role as deputy state treasurer, the state announced Monday.

New Mexico’s recently departed Department of Transportation secretary has stepped into a new role as deputy state treasurer, the State Treasurer’s Office announced Monday.

Defense manufacturer announces plans to more than double its Albuquerque workforce • Source New Mexico Defense manufacturer AeroVironment, Inc. and New Mexico Economic Development Department officials announced plans to expand Tuesday.

Company officials said they would expand the footprint of their Albuquerque hub near Kirtland Air Force Base with a $30 million investment. They said they expect to generate about 450 jobs and $670 million in economic impact in the next 10 years.

Lincoln County to spend millions in state, federal funds to buy Ruidoso homes at risk of flooding  • Source New Mexico The Rio Safe Program in the Ruidoso area will mark the nation's first-ever home buyout program due to post-fire flooding.

Lincoln County and federal officials are finalizing a program that will enable the county to buy hundreds of Ruidoso-area homes at acute risk of floods stemming from 2024 wildfires

The state budget the Legislature approved last month includes $21 million for the effort.

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Attorneys for state auditor, lawmakers ask for removal from former WNMU president’s lawsuit • Source New Mexico Attorneys for the New Mexico State Auditor and current and former lawmakers are asking to be removed from a former WNMU president's lawsuit.

Attorneys for the New Mexico state auditor and current and former lawmakers on Monday asked a judge to dismiss them from former Western New Mexico University President Joseph Shepard’s lawsuit that alleges powerful state leaders subjected him to a “smear campaign.”

NM U.S. Sen. Heinrich says he’ll vote against Steve Pearce to lead federal land agency • Source New Mexico Heinrich, in a news release Monday, said he “cannot ignore Congressman Pearce’s record” on public land selloffs and national monuments.

U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) on Monday announced he would vote against former New Mexico Congressman Steve Pearce to run the federal Bureau of Land Management.

Judge tosses 2nd lawsuit over Duke Rodriguez’s eligibility to run for New Mexico governor • Source New Mexico Duke Rodriguez earned another victory in court Friday when a Santa Fe judge tossed a lawsuit that said he was ineligible to run for governor.

Duke Rodriguez earned another victory in court Friday morning when a Santa Fe judge dismissed a lawsuit aimed at the legitimacy of his campaign for governor.

NM regulatory staff asks for more info on PNM $400 million stock sale • Source New Mexico New Mexico Public Regulation Commission staffers are seeking details on a $400 million stock sale between TXNM and a private equity firm.

State regulatory staffers in a filing said PNM's parent company and private equity firm Blackstone have yet to provide any strong evidence that the stock sale was not related to the proposed $11.5 billion acquisition. However, both sides have denied any wrongdoing.

PNM creates new power shutoff alert system for residents in wildfire-prone areas • Source New Mexico PNM first began warning of "public safety power shutoffs" last spring. The utility now has an improved alert system for wildfire-prone areas.

As wildfire season ramps up in New Mexico, the state’s biggest electrical utility has rolled out a new system to alert residents before the utility shuts off power during periods of dangerous fire weather.

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Embattled McKinley DA steps down before NM Supreme Court removal hearings • Source New Mexico Bernadine Martin, the embattled DA for McKinley County, announced her resignation days before a Supreme Court hearing on her removal.

Bernadine Martin, the embattled district attorney for McKinley County, announced her resignation Thursday, just days before the state Supreme Court was slated to consider a petition by Attorney General Raúl Torrez to remove her from office.

New Mexico state agency to hold public hearing on proposed uranium mine • Source New Mexico The New Mexico Mining and Minerals Division received more than 200 letters opposing the project and calling for a public hearing.

The New Mexico office charged with permitting what would be the state’s first new uranium mine in decades has agreed to hold a public hearing after receiving more than 200 letters in opposition.

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NM residents take control of state meeting’s public comment to oppose PNM private equity acquisition • Source New Mexico A small crowd of New Mexico residents took control of a Public Regulation Commission's public comment to oppose a proposed PNM acquisition.

A small crowd attended Thursday morning’s New Mexico Public Regulation Commission meeting to oppose a proposed private equity takeover of the state’s largest electric provider — a topic that wasn’t on the agenda.

Deb Haaland announces ‘affordability agenda’ in campaign for NM governor • Source New Mexico Former Interior Secretary Deb Haaland unveiled her "affordability agenda" as she seeks the Democratic nomination for New Mexico governor.

Haaland’s affordability agenda is part of a multi-faceted plan, which her campaign has dubbed “Deb’s Plan,” which so far includes four tenets: education, affordability, health care and public safety.