With each passing year, communities across New Mexico feel the mounting and undeniable pressures from climate change. Twice in two years, 25% of New Mexico’s communities faced severe wildfires. In 2022, the Hermit’s Peak and Calf Canyon fires burned for five months, destroying over 630 homes in three northern counties, with damages exceeding $4 billion. In 2024, the people of Ruidoso, the Mescalero Apache Tribe and four surrounding counties endured their worst fire on record, nearly wiping out the town. The devastation was compounded by record flooding that caused additional damage to 500 homes.

These and other worsening effects of climate change are a harsh reality New Mexicans will continue to face without bold action by state leaders in the next legislative session to slash climate pollution. As 2025 approaches and the U.S. braces for environmental rollbacks at the federal level, now more than ever it is up to states to lead on climate action.

The Clear Horizons Act, sponsored by Senate President Pro Tempore Mimi Stewart, offers a historic opportunity to enact a comprehensive climate framework that will catalyze renewable energy growth, diversify the state’s economy and secure a cleaner, healthier and more resilient future for New Mexican communities.

The challenge

Under Governor Lujan Grisham, New Mexico has led on climate policy. In 2019, Governor Lujan Grisham sought to establish New Mexico as a climate leader by committing the state to a 45% reduction in climate pollution by 2030 compared to 2005 levels, and by joining the U.S. Climate Alliance which further committed New Mexico to pursue reductions of at least 26-28% below 2005 levels by 2025 and 50-52% reductions below 2005 levels by 2030.

Over the past six years, the state has made important progress with the passage of the Energy Transition Act, Clean Fuels Standards and adoption of regulations that will curb emissions from transportation and the oil and gas sector. Unfortunately, these policies alone don’t reduce emissions enough to align with what climate science says is needed to avoid the worst impacts of climate change.

EDF conducted an analysis in 2023 that found that New Mexico is projected to reduce emissions just 1% by 2025 and 13% by 2030 from 2005 levels. That means the state is projected to make essentially no progress toward achieving the 2025 target and fall well short of the 2030 target the governor committed to. These findings echo what the state’s own Climate Strategy report found in 2021: New Mexico is projected to fall short of its own commitments absent swift, strong action to limit pollution. What’s needed are new policies that pair mandatory pollution cuts with the tools and clear plan needed to reduce emissions at the pace and scale the climate crisis demands.

Putting in place enforceable limits on climate emissions also means cutting pollution that’s harmful to public health. For example, in a study conducted by the University of New Mexico in 2023, researchers found that many of the state’s largest polluters are not currently subject to any regulations requiring they reduce climate pollution, and that localized air pollution from those facilities disproportionately harm disadvantaged communities and people of color.*

* EDF provided funding support for this study, but did not provide input on study methodology or results.

The opportunity

The Clear Horizons Act provides the framework, tools, and resources state agencies need to hold polluters accountable and protect communities from the worst impacts of climate change.

Clear Horizons will codify the state’s emissions targets and establish a concrete plan to achieve them. Unlike the current state goals, this bill would establish the pollution reduction targets as state law and would direct state agencies — like the New Mexico Environment Department — to put in place policies capable of achieving these targets. The bill will require state agencies to regularly assess progress towards reducing emissions, set reasonable timelines for new regulations covering major sources of climate pollution in the state and enable them to make policy adjustments if targets aren’t met. By doing so the Clear Horizons Act will simultaneously calibrate the state’s climate actions to the required reduction levels and provide the long-term regulatory certainty that businesses, investors, and industry need to prioritize sustainability, innovation, and growth in New Mexico’s clean energy economy.

Senate President Pro Tem Stewart is also proposing as set of companion bills, the Community Benefits Fund and New Mexico Innovation in Government Act, aimed at providing the critical resources needed for state agencies to support impacted communities, build resilience, and do the work of climate mitigation. The Community Benefit Fund will invest in local, community-driven solutions that reduce pollution and create jobs, and the Innovation in Government Act will equip agencies with the resources and expertise needed to advance clean energy initiatives and better protect communities. Together with Clear Horizons as the main pollution mitigator, these bills will help further cut harmful climate pollution and help communities across the state build the necessary infrastructure and resources to be resilient in a changing future.

Summary of proposed legislation

• Clear Horizons Act
  • Codify the state emissions reductions targets of 45% by 2030, 75% by 2040, and net-zero by 2050 compared to 2005 levels.
  • Require state agencies adopt new regulations that are aligned with these emission reduction targets.
  • Annual monitoring and regular assessment of state emissions to track progress.
• Community Benefit Fund
  • Directs funding to grants and other programs financing local projects that improve transportation, infrastructure, clean energy adoption, workforce development and bolster community resilience.
  • Funded projects will help create jobs, support families and strengthen the communities most impacted by climate change.
• New Mexico Innovation in Government Act
  • Provides additional funding to state agencies to build more robust capacity to deliver critical environmental, climate and clean energy programs.
  • Equips agencies to hire skilled staff, experts and ensure they have the resources to better serve all New Mexicans.

Now is the time

New Mexicans have been looking toward state leaders to drive bold, local solutions that put their needs first, delivering clean air, water and good-paying jobs they can rely on. At a time when federal leadership on a host of environmental issues is at question, it will be up to states to take the helm of locking in critical environmental protections and implementing policies that will create new opportunities for growing a clean energy economy.

To protect communities on the frontlines of pollution and climate impacts, New Mexico needs a comprehensive framework that will guide it toward a resilient and clean future. Passing the Clear Horizons Act would be the foundational next step in the state’s climate leadership and promote a thriving, transformative economy that protects New Mexicans for generations to come.

New Mexico, this is our moment. Let’s get it done.