Senate President Pro Tempore Mimi Stewart, D-Albuquerque, debates on the floor of the state Senate Thursday, March 6, 2025. Photo by Michael G. Seamans/The New Mexican

Senate Minority Leader Bill Sharer, R-Farmington, takes a break from debating on the floor of the state Senate Thursday, March 6, 2025. Photo by Michael G. Seamans/The New Mexican

By Daniel J. Chacón
The Santa Fe New Mexican

Republicans rebuked a bill Thursday to fight climate change, describing it as an assault on the oil and gas industry that has provided a revenue boom for the state of New Mexico.

Senate Bill 83, which calls for creating a fund of $10 million to provide state agencies a pool of money to pay for projects to tackle the effects of a warming planet, cleared the Democrat-controlled Senate along a 26-14 party-line vote.

“It marks a critical step towards ensuring our state agencies have the resources needed to tackle climate change, reduce pollution and protect New Mexico’s air, land, water and cherished way of life,” Senate President Pro Tempore Mimi Stewart, an Albuquerque Democrat who is the lead sponsor of the measure, said while introducing it on third reading.

Stewart said the proposed Innovation in State Government Fund would create a “dedicated fund” to equip agencies with staffing, technology and expertise required to implement what she called smart, long-term climate solutions that would benefit communities statewide.

Republicans questioned the intent of the bill and whether it would produce measurable outcomes, sparking a discussion and debate that grew tense at times.

“I don’t know why you even are in this job, Sen. Scott, when you’re so pessimistic,” Stewart told Sen. Larry Scott, a Hobbs Republican who represents two of the counties where the oil-rich Permian Basin is located, after a long line of questioning.

“You know, I can’t do this job unless I’m optimistic, and I think those of us working on this issue try to remain optimistic and try to double down and do what we need to do,” she added. “So, you know, you can stand up there and say this isn’t going to do anything, and I’m going to say, ‘This is an attempt to do something.’ “

Stewart’s remarks prompted Lt. Gov. Howie Morales, who presides over the chamber, to intervene.

“Senators, just a reminder as we debate, ensure that we keep it in line with the decorum of the Senate,” he said.

Sen. Jim Townsend, R-Artesia called SB 83 a “direct attack” on the district he represents, which includes parts of the Permian Basin.

“It’s always amazing to me … that we say all these things about oil and gas and how bad it is, but we stand there with our hands out and say we need more money because almost all of these dollars that we’re trying to appropriate in this bill were created by oil and gas revenue — at least half,” he said.

The bill states money in the fund could be appropriated to state agencies “to create master plans and increase agency capacity” to achieve net-zero emissions, implement sustainable economic policies, provide technical support to entities applying for grants and other funding that seek to address climate change and implement or reduce barriers to rolling out climate change policy.

Minority Leader Bill Sharer of Farmington said achieving net-zero emissions is unrealistic.

“It’s not even a possible goal,” he said, adding New Mexico is “less than a drop in the ocean” in terms of pollution.

But Sen. Harold Pope, D-Albuquerque, said he respectfully disagreed the state is irrelevant in the climate crisis.

“We have the Permian Basin. That is a huge contributor to the methane in our country and the world,” he said. “It’s a huge cause of our climate crisis, and we can’t ignore that. It’s not contained in the borders of our state, and I understand that it’s going on in India and China. But as New Mexicans, there’s nothing wrong with us leading on this issue.”