Will Harry Teague Pick Politics Over New Mexico Jobs Again?
Will Harry Teague Pick Politics Over New Mexico Jobs Again?
Organ Mountains-Desert Peak Wilderness Act Poses a Threat to New Mexico Jobs
Washington- Democrats in Washington are pushing for a massive new federal regulation that could deliver another crushing blow to New Mexico’s already struggling economy. The Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks Wilderness Act would diminish a vast amount of oil and gas reserves on federal lands, cutting off exploration and stifling job creation at a time of dire unemployment. After supporting his party’s job-killing national energy tax and failed stimulus, it’s no wonder New Mexicans are worried that Harry Teague will once again choose politics over New Mexico Jobs.
The Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks Wilderness Act would restrict a vast amount of land from oil exploration:
“Conservation groups had complained that the four parcels — covering more than 7,300 acres — were only seven miles from the proposed Organ Mountains and Desert Peaks wilderness area. Federal legislation was introduced just last month to protect the area’s granite mountain peaks, ancient lava flows and grasslands.” (Susan Bryan, “BLM regional oil, gas lease sale smallest in years, The Houston Chronicle, 10/19/2009)
The act would cause New Mexico to lose even more jobs. With Harry Teague’s support for his party’s national energy tax estimated to cost New Mexicans almost 13,000 jobs, New Mexico’s unemployment at 7.7 percent and 30,900 jobs lost in the past year, New Mexicans can’t afford to lose more jobs:
“The jobs impact of W/M is delayed by the free allocation of permits and generous carbon offsets. By 2030, as emission reduction targets tighten and other W/M provisions phase out, New Mexico jobs decline by 9,331 under the low cost case and by 12,709 under the high cost case.” (National Association of Manufacturers, “New Mexico, Economic Impact on the State from the Waxman-Markey Bill, H.R. 2454,” 8/12/2009)
“New Mexico’s unemployment rate climbed to 7.7 percent in September, up from 7.4 percent in August and 4.4 percent in September 2008…The state Department of Workforce Solutions said New Mexico has lost 30,900 jobs this year.
The agency said New Mexico’s job growth is at a 65-year low. The decline in the number of jobs in the state is the worst since January 1944, when New Mexico had a smaller economy and such variability was more normal than today.” (“September unemployment in NM hits 7.7 percent,” Associated Press, 10/22/2009)
“Harry Teague already has a sordid history of putting his party bosses’ big-government policies before New Mexico jobs,” said NRCC Communications Director Ken Spain. “By restricting thousands of acres of land from oil exploration, Harry Teague could put even more jobs in jeopardy. After already supporting a national energy tax which puts nearly 13,000 jobs at stake, will Harry Teague once again vote with his Democrat party bosses instead of for the best interest of Southern New Mexico’s middle-class families?”
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