E&E News: Dems from oil-producing N.M. grapple with Biden moratorium
It’s not just in New Mexico – Democrats from Texas to Pennsylvania are trying to avoid any questions about Biden halting the Keystone XL Pipeline or Biden’s fracking ban like it’s their job.
According to New Mexico Senator Luján, states that rely heavily on these energy jobs could see an economic downturn in the next few years because of the Biden Administration’s new job-killing regulations.
Meanwhile, not a single House Democrat has signed onto legislation that would restart the Keystone XL Pipeline or prevent Biden from issuing future fracking bans.
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E&E News: Dems from oil-producing N.M. grapple with Biden moratorium
E&E News
Emma Dumain and Heather Richard
February 9, 2021
https://www.eenews.net/stories/1063724577
President Biden’s green aspirations have put New Mexico Democrats in a bind.
The Land of Enchantment is the biggest single oil producer for the federal government, and the New Mexico boom has infused a poor state with cash.
But in an effort to combat climate change, the Biden administration has opted to freeze new oil and gas leases while it reconsiders the federal minerals program, which accounts for 24% of carbon dioxide emissions in the country.
The announcement was met with fury. Oil producers quickly filed lawsuits, and Republicans said the new executive order would decimate livelihoods and rob children of educational opportunities funded by oil and gas revenues.
“It’s not just limited to jobs,” said Rep. Yvette Herrell, the New Mexico congressional delegation’s lone Republican, who won election last year in part by tying the Democratic incumbent — Xochitl Torres Small — to progressives when it came to energy issues.
“We’re looking at 50% of our general fund being affected,” Herrell added. “This is money in the classroom, this has an effect on children’s education, teachers’ salaries, infrastructure projects, services people depend on the government for. This is very far-reaching in a negative way.”
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Luján insisted that due to the Trump administration’s “aggressive posture” on opening up federal lands to oil exploration, there are plenty of outstanding leases unaffected by the new moratorium that would keep revenue flowing and jobs intact.
New Mexico “would not see a downturn for a few years, at the very least,” he said regarding the time it would take for the leasing freeze to affect state revenues, citing analyses he has reviewed.
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Herrell has introduced legislation that would exempt New Mexico from the leasing freeze, daring the delegation’s Democrats to co-sponsor it. So far, none has.
“It’s concerning to me that I would be the only one in New Mexico’s delegation to ring the alarm bell,” she said.
She’ll likely remain in that position at least for the time being, with Luján and Heinrich taking a diplomatic approach and Rep. Teresa Leger Fernandez (D-N.M.) unapologetic in her support for the administration’s “bold actions.”
“The Trump administration abused New Mexico’s public and sacred lands for short term corporate profit,” she said in a statement.
National Republican leaders who see this as a winning issue for the GOP will continue to pummel Democrats in oil and gas states who refuse to break with Biden, and it could find its way into the special election campaign to succeed Haaland should she be confirmed in the coming weeks.
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Read the full article from E&E News, here.