A bill introduced in the New Mexico legislature to require the state reduce greenhouse gas pollution prompted the state’s oil and gas association to launch a campaign against it.
Democratic Rep. Nathan Small introduced House Bill 6, known as the Clean Future Act, which would set emission limits for air pollutants that contribute to climate change.
It took only a few days before the New Mexico Oil and Gas Association urged its members to contact legislators and tell them to oppose the Zero Future Act.
“House Bill 6 – the Zero Future Act – threatens the future of New Mexico by imposing narrow, prescriptive measures that will only limit the innovation we need to help our state reduce emissions,” stated NMOGA in a recent email notice.
The Association said the bill targets t he oil and natural gas industry and every other major economic driver with increased restrictions. The group charged that New Mexico would suffer massive losses of tax revenue supporting state and local services and cost of living would increase for residents.
“Our state and our industry have already been battered by the pandemic. Now, just as we were starting to see positive signs of recovery, we are facing another major hurdle.”
NMOGA claimed the bill would guarantee higher energy costs—schools and governments to operate, families to heat homes and farms to deliver food.
Rep. Small’s bill would raise reporting requirements for businesses and firms that produce emissions. It would also require New Mexico to adopt new rules aimed at reducing the emissions.
