New Mexico
What Trump's presidency could mean for New Mexico's climate
As federal policy shifts more to the right with the election of Donald J. Trump, conservationists are increasingly worried how the incoming administration’s vows to cut climate spending and ramp up oil and gas drilling will change New Mexico’s landscape.
It’s no secret that Trump is skeptical of the science behind climate change, famously calling global warming a “hoax” and pledging to “drill baby drill” as the world braces for one of its hottest years in recorded history.
He’s expected to take a vastly different approach to the climate than the Biden administration – vowing to first roll back “unspent” funds in a landmark climate bill dubbed the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA).
A historic piece of legislation, the bill earmarked $370 billion for decarbonization, the clean energy transition, reducing the cost of energy, and remedying environmental health disparities – all investments New Mexico has been taking advantage of since its passage in 2022.
Though conservationists like Camilla Feibelman, the executive director of the Rio Grande Chapter of the Sierra Club, are optimistic these cuts would backfire on Trump.
“You know, people don’t like having their benefits taken away,” Fiebelman said. “Once people have a benefit that helps them in their pocketbook, not to mention the planet, it’s going to be pretty hard to roll those back.”
But, here in New Mexico, Feibelman is more concerned about new methane pollution fees that would force companies to pay up when they release excessive climate-warming methane into the atmosphere.
“Our oil and gas rules at the state level are pretty good, but the federal rules protect us from states like Texas that leave their oil and gas industry pretty unregulated when it comes to air pollution,” Feibelman said.
The fear is that the incoming Republican government trifecta will weaken or entirely eliminate the fees.
Trump’s vague promises have New Mexico’s lawmakers ready to play defense.
In an interview with KUNM, House Speaker Javier Martínez said he expects lawmakers to make a concerted effort to bolster IRA-funded programs that fund the renewable energy sector in the upcoming regular 60-day legislative session.
“We’re not going to let Trump’s wishy-washiness on these things end the opportunity for families in rural New Mexico who depend on the IRA for those jobs,” Rep. Martínez said.
The state is already falling short of its climate goals as it stands. Back in 2019 Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham signed an Executive Order laying out a desired statewide reduction in greenhouse gas emissions of at least 45% by 2030 compared to levels in 2005. An analysis has found New Mexico will achieve less than one-third of that goal.
That, and there is some precedent for Republicans possibly slashing the size of national monuments to allow for more drilling on federally owned land – a well-known priority outlined in the Heritage Foundation’s controversial Project 2025 policy wish list.
If realized, the consequences would disproportionately affect the American West when compared to the rest of the country. About 92% of all federally owned acreage is located in the 12 Western states.
Others are worried about the impacts to endangered species.
“Some of the agencies that Trump is poised to take control of have frankly been very problematic toward endangered species and their conservation responsibilities, no matter which administration has been in place,” said Michael Robinson, an advocate with the Center for Biological Diversity.
Robinson is specifically referring to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, which has been widely criticized for its perennially slow process of placing wildlife on the endangered species list.
With the threat of widespread government spending cuts by Trump’s newly formed “Department of Government Efficiency” Robinson said potential cuts to the Service may trickle down and severely affect the management of vulnerable species like the lesser prairie-chicken.
“We have recently gained legal protection for both the lesser prairie-chicken and the dune sagebrush lizard, but the protection is incomplete because they do not yet have critical habitat designated for them,” Robinson said. “That’s likely to be a flashpoint to anticipate where the Trump administration may try and run roughshod over the law.”
While not always the norm, the Service has, at times, deferred species management to states. The most extreme of these cases has been with the recovery of the Mexican gray wolf in New Mexico and Arizona, where each drafts their very own recovery plans.
Robinson said spending cuts would likely give states more influence in decisions over endangered species – a process that has proven to be political in the past.
While the exact details of the Trump administration’s climate policies are still hazy, there’s no doubt significant changes are on the horizon. Come Inauguration Day on Jan. 20, Speaker of the House Rep. Mike Johnson has said the first 100-days of Donald Trump’s term will be “very aggressive.”
LAS VEGAS, N.M. – New Mexico Highlands University President Niel Woolf has sued the school, claiming leaders pushed him to redirect a $600,000 contract to a chairman’s friend.
Woolf filed the lawsuit after the university placed him on administrative leave at the beginning of May.
He says Board of Regents Chair Frank Sanchez told him to cancel a $600,000 agreement with an out-of-state contractor and give it to a local contractor.
Woolf says that company is led by a friend of both Sanchez and his brother-in-law, Sen. Pete Campos, who represents Las Vegas.
In the lawsuit, Woolf says Sanchez told him directing the funds to his friend would “go a long way towards securing money for the University from Senator Campos,” said Woolf.
Woolf is seeking damages and attorney’s fees under the New Mexico Whistleblower Protection Act.
CHAMA, N.M. – The Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad will begin its summer season on Tuesday, June 9, after the railroad delayed its opening due to drought and wildfire danger.
The season was initially set to begin on May 23. The Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad Commission said it would conduct a review on June 2 to determine if it was safe enough to begin operations.
“A sincere thank you to all our passengers and the communities in Chama and Antonito who have been so patient as we waited for conditions to improve,” said Eric Mason, CEO of the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad. “We are excited to welcome guests back aboard and hear the opening whistle signal the start of another memorable season.”
The railroad will hold a Grand Opening Celebration on Saturday, June 13, in Chama. The celebration will coincide with Chama Western Heritage Days, a community festival that weekend with live music, vendors, and rodeo competitions.
The railroad recently won USA TODAY’S poll for the best scenic train ride in the country. In celebration of the win, the railroad said passengers who book by June 7 ca receive a 25% discount on coach tickets for trips through August. Guests must redeem the offer by calling the railroad at 888-286-2737 using promo code USATODAY#1.
Tickets are also available for the first Dark Sky Train departures on June 12 from Chama and June 13 from Antonito. The dark sky trains include evening excursions led by international dark sky guides, and take passengers to secluded spots with minimal light pollution.
Native Vote 2026
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — A Laguna Pueblo woman is the front runner to be New Mexico’s next governor.
Shortly after polls closed Tuesday night, Deb Haaland was declared the winner over Bernalillo County district attorney Sam Bregman in the state’s semi-open Democratic Party primary. As of 11:00 p.m., Haaland carried support from 72% of the Democratic primary voters to Bregman’s 28%, according to unofficial results from the New Mexico Secretary of State.
“We’re showing everyone that a better future in New Mexico is possible,” she told supporters gathered in Albuquerque’s historic Old Town Plaza. “New Mexicans want a leader who will stand up for working people, and who is ready to take on Donald Trump. I proudly accept your nomination as a Democratic nominee.”
Haaland spoke for 13 minutes, at times through a scratchy throat that required her to pause for water breaks. “Excuse me, I’ve been talking with voters all day,” she said while grabbing a water bottle before hitting her campaign stump notes on affordability, health care and public safety.
She will face Republican Gregg Hull, a former mayor from suburban Rio Rancho that won his party’s three-way primary with 47% of the vote, according to unofficial results from the New Mexico Secretary of State.
Haaland will be the Democratic Party nominee in a state dominated at every level by Democrats, and is expected to be heavily favored in the general election. With that insight she said her campaign message does translate to Republicans and Independent voters.
“We want our kids to thrive. We want our kids to have a quality, public education. We want every New Mexican to have health care. Everybody wants to feel safe in their neighborhoods, and everybody wants to be able to afford to put a hot meal on their table every night and have a roof over their children’s heads,” she said. “Those issues transcend whatever political spectrum we’re trying to slice and dice people into.”
Shortly after the race was called, Haaland campaign staff, major donors, surrogates, and their families walked from a building on the west side of Albuquerque’s Old Town Plaza to the historic plaza core, where the Haaland campaign had set up a stage and reserved the entire plaza for its victory celebration.
“We are now witnessing history in the making,” New Mexico state Rep. Derrick Lente (Sandia Pueblo) said to supporters immediately after Haaland was declared the winner.
Denise Wilie (Dine) also joined the celebration of Haaland’s victory. Wilie said she worked on get-out-the-vote efforts with the Native American Voters Alliance in McKinley County.
“It just is so exhilarating to even think about, a woman and a Pueblo woman,” she said. “Indigenous all the way, is how I feel. I’m like, yes, let’s get more of our voices.”
Haaland was introduced by her two sisters and walked to the stage escorted by a mariachi band.
Speaking to reporters after the event Haaland reflected on voting for a Pueblo woman (herself) for governor.
“I got emotional, quite frankly, when I went to vote for myself because you do that when you’re a candidate,” she said. “We’ve never had a Native American governor in New Mexico. We’re a multicultural state. I think representation matters, especially in a political era such as this one. So, I’m really proud and honored to carry on the legacy of my ancestors, who worked so incredibly hard to make sure that I had a place here today.”
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