Advocacy group pushes for more heat protection in New Mexico

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – New Mexico is getting hotter and climate advocates say it’s becoming a life-threatening issue.

A map from the independent group Climate Central shows what parts of the country have seen the biggest increases in average summer temperatures since 1970. New Mexico is pretty dark, with almost every county experiencing at least a 3 degree increase.

That might not sound like much, but this is the average increase, meaning there’s been summer days well above the normal temperatures.

Experts predict it’s only going to get hotter and more dangerous for everyday New Mexicans.

“New Mexico is getting hotter in every county, in every community,” said Nathaniel Matthews-Trigg, a founding member of Healthy Climate New Mexico. 

Matthews-Trigg says it’s not the kind of heat you can just tough it out through anymore.

“All of a sudden, we’re reaching points where it’s taking physical tolls on our bodies. It’s becoming more difficult to play outside in the summer, to work in the garden, to exercise outdoors,” said Matthews-Trigg. 

According to National Weather Service data, temperatures hit 100 degrees in Albuquerque 17 days last year, quadrupling the number of triple-digit days in 2022.

There’s only been five 100 degree days this year so far, but that’s not the most concerning statistic.

“When we look at the research, we see that this increase in average temperature, which means greater extreme heat events, is really resulting in an increase in injury and death,” Matthews-Trigg said. 

Data from the New Mexico Health Department is clear, more New Mexicans are dying from the heat and even more are going to the hospital because of it.

It’s a concern for business owners like John Grisak who manages three different roofing companies in New Mexico.

“These are the toughest men and women you’ve ever seen, because they have to work in extreme cold, but they also work in very, very extreme heat,” said John Grisak, owner of Fiddler Roofing. 

Grisak says his roofers are good about drinking water and taking breaks when they need it, so he doesn’t enforce any heat-related policies. But that’s not always the case.

“We know that outdoor workers are incredibly vulnerable, and there’s a growing movement for occupational heat standard,” said Matthews-Trigg.  

The Biden administration recently directed OSHA to make that happen after data shows more than 400 American workers died from heat-related issues since 2011.

Matthews-Trigg suggests state lawmakers could approve a statewide occupation heat standard faster, and tailor it for New Mexico’s specific climate.

“In New Mexico, we don’t have much humidity, but what we do have is really intense sun, what we call solar radiation. So we need to make sure that any occupational heat standard takes into account the local context,” Matthews-Trigg said. 

Grisak says he would welcome the oversight.

“We’ll follow the law, whatever needs to be done. Because without these tough men and women, I don’t have a business,” said Grisak. 

Matthews-Trigg says there are also a lot of opportunities for community groups to partner with local governments and clinics to help New Mexicans brace the intense heat before approving new laws.