ALBUQUERQUE, NM — Today, Congresswoman Michelle Lujan Grisham’s campaign announced a plan to create jobs and generate revenue for schools through methane mitigation by implementing a statewide methane rule that would cut waste and pollution at both new and existing oil and gas wells while creating jobs and generating revenue for schools.

“As governor, I’ll work to make New Mexico a national leader in clean energy by moving to renewable energies such as solar and wind and through innovative, smart policy and practices such as methane mitigation,” said Congresswoman Michelle Lujan Grisham. “With an investment in our state’s energy infrastructure to capture methane, we will create jobs, increase revenue for our schools, and protect the health of workers and communities, all while reducing harmful emissions that are contributing to climate change.”

Just last week the Trump Administration announced another effort to delay the implementation of the Bureau of Land Management methane waste rules. Lujan Grisham fought these delay tactics in Congress, and as governor will make methane mitigation a priority. You can read Lujan Grisham’s plan here.

Benefits of Methane Mitigation for New Mexico:

• New Jobs. Methane mitigation and cleaner energy production will create good new jobs in New Mexico. Jobs within the Leak, Detection, and Repair (LDAR) industry promise upward mobility, with annual salaries ranging from $27,040 to $113,110 per year. According to a report from the business consulting firm Datu Research, New Mexico is ranked #10 in the nation for jobs focused on tackling methane emissions, while Colorado ranks #3 and Wyoming #7. We can do better.
• Millions in Revenue for our Schools. If we captured the methane currently wasted, we could produce an additional $27 million in tax and royalty revenue for the state, which can be directly invested in urgent needs like our public schools. As an example, this is enough revenue to increase state enrollment in pre-K programs by 50 percent, giving an additional 5,000 New Mexico kids access to quality early childhood education.
• Healthier Workers and Communities. When methane is emitted, so are toxins and other smog-forming pollutants that can be a major public health hazard and lead to respiratory diseases and childhood asthma attacks. A state methane rule protects New Mexicans’ health by dramatically cutting methane leaks and pollution from other dangerous toxins also emitted during oil and gas development.
• Combat Climate Change. Failure to capture methane is an environmental threat to our state that we can greatly reduce through methane mitigation. In 2014, scientists from NASA and the University of Michigan discovered the most concentrated plume of methane pollution anywhere in the country hovering over northwest New Mexico’s San Juan Basin. Further research from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has shown that the vast majority of this methane pollution is attributable to oil and gas development.

Some of New Mexico’s leading oil and gas producers are already taking steps to reduce their methane pollution, including major oil and gas operators like ExxonMobil, BP, and XTO Energy. The Lujan Grisham Administration will work with New Mexico’s oil and gas producers to adopt sensible mitigation technologies and practices and make our state a model for cleaner energy production.

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Gubernatorial candidate Michelle Lujan Grisham announced a four-step roadmap for New Mexico’s 21st century economy, Build New Mexico, which is the second pillar of her three part plan to create jobs now and for the future. Earlier in the month, Lujan Grisham unveiled her Jumpstart New Mexico plan that highlighted 10 ways to create jobs now and immediately boost the state’s economy.

“Jumpstarting New Mexico and creating jobs immediately is important,” said Michelle Lujan Grisham. “As important as immediate job creation is building long-term economic stability for New Mexico. My Build New Mexico plan lays a foundation for success through partnerships, education, economic diversification.”

Build New Mexico is a four-step roadmap that lays the groundwork for supporting a 21st century economy and giving New Mexico the foundation for a solid economic future. Additional details can be found here.

1. Bring People Together. Provide leadership from day one of my administration to bring New Mexicans together to tackle our economic challenges.

• Create a Governor’s Commerce Cabinet comprised of business leaders to advise me on proposals to enhance the state’s business climate
• Create a Governor’s Council of Entrepreneurial Development to drive focused strategies to develop small and medium sized businesses, particularly in emerging industries
• Create a Sector Strategy Council to bring together universities, businesses, unions, labs and community leaders to coordinate industry-driven development in industries with real potential for growth

2. Develop four Centers of Excellence at our universities. Make our universities true economic engines of the state that will build industries and create jobs for our families. The four Centers of Excellence will be:

• University of New Mexico: Bioscience
• New Mexico Tech: Cybersecurity
• New Mexico State University: Agriculture
• San Juan College: Sustainable and Renewable Energy

3. Diversify our economy. Implement a robust sector-based strategy to drive investment, growth, and jobs. We have identified eight sectors where New Mexico can lead the nation that include: cybersecurity, intelligent manufacturing, sustainable and green industries, bioscience and health, tourism and outdoor industries, digital media and film, sustainable agriculture and value-added agriculture, and aerospace.

4. Develop specific public-private partnership strategies to create jobs.

• Drive technology transfer and research commercialization
• Foster public-private partnerships to help enterprising farmers enter new markets and explore ways to enhance their products (and value)
• Stop New Mexico’s brain drain
• Attract millennials to our state
• Innovate, modernize, and make state government customer friendly
• Bolster our entrepreneurial ecosystem

“While the Republican Governors Association lays baseless attacks at Michelle Lujan Grisham’s plan to jumpstart the New Mexico economy after 7 disastrous years under former RGA Chair Governor Susana Martinez, they hope New Mexico voters forget about the failed Republican policies that put the state last or next to last in nearly every category. Their candidate, Steve Pearce, won’t be any different — he offers more of the same and could be even more dangerous for New Mexico families.

“Though the Republican party claims to be ‘fiscally responsible,’ they can’t even tell the difference between fund disbursements and fund investments. But who could expect them to understand an economic development plan that focuses on New Mexico, NOT out of state billionaires?

“Michelle Lujan Grisham’s proposal would work to jumpstart New Mexico’s economy by investing the full amount allowed under statute, bringing $200 million more in investment in New Mexico businesses and leveraging even more private investment. This is an existing program, and the increased investment will boost business and innovation in New Mexico, create jobs right here, and provide a return to the fund.”

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Background

The State Investment Council is authorized to invest up to nine percent of the market value of the STPF in New Mexico businesses and private equity (NMSA §7–27–5.15). We are currently using only half of that investment capacity to provide much-needed capital to New Mexico businesses and help grow our economy.

Plan includes 10 ways to create jobs now and for the future

Gubernatorial candidate Michelle Lujan Grisham released her Jumpstart New Mexico plan — the first pillar of her three-part plan to create jobs now and for the future.

“We need to create jobs right away in order to jumpstart New Mexico’s economy,” Michelle Lujan Grisham said. “My plan to jumpstart jobs will allow us to build on that momentum, drive short-term innovations, and create a sustainable economy to ensure our kids and grandkids have an opportunity in New Mexico for the long haul.”

Jumpstart New Mexico includes 10 specific job-creation proposals that Michelle Lujan Grisham will pursue during the first months of her administration. Additional details can be found here.

1. Make New Mexico the Clean Energy State.

• Get new transmission infrastructure online by 2020 to ensure that New Mexico’s wind can be used to generate power and jobs
• Increase New Mexico’s Renewable Portfolio Standards to 50% by 2030, expand it to include small-scale customer-owned solar and wind systems and include incentives for production in rural areas
• Accelerate development of a green energy workforce
• Make state buildings energy efficient
• Expand access to new markets hungry for clean energy

2. Immediately Raise the Minimum Wage to $10

• Immediately raising the minimum wage will provide a pay raise for 112,000 New Mexicans
• Bring up the minimum wage to $12 in four years and index it to inflation

3. Lift the Cap on Film Tax Credits and Increase Production Capability

• Double the amount of film production in the first two years
• Increase or eliminate the annual cap on the payout of incentives, streamlining the program so credits are available
• Expand soundstage and other physical production capacity
• Support and expand the resident crew base to handle increased production

4. Invest in New Mexico Businesses

• Invest the full 9% currently allowed from the Severance Tax Permanent Fund to help businesses grow
• Nearly $200 million would be available for direct investment
• Leverage those investments to bring in an additional $2.4 billion into the state’s economy.
• Double the NM Small Business Investment Corporation (SBIC) program to a 2.0% allocation of the Severance Tax Permanent Fund, making $50 million more available to strong, growing small business that banks are not serving.

5. Invest the Permanent School Fund in Pre-K Education

• In addition to the long-term investment in children, an investment from the Permanent School Fund would create immediate opportunities for employment.
• Teachers and educational assistants would be needed to lead more than 1,700 early childhood classrooms
• An investment of $285 million over 5 years is a prudent investment to help the economy now and ensure every kid has the best opportunity in life.

6. Invest now in a Modern, Efficient, and Effective Infrastructure System

• Work with the Legislature to fast-track investments to modernize roads, bridges, water systems and broadband Internet lines.
• Work with the private sector to ensure we are meeting infrastructure needs that expand our economic footprint.

7. Appoint a Small Business and Entrepreneur Advocate within the Office of the Governor

• A small business and entrepreneur advocate, representing the Governor’s Office, will work on the ground level with New Mexico’s business and startup communities to direct policy and more effectively realign resources.

8. Fix the State Procurement System to buy from Local New Mexico Businesses

• Overhauling state sourcing to prioritize New Mexico jobs.
• Ensure if a New Mexico company is competitive on price and can deliver, the company should get contracts with the state, not an out-of-state competitor.

9. Increase Education and Workforce Training

• Invest in more apprenticeships, internships and more on-line learning opportunities.
• Invest in existing programs with proven outcomes like I-Best (Integrated Basic Education and Skills Training), which is available at six community colleges around the state.
• Work with programs like New Mexico’s SoloWorks program, which is a consortium-sponsored workforce development program.

10. Invest in Rural New Mexico

• Improve sustainable agriculture and value-added agriculture practices, including wineries and craft breweries.
• Invest in MainStreet programs
• Increase access to Broadband to boost productivity and incomes across the state
• Partner with New Mexico’s tribes and pueblos so they are an integral part of the state’s economic development strategy. The Film Office, for example, will partner with tribes.
• Support business incubators in rural areas and small towns