Governor travels to Alaska to attend energy summit, meet with federal officials

SANTA FE — Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham is racking up frequent flier miles, as she departed Sunday for a three-day energy summit in Alaska.

The governor, who led a two-week trade mission to Japan and Singapore in April, will meet with top Trump administration officials while attending the sustainable energy conference in Anchorage.

Specifically, she plans to meet with Energy Secretary Chris Wright, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin about possible partnerships between the federal government and New Mexico, according to the Governor’s Office.

“New Mexico’s thriving economy is powered by our leadership in advanced energy and manufacturing,” Lujan Grisham said in a statement, citing New Mexico’s efforts in the areas of geothermal and hydrogen energy, along with steps aimed at reducing carbon emissions.

The state recently passed North Dakota to become the second-highest oil-producing state in the country — behind only Texas — and is also a major exporter of natural gas.

In recent interviews, the governor has made it clear she intends to forge relationships with Trump administration officials when possible, even while criticizing Republican-backed plans to trim spending on Medicaid and other programs.

While in Alaska, the governor will lead a delegation that also includes state Economic Development Secretary Rob Black, Environment Secretary James Kenney and Caroline Buerkle, the deputy chief of operations for the Governor’s Office.

As an official state trip, the delegation’s travel costs will be paid for by taxpayer dollars, said Lujan Grisham spokeswoman Jodi McGinnis Porter.

The fourth annual Alaska Sustainable Energy Conference will also feature speeches by officials from several national laboratories, including both Los Alamos National Laboratory and Sandia National Laboratories, according to the conference’s website.

Per the state Constitution, Lt. Gov. Howie Morales will serve as acting governor until Lujan Grisham returns to New Mexico on Wednesday.