OPINION: NM can't afford more 'feel good' climate laws that have no tangible impact

New Mexico Senate President Pro Tempore Mimi Stewart’s op-ed late last year calling for the passage of three new climate change proposals during the 60-day session of the state Legislature may be one of worst examples of a delusion of grandeur ever published by the Santa Fe New Mexican.

The state senator’s justification for additional climate change legislation was based on fallacious examples: such as claiming the Hermit’s Peak/Calf Canyon Fire was caused by climate change when it was the result of careless government bureaucrats, and failing to disclose that much of the Ruidoso fires was from arosn.

And I was also stunned by her audacity to think that limiting greenhouse gases in a state of only 2.1 million people will somehow impact the planet’s weather.

New Mexico’s progressive Democrats have adopted numerous climate change measures during the past six years through the Legislature, the regulatory process and executive orders. But they are apparently unsatisfied with just copying the state of California in their unsuccessful effort to modify our weather, they now want to pass even more punitive ideas that are also doomed to fail.

Rather than admitting that all their climate change efforts have had no tangible impact on our state’s weather, the typical progressive response is to claim what’s needed are even more restrictive greenhouse gas reduction targets. As recent history has shown, the only real effects stricter greenhouse gas emission standards will have are making progressives feel good about themselves and placing our state’s economic future greater in doubt as the state moves closer to eliminating the oil and natural gas industries from our borders.

In other words, as the progressives sip their Chablis and nibble their baked brie while celebrating another climate change victory, the hardworking individuals and families in New Mexico who depend on the jobs and economic opportunities created by the oil and natural industry will be one step closer to the unemployment line.

Yet, the economic pain will be felt far beyond the workers in the oil fields, it will also be felt by nearly every state and local government entity across the state since oil and natural gas revenues create about $11 billion for state and local governments each year. This means our public schools will receive fewer state dollars and be forced to lay off teachers. Our college students will no longer be able to receive the Opportunity Scholarship and our universities will be forced to raise tuition significantly. And a whole range of free social services — such as childcare, school breakfasts and lunches and Medicaid benefits — will have to be significantly reduced.

New Mexico cannot afford another “feel good” climate change effort as recent efforts. Such recent efforts have resulted in the premature closing of the San Juan Generating Station in northwest New Mexico, a mandate that a large percentage of new vehicles sold in the state must be electric vehicles, and the imposition of clean fuels that will raise the price of gasoline by 50 cents per gallon has and will cause too much economic dislocation and uncertainty already.

Let’s take a pause from the “climate change” agenda of these environmental radicals and, instead, start making it a priority to help hardworking New Mexicans have more money in their pocket and no longer needing to worry if they can place food on the table or buy gasoline to get to work.

It is also time for progressive Democrats to start telling the truth to every New Mexican that their climate change solutions are illusory and will have no tangible impact on our state, country or planet in the foreseeable future.

State Rep. Stefani Lord, R-Sandia Park, represents District 22 in the New Mexico House of Representatives.