SANTA FE, N.M. — Today, building on the incredible progress made to diversify, and strengthen New Mexico’s economy for families and communities, the Senate introduced the Clear Horizons Act (Senate Bill 18), which reasserts the state’s commitment to clean, affordable energy, and a healthier state for generations to come.
Sponsored by Senate President Pro Tempore Mimi Stewart (D-Albuquerque), with co-sponsors Senator Angel Charley (D-Acoma) and Representatives Kristina Ortez (D-Taos) and Andrea Romero (D-Santa Fe), the Clear Horizons Act establishes the long-term plan New Mexican families and businesses need to invest in a clean energy, more affordable, and lower emissions future.
As climate impacts intensify, families across New Mexico are already paying more, through higher insurance premiums, utility bills, and disaster recovery costs. In just the last year, the state has spent more than $256 million through emergency executive orders responding to climate-driven disasters, and new data shows climate-related losses could reach one-third of the state’s annual budget by 2040 if New Mexico fails to plan ahead.
At the same time, New Mexico’s clean energy investments are proving that smart planning lowers costs. Between 2021 and 2023, according to the U.S. Energy Information Agency, electricity-related emissions fell by more than 35% even as power generation increased, driven largely by clean energy generation like wind and solar. Over that same period, inflation-adjusted residential electricity prices fell by roughly 7–8%, bucking national trends and saving families money.
“The Clear Horizons Act is about protecting New Mexicans and not going back on the progress our state has already made,” said Senate President Pro Tempore Mimi Stewart. “We’ve shown that clean energy can lower costs and strengthen our economy. This bill ensures we have the tools to responsibly manage the energy needs of the future, while holding the biggest polluters accountable and protecting the health and livelihoods of everyday New Mexicans.”
The Clear Horizons Act codifies Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham’s 2019 Executive Order and New Mexico’s existing climate pollution reduction goals into law, and gives state agencies clear authority to plan, measure, and guide progress over time. The legislation focuses on the largest industrial sources of pollution that emit over 10,000 tons individually, and 25,000 tons collectively—those most responsible for rising costs and health harms—while protecting families, small businesses, farmers, ranchers, and the rural communities that make life in New Mexico so special.
Following its introduction to the Senate floor, the Clear Horizons Act will be heard first in the Senate Conservation Committee. To learn more about the bill, visit www.clearhorizonsnm.org.
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