April Newsletter
With a deep breath, I can say the 2025 New Mexico Legislative Session is over. Leading into this year, we had high hopes for all we could accomplish for New Mexicans and Native communities. While many of the policies we hoped to see come to fruition were either tabled or simply did not have enough time to be reviewed, we still celebrate the bills that did pass. From expanding Tribal access to state funding to promoting solar energy and community infrastructure advancements, the bills passed in this session will make a positive mark on our state. This progress was made possible by the dedication of Tribal leaders and community members, Tribal advocates, concerned citizens, environmental and social justice organizations, and our own team here at Sovereign. We extend our gratitude to our policymakers and everyone who advocated for meaningful change and helped drive these efforts forward.
You can find an overview of the energy bills relevant to Tribal interests that passed and did not pass below. You can find additional bills of interest here, as well as the status and detailed overview for each bill.
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Bills That Passed Awaiting the Governor’s Signature
Each of these victories marks a step forward toward equipping our communities with the resources, funding, and legislative support necessary to transition toward renewable energy while safeguarding Tribal sovereignty, our cultural values, and environmental integrity. These bills reflect hard-fought wins that will have lasting impacts on our homelands and our future generations.
SB48 Community Benefits Fund
This bill will invest $210 million in projects that strengthen local economies, improve energy infrastructure, and reduce environmental harm. Introduced by Senate Pro Tem Mimi Stewart, this bill establishes a state fund to support projects that align with Tribal sustainability and economic development priorities.
SM14 Mt Taylor Cultural and Environmental Integrity
With urgent support from the Pueblos of Acoma, Laguna, Jemez, and Zuni, this bill affirms the state’s commitment to protecting and preserving Mount Taylor as a traditional cultural property and opposing uranium mining projects that threaten Mount Taylor’s cultural and environmental integrity.
HB 91 Public Utility Rate Structures
This bill gives investor-owned utilities (IOUs) the power to provide New Mexico’s most vulnerable residents with lower electric and gas bills.
HB128 NMFA Local Solar Access Fund
The Local Solar Access Fund, plans to establish a $60 million state fund to provide grants for solar energy projects to power buildings and infrastructure owned by Tribes, Pueblos, and local governments. The bill will expand access to solar energy, reduce energy costs, and strengthen Tribal energy sovereignty by allowing Tribes and Pueblos to apply directly for funding.
SB142 Grid Modernization Roadmap
This bill updates the Grid Modernization Roadmap and Grant Program by requiring the Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department (EMNRD) to consult with the Public Regulation Commission (PRC) in developing a grid modernization strategy. It expands grant eligibility to school districts and charter schools, allows project deployment speed to be considered in funding decisions, and broadens the definition of grid modernization to include integrating net-zero carbon resources, expanding grid capacity, and using artificial intelligence to detect and mitigate methane leaks.
SB21 Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Act
SB22 Incorporated into SB21
Currently, 95% of New Mexico's rivers and 88% of its wetlands are at risk of pollution. Despite these threats, New Mexico is one of only three states that relies on the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) instead of state agencies to handle water pollution permits for rivers, lakes, and streams protected by the Clean Water Act. SB21 brings that responsibility to the New Mexico Environment Department, allowing the state to manage these permits locally instead of relying on an EPA office in Dallas. This change restores important safeguards and gives the state enforcement mechanisms to protect clean water for future generations. This bill has saw significant support from Pueblos and Tribes, particularly for safeguarding water resources and ensuring Tribal water quality standards are upheld.
Key Bills That Did Not Pass
While we celebrate these victories, we recognize the work that remains. Despite strong advocacy, some key bills did not pass this session. These proposed measures were vital to addressing environmental justice concerns, improving access to clean energy, and ensuring Tribal voices are prioritized in statewide policy. Although they did not move forward this year, these efforts have laid a strong foundation for future campaigns, and we are committed to building on this momentum.
HB13 Distribution System and Electrification Plans
House Bill 13 (HB 13) focused on modernizing New Mexico’s electricity distribution system, ensuring faster grid connections, and investing in beneficial electrification to reduce reliance on fossil fuels. The bill also would have created a Virtual Power Plant Program, allowing communities—including Tribes—to benefit from decentralized energy resources.
SB4 Clear Horizons & Greenhouse Gas Emissions
The Clean Horizons Act would have formalized the state’s emissions target of net zero by 2050, regulating emissions monitoring, enforcement, and assessment, and providing other important clarifications for New Mexico’s climate goals. This bill would have ensured that New Mexico aligns its economic and environmental policies with input from Tribal Nations, sustainability, and community well-being.
HB333 / SB260 Cleanup of Contaminated Sites
This bill would have appropriated $50M to the Department of Environment to assess and clean up abandoned and neglected contaminated sites, including abandoned uranium sites, across the state that do not have viable responsible parties to pay for and conduct cleanup actions.
SB156 Low-Income Utility Users
The Low-Income Utility Users bill aimed to establish programs or mandates that would create discounted utility rates for qualifying low-income residents, helping to reduce the financial burden of electricity, gas, water, and possibly other utility services.
Solar Training Scholarships
Interested in a career in solar? Solar Energy International (SEI) offers a $50,000 scholarship for solar training tuition fees for Native American students to help facilitate their professional development and eventual entry into the solar energy workforce. Check out their courses and scholarship application here.
Looking Ahead
We will be hosting a Renewable Energy Education Webinar every month starting in April tailored for Tribes and community members. Join us to learn about key clean energy topics and how they relate to New Mexico’s Tribes and Native communities. RSVP for the first one here!