A diverse group of conservation advocates have met extensively during the
interim to prioritize our agenda for the upcoming session. The Environmental
Alliance of New Mexico (EANM) is an informal coalition of environmental
organizations working collaboratively to further conservation issues at the
New Mexico State Legislature. The mission of EANM is to pass strong
environmental legislation and to defend against attempted environmental
rollbacks. This letter outlines EANM's specific environmental priorities.
I. 2008 Policy Priorities for the Environmental Alliance
* Amendments to the "Efficient Use of Energy Act" (aka, the
Ratepayers Protection Act) will require regulated electric utilities to meet
10% of their energy demand with energy efficiency by 2020 instead of
building new power plants (which are more expensive than efficiency) and
also encourage the NM Public Regulation Commission to allow energy
efficiency programs to be as profitable to New Mexico utilities as power
plants are. We support this legislation contingent on the inclusion of the
"Mountain States" language that will provide sufficient protections to
low-income ratepayers.
* The 2% Solution, or "Smart Investments in Public Buildings"
policy, will ensure a 50% energy saving throughout the life of new and
retrofitted public buildings through a 1-2% initial investment in the
"sustainable" or "green" design of each public building. Initial
construction costs represent only 20 - 30% of a building's entire costs over
its 30 - 40 year life span. This legislation will provide a long-term
investment in energy cost savings for public buildings afforded through the
Severance Tax Bonding Act.
* The "Leave No Child Inside" Act will generate revenue for an
outdoor educational programming fund through a 1% excise tax (a "sin" tax)
on the purchase of new televisions and video games. The fund will be
administered through the NM State Parks to programs that will address
unhealthy trends in New Mexico youth associated with television and video
game exposure, including obesity and poor school performance. It is
documented that the average American child now spends more time watching
television than in school.
* No Environmental Rollbacks. As in recent years, we anticipate
attacks on our air, land, and water. Our fourth policy priority is to
maintain a 100% success rate at defeating all attempted rollbacks, including
any attempt to revive the Desert Rock tax credit, attempts to repeal clean
cars/ pit rules, overall deregulation (so-called "regulatory justice") or
attempts to defund critical environmental protection agencies.
II. 2008 Budget Priority for the Environmental Alliance
* Our top budget priority is a special appropriation of $10 million
for the River Ecosystem Restoration Initiative (RERI), which funds projects,
throughout the state, that restore river ecosystem function and health.
|
