NM Gov Retracts Climate Change, Water Safety Regs

Susana Martinez, New Mexico’s new Republican governor, has suspended plans to limit greenhouse gas emissions across the state.  According to the New York Times, a rule to reduce statewide emissions by 3% per year is probably now history, since it was not recorded in the state registry last week.  The Times reported that “Governor Martinez, who received hundreds of thousands of dollars in campaign contributions from oil and gas interests, has also said that she does not believe that science has clearly established a link between climate change and human activity.”

In addition, Gov. Martinez has temporarily halted all proposals from groups under executive control, like the Environmental Improvement Board, until it is established that proposed regulations will not harm business in New Mexico. This also means a plan to reduce nitrate water pollution from concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) is now on hold. She has also removed all the members of the state Environmental Improvement Board, who voted 4-3 to initiate a state-wide cap-and-trade program last year. Regional cap-and-trade may now also be history, but the Times reports that a rule to cap emissions from power plants across the state remains in effect.