By Hannah Grover, NM Political Report
New reports released this week show that greenhouse gas emissions in the state are reducing in response to laws and policies aimed at addressing climate change.
According to the New Mexico Environment Department, greenhouse gas emissions are projected to be 29% lower in 2025 than they were in 2005.
The Environment Department contracted with the Eastern Research Group and Energy and Environmental Economics (E3) to compile the reports.
Some of the laws and regulations that have been implemented to curb greenhouse gas emissions include the Energy Transition Act, methane waste rules, vehicle emissions standards and the clean transportation fuel standard.
The Energy Transition Act set a goal of 50% of the electricity coming from renewable sources by 2030. New Mexico has already surpassed that goal and 60% of the electricity is generated by renewable sources. The Energy Transition Act only applies to the investor-owned utilities and the rural electric cooperatives. It does not apply to government-owned utilities such as Los Alamos County’s electric utility and Farmington Electric Utility System.
The Energy Transition Act became law in response to the Public Service Company of New Mexico’s plan to close its San Juan Generating Station. The coal-fired power plant closed in 2022 but demolition is ongoing.
At the time the Energy Transition Act passed, there were three coal-fired power plants in New Mexico. Now there is a single coal-fired power plant — the Four Corners Power Plant — and it only operates seasonally. The Four Corners Power Plant is scheduled to close in 2031.
Meanwhile, the electricity once produced by the San Juan Generating Station has largely been replaced by renewable sources. The E3 report did not look at emissions from the Four Corners Power Plant because it is on Navajo Nation land and not under the state’s jurisdiction.
The methane waste and ozone precursor rules targeted the oil and gas industry. These rules and similar policies are projected to lead to 70% less methane emissions from the oil and gas sector in 2025 compared to the 2005 levels.