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Thank you, thank you, thank you for your magnificent efforts to advance Local Choice Energy. While it did not pass this year, we made more progress on the bill than ever, catalyzed a robust public dialogue, and grew our movement for future success. Your efforts made a difference, and there is more to do.
Some highlights of our accomplishments include:
We stopped two bad preemption bills that would have restricted local governments from enacting climate policies including Local Choice Energy.
We updated the Local Choice Energy bill to require in-state electricity procurement, enforcement of renewable portfolio standards, more safeguards to ensure safety and reliability, as well as requirements that create high-paying jobs. That updated version is not on the nmlegis.gov website, because the Senate Judiciary Committee did not schedule it for a hearing, but you can read it online here.
We gained more media coverage than we have ever received, which increased the public's awareness and engagement on the issue.
We earned endorsements from more than 30 grassroots organizations across the state, as well as local governments and elected officials, including two of the state's largest counties.
We quadrupled our list of organizers and supporters, and we are growing a broad-based intersectional movement to create community-owned power in New Mexico.
We made breakthroughs with labor and will continue to work with them to make this policy great.
We did all of this because of your efforts, and we are so grateful for you. Our work is not done though. Over the coming months we will convene a working group with stakeholders from many sectors across the state to research other possibilities for growing community-owned renewable power. We are also working toward convening an intersectional coalition between labor, environmental, and other organizations to create an open dialogue and collaboration that can better advance policies to benefit all of us. We will continue to educate the public on public power and energy democracy, and seek new, innovative ways to advance community-owned and led equitable energy transition. We invite you to be a part of all of this. Please email alysha@publicpowernm.org if you are interested in getting involved. We welcome your feedback and suggestions to inform our ongoing work.