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New Mexico

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Planning and Measurement | Targets and Caps | Reporting | Power Sector | Transportation Sector

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Planning and Measurement

State Advisory Board

Status: Completed

Details: The New Mexico Climate Change Advisory Group was established on June 9, 2005, by Executive Order 05-033 and tasked with developing an action plan, which it completed in December 2006. The Group was abolished in December 2006 by Executive Order 06-69 and was replaced by the Climate Change Action Implementation Team, a staff-level group tasked with overseeing implementation of the state's climate policies.

Regional Initiatives

Status: Completed

Details: Member of the Western Climate Initiative. The governors of five western states established the Western Climate Initiative on February 26, 2007, committing to establish an overall regional goal to reduce GHG emissions within 6 months, develop a design for a regional market-based multi-sector mechanism within 18 months to achieve the regional goal, and participate in a multi-state GHG registry. The WCI unveiled its draft greenhouse gas reduction strategy on July 23, 2008. A final version of the plan is due in September 2008, and each state and province will then be left to adopt the recommendations.
On February 28, 2006, New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson and Arizona Governor Janet Napolitano signed an agreement launching the Southwest Climate Change Initiative, which establishes a framework for the two states to collaborate on strategies to address the impacts of climate change in the Southwest and reduce GHG emissions in the region.

GHG Inventory

Status: Completed

Details: Completed an updated inventory in 2006 with historical emissions from 1990-2005 and projected emissions through 2020 as a part of the Final Report of New Mexico's Climate Change Advisory Group. The Department of the Environment is directed by Executive Order 06-069 to develop an updated GHG inventory every 4 years starting in 2008. Initially completed in 1997.

Climate Change Action Plan

Status: Completed

Details: Governor Richardson charged the Climate Change Advisory Group with presenting a report to the Climate Change Action Council by December 1, 2006. The report included a GHG inventory with projections of the State's future GHG emissions and 69 policy recommendations for reducing New Mexico's emissions and meeting the state's GHG target; the policy recommendations address energy supply and demand, transportation and land use, agriculture and forestry, and emissions reporting. Initial report completed in 2002.

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Targets and Caps

Lead by Example Target

Status: Completed

Details: On September 16, 2005, Governor Bill Richardson announced that New Mexico joined the Chicago Climate Exchange (CCX), a GHG reduction and trading program. As a member of the exchange, Governor Richardson has set goals to reduce New Mexico state government's GHG emissions by 4% by 2006, and an additional 2% by 2010.

Statewide GHG Target

Status: Completed

Details: On August 22, 2007, a coalition of six Western states and two Canadian provinces - the Western Climate Initiative (WCI) - announced that they set a regional goal of reducing GHG emissions 15% below 2005 levels by 2020 to fight global warming. New Mexico became a member of the WCI partnership in February 2007. On June 5, 2005, Governor Richardson signed Executive Order 05-033, which directed an Advisory Group to develop recommendations to achieve GHG emission reductions of 2000 levels by 2012; 10% below 2000 levels by 2020 and 75% below by 2050.

Statewide GHG Cap

Status: Proposed

Details: The governors of five western states established the Western Regional Climate Action Initiative on February 26, 2007, committing to establish an overall regional goal to reduce GHG emissions within 6 months and develop a design for a regional market-based multi-sector mechanism within 18 months to achieve the regional goal.
Announced membership in the International Carbon Action Partnership on October 29, 2007 - a group of public authorities and governments that have established or are actively pursuing carbon markets through mandatory cap and trade systems as one approach for reducing GHG emissions.

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Reporting

Electricity Disclosure

Status: In Progress

Details: Renewable Portfolio Standard requires generation disclosure of fuel mix and emissions.

GHG Registry

Status: In Progress

Details: New Mexico is a member of the Western Climate Initiative (WCI), which is considering various options for establishing a GHG registry and reporting system that will require some facilities and sectors to report (and reduce) their GHG emissions. The WCI unveiled its draft greenhouse gas reduction strategy on July 23, 2008. A final version of the plan is due in September 2008, and each state and province will then be left to adopt the recommendations.
Member of The Climate Registry - a collaboration aimed at developing and managing a common GHG emissions reporting system across states, provinces, and tribes. It will provide an accurate, complete, consistent, transparent, and verified set of GHG emissions data from reporting entities, supported by a robust accounting and verification infrastructure. Members released a final General Reporting Protocol in May 2008. The Climate Registry plans to start accepting data in summer 2008.

Mandatory GHG Reporting

Status: Completed/Further Work Proposed

Details: New Mexico is a member of the Western Climate Initiative (WCI), which is considering various options for establishing a GHG reporting system that will require some facilities and sectors to report (and reduce) their GHG emissions. The WCI unveiled its draft greenhouse gas reduction strategy on July 23, 2008. A final version of the plan is due in September 2008, and each state and province will then be left to adopt the recommendations.
Under Parts 73 (20.2.73 NMAC) and 87 (20.2.87 NMAC), finalized November 20, 2007 by the state Environmental Improvement Board, all Title V major emitters and electrical generating units greater than or equal to 25 MW, petroleum refineries, and cement manufacturing facilities must report GHG emissions beginning January 1, 2008.

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Power Sector

CO2 Offset Requirements

Status: No Activity Identified

GHG Performance Standard

Status: No Activity Identified

Advanced Coal Technology

Status: Completed

Details: Chapter 229 (SB994, signed by the Governor in April, 2007) provides an Advanced Energy Tax Credit. The credit amount is 6% of an interest owner's expenditures for the development and construction of a qualified new solar thermal electric generating facility or a new or re-powered coal-based electric generating unit and an associated coal gasification facility. Qualified facilities must begin construction no later than December 31, 2015.
Governor Richardson proposed an advanced coal tax incentive in his January 2007 State of the State address.

Power Sector GHG Cap and Trade

Status: Proposed

Details: New Mexico is a member of the Western Climate Initiative. By August 2008, partners will complete the design of a market-based mechanism to achieve WCI's greenhouse gas reduction goal.

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Transportation Sector

GHG Auto Standards

Status: In Progress

Details: On November 28, 2007, the NM Environmental Improvement Board approved New Mexico's participation in the Clean Car Program (California's GHG auto standards). Governor Richardson issued Executive Order 2006-69 (December 8, 2006) seeking regulations through the State Environmental Improvement Board to reduce GHG emissions of new cars and trucks sold in New Mexico by approximately 22% by 2012 and 30% by 2016.
On January 2, 2008, California filed a lawsuit challenging the U.S. EPA's denial of the state's effort to regulate GHG emissions from motor vehicles, in response to EPA's rejection of a petition for a Clean Air Act waiver on December 19, 2007. A waiver is required for California and other states to implement a vehicle emissions standard tougher than the federal one. The proposed auto standard calls for the reduction of GHG emissions from new vehicles of 22% by 2012 and 30% by 2016.

Low Carbon Fuel Standard

Status: No Activity Identified

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