U.S. Department of Energy cancels $135.2M for New Mexico projects - by Source NM Staff,
The U.S. Department of Energy on Wednesday announced the cancellation of $7.5 billion in awards for 223 projects across the country. , the department said the canceled projects 鈥渄id not adequately advance the nation鈥檚 energy needs, were not economically viable, and would not provide a positive return on investment of taxpayer dollars.鈥�
, Russell Vought, director of the United States Office of Management and Budget, listed 16 states in which grants had been canceled, including New Mexico, and wrote: 鈥淣early $8 billion in Green New Scam funding to fuel the Left鈥檚 climate agenda is being cancelled.鈥� identified the states as ones that had all voted for Democrat Kamala Harris in last year鈥檚 presidential election.
The grants were through DOE鈥檚 Offices of Clean Energy Demonstrations; Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy; Grid Deployment; Manufacturing and Energy Supply Chains; Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy; and Fossil Energy.
In a news release, New Mexico Democratic U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich, ranking member of the U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, described 鈥淒onald Trump鈥檚 decision to cancel 223 energy projects in 21 states鈥� as 鈥渘akedly political, unhinged, and unlawful. And now those cancelled energy projects have become the latest casualty of Trump鈥檚 vengeful attack on the American people.鈥�
The projects, Heinrich鈥檚 statement noted, were already approved and funded by Congress and are ones that 鈥渃reate jobs, lower electricity costs, and move our country forward. Instead of working to help our families and communities.鈥�
The projects in New Mexico total $135.2 million, the news release said, and include $42.7 million to New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology for the third phase of a project to a project to develop a storage hub at a commercial scale within San Juan basin; $35.6 million for PNM for a 鈥渧irtual power plant enablement that improves grid stability and reduces customers鈥� electricity bills鈥�; and $15.4 million for Kit Carson Electric Cooperative for a distributed battery energy storage system.
Heinrich said in his statement he had lunch with DOE Secretary Chris Wright shortly before news of the cancelled projects broke. 鈥淗e had neither the courtesy nor the care to mention that this was coming, and that it included ten projects in my state,鈥� Heinrich noted, 鈥減rojects that affect real jobs and real families. That tells you everything you need to know about how this Administration operates: in the dark and with no respect for the people hurt by their decisions. The American people deserve a government that works for them, not one that plays politics with their lives. This Administration is choosing to punish ordinary families just to settle scores 鈥� and that is as dangerous as it is un-American.鈥�
The DOE says award recipients have 30 days to appeal the canceled funding.
Below is the list of energy projects that the Trump Administration canceled in New Mexico:
New Mexico Legislature approves bills to prop up rural health care, underwrite food assistance
鈥� Associated Press
In Santa Fe, the special session of the New Mexico legislature has concluded. Gov. Michele Lujan Grisham called the session mainly to mitigate the effects of drastic federal budget cuts.
The Associated Press reports the Democratic-led Legislature passed bills that provide $50 million to sustain medical services at rural health clinics and hospitals that rely heavily on Medicaid spending. 38% of New Mexico residents rely on Medicaid.
Some items had bipartisan support. Democrats and some Republicans voted to set aside $17 million to ensure subsidies don't lapse on New Mexico's Affordable Care Act exchange if federal credits are allowed to expire. The federal subsidies are a major sticking point of the budget standoff in Washington that prompted the federal government shutdown Wednesday.
Democrats also passed measures providing more than $16 million to sustain food assistance under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and bolster food banks. The federal government is ending SNAP eligibility for many noncitizens and changes benefit calculations for others. Nearly one-fourth of New Mexico residents receive food assistance through SNAP. Food banks statewide receive an $8 million bump in direct state support, under the bill. And $2 million is devoted to restocking food pantries at universities and public schools.
Witness in murder case dies while in jail custody
鈥� Ryan Lowery,
In San Miguel County, a man identified as a witness in a murder case has died while in the custody of law enforcement. 45-year-old Jesse Ortiz died in September while in the custody of the San Miguel County Detention Center. The Las Vegas Optic鈥檚 Ryan Lowery reports Ortiz died after having been transported from the San Miguel County Detention Center to two different hospitals.
Ortiz was arrested on Sept. 10 and at some point, was transported to Alta Vista Regional Hospital in Las Vegas for medical treatment. On Sept. 14, a judge granted Ortiz a medical furlough to be airlifted to Christus St. Vincent hospital in Santa Fe. The Optic reports Ortiz was in the custody of the San Miguel County Detention Center at the time of his death, but did not say where Ortiz was when he died. Because the death is the subject of an investigation, officials told the Optic further details have not been released.
Ortiz was jailed for failure to appear in court following a misdemeanor harassment charge. Ortiz was also named as a state witness in an unrelated case involving the alleged murder of 29-year-old Hayden Alter. Police found Alter鈥檚 body on June 10 in a remote part of the county. Prosecutors have charged 29-year-old Jose Eversole with murder and arson, 25-year-old Samantha Montoya with tampering with evidence and 44-year-old Luciano Meza with intimidation of witnesses. All three of the accused were jailed at the San Miguel County Detention Center in August. The case is pending in the Fourth Judicial District Court.
With federal government shut down, New Mexico Democrats advance special session bills - Dan Boyd and Natalie Robbins,
The federal government might have been shut down Wednesday, but the halls of the Roundhouse buzzed with a level of activity that鈥檚 rarely seen in fall.
New Mexico lawmakers moved quickly to advance bills focused on food assistance, health care coverage and rural hospitals as a special session called by Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham got underway.
The rapid movement on bills crafted in closed-door meetings during recent weeks put legislators on track to wrap up the special session by as soon as Thursday 鈥� or just in time for the start of the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta.
Majority Democrats described the special session proposals as necessary to protect state residents from the impacts of a federal budget bill signed this summer by President Donald Trump.
鈥淣ew Mexico is ready for this fight,鈥� said House Speaker Javier Mart铆nez, D-Albuquerque, during a news conference before the start of the special session, citing the state鈥檚 ample budget reserves.
But he and other leading Democrats said the special session bills, even if approved, would only partially address the impact of the federal budget changes that are slated to be phased in over the next five years. U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich, D-N.M., said last week those changes could lead to $4 billion in for the state.
鈥淭he reality is we鈥檙e not going to be able to backfill all of that,鈥� said Senate Majority Leader Peter Wirth, D-Santa Fe. 鈥淭here are going to be some tough choices.鈥�
In all, five bills were introduced Wednesday and sent to committees for debate. Other bills were filed by Republican legislators dealing with judicial crime, child welfare and the state鈥檚 medical malpractice laws, but those bills will not move forward since they do not fall under the governor鈥檚 special session proclamation.
While it often takes weeks for bills to get a hearing during New Mexico鈥檚 regular legislative sessions, the by Lujan Grisham moved to the House and Senate floors in a matter of hours.
Some of the bills advanced with bipartisan support, including a measure expanding the uses of a rural health care fund that passed the Senate on a 39-0 vote. But other measures moved forward on party-line votes.
Republican lawmakers, especially in the House, objected to some Democratic-backed bills and that they had been largely shut out of the pre-special session negotiations, though House Speaker Mart铆nez said they had not asked to be involved.
鈥淲e can do better when we do it together,鈥� said Rep. Cathrynn Brown, R-Carlsbad, during a Wednesday committee hearing.
In addition, some GOP legislators expressed concern that proposed changes to New Mexico鈥檚 health insurance exchange 鈥� intended to lessen the impact of looming cost increases 鈥� could lead to a state health care affordability fund being depleted.
鈥淚t seems like we鈥檙e opening the floodgates here,鈥� said House Minority Whip Alan Martinez, R-Bernalillo.
But Democrats described the health care coverage bill, , as urgently needed to ensure middle-income state residents don鈥檛 face hefty insurance cost hikes at the end of this year.
鈥淚t鈥檚 in everyone鈥檚 interest to have as many people as possible covered by health insurance,鈥� said House Majority Leader Reena Szczepanski, D-Santa Fe, who is one of the measure鈥檚 sponsors.
A call for civility
The special session began with top-ranking Democrats and Republicans in both legislative chambers calling on members to dial back the political rhetoric.
鈥淲e鈥檝e had victims and perpetrators on both sides, and the result is a country that is closer to mass violence than we鈥檝e seen since the Civil War,鈥� Senate President Pro Tem Mimi Stewart, D-Albuquerque, said Wednesday morning.
The exhortations came after the recent assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk and other instances of political violence, including top-ranking Democrats in the New Mexico Legislature.
State senators held moments of silence for Kirk and for Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman, who was killed in an act of political violence in June.
鈥淲e all commit to reject the language that has created such a divide and a dangerous environment for all of us,鈥� said House GOP floor leader Gail Armstrong of Magdalena.
Most of the 112 legislators were present for the start of the special session on Wednesday, though four Republican lawmakers were absent.
Those legislators 鈥� Sens. James Townsend of Artesia, Larry Scott of Hobbs and Nicholas Paul of Alamogordo, along with Rep. Jimmy Mason of Artesia 鈥� were either dealing with scheduling conflicts or illness, according to GOP legislative staffers.
Meanwhile, protesters showed up at the Roundhouse for at least two different causes. One group built a mock prison cell to show its opposition to New Mexico鈥檚 three federal immigration detention facilities, while another group criticized Israel鈥檚 military actions in the Gaza war.
But no disruptions or incidents were reported inside the Roundhouse.
Bills could take effect in short order
If approved by lawmakers, at least some of the special session bills could take effect immediately upon the governor鈥檚 signature.
That includes a bill authorizing $144 million in new spending, , that would earmark funding for food banks, public radio and television programs and a state rural health care delivery fund.
But House Republicans expressed fierce opposition to a $3 million earmark in the bill for nonprofit health care providers. That funding could flow in part to Planned Parenthood, which performs abortion services and has seen by the Trump administration.
鈥淵ou can do what you want with your body, just don鈥檛 ask taxpayers to pay for it,鈥� said Rep. Rebecca Dow, R-Truth or Consequences.
After a lengthy debate, the House voted 43-24 late Wednesday to approve the bill, sending it to the Senate.
The other special session bills filed at the Roundhouse require a two-thirds majority vote in order to take effect immediately upon the governor鈥檚 signature. If that vote threshold is not met, they would take effect in January.
One proposal that barely met the two-thirds vote requirement was , which passed the Senate on a 26-13 vote and now moves on to the House.
The bill would shift the standard for children鈥檚 immunization requirements, as well as recommendations for the statewide vaccine purchasing program and mandatory insurance coverage, away from federal bodies like the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, or ACIP, to state authorities like the New Mexico Department of Health, and physician groups like the American Academy of Pediatrics.
U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. 鈥� who made sweeping changes to federal vaccine policy this year 鈥� fired all 17 members of ACIP in June and replaced them with his own appointees.
The legislative measure faced opposition from some Republicans, including Sen. Jay Block, R-Rio Rancho, who told the Senate that conflicting data from multiple authorities would increase vaccine skepticism.
鈥淭his is going to leave parents not knowing who to trust,鈥� Block said.
However, the bill ultimately won approval after Democrats like Sen. Cindy Nava of Bernalillo argued that it would not fully eliminate insight from federal vaccine authorities, but would instead give lawmakers the opportunity to consider additional opinions from physicians and from state authorities.
Immigrant advocates: NM ICE detention ban should have been on special session agenda - Patrick Lohmann,
Immigrant advocates staged a small demonstration Wednesday morning at the New Mexico Roundhouse, criticizing legislative leaders and Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham for not including in the special session legislation banning immigrant detention centers from operating in the state.
Amid President Donald Trump鈥檚 mass deportation push, three New Mexico detention centers are facing increasing scrutiny for contracting with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to hold detainees. The number of detainees has steadily increased in the facilities in Torrance, Cibola and Otero counties since Trump鈥檚 second term began,
A measure to prohibit ICE from holding detainees at New Mexico detention centers failed during the session early this year after passing the state House but not the Senate. Last month, Lujan Grisham excluded it from the agenda for the session beginning Wednesday, saying through a spokesperson that she left it out after Democratic leaders requested a 鈥渟caled-back session agenda that did not include the immigration detention center bill.鈥�
That said, the governor鈥檚 Communications Director Michael Coleman the governor is 鈥渃ommitted鈥� to legislation banning ICE detention centers in the state, and 鈥渉opes that lawmakers will pass the strongest bill possible.鈥�
Fernanda Banda, one of more than a dozen advocates who gathered in front of the Roundhouse on Wednesday morning, told Source New Mexico that potentially waiting until January is 鈥渘ot good enough,鈥� with people being detained in New Mexico and across the country 鈥渓eft and right. 鈥�
鈥淚f the governor doesn鈥檛 want to put us on the agenda, we鈥檒l bring detention to her,鈥� she said.
The protest featured a handful of demonstrators sitting in a makeshift jail cell. They read statements they had collected from ICE detainees held in the Torrance County Detention Center, most of them during Trump鈥檚 second term, which described being separated from their families and held in poor conditions, including dealing with a earlier this year.
Senate Majority Leader Peter Wirth (D-Santa Fe) told Source New Mexico after a news conference Wednesday morning that he and other lawmakers have already committed to making ICE detention a piece of priority legislation that the Legislature takes up during the first half of the session.
But he said he鈥檚 still not sure whether it will pass the Senate. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 know yet,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 why we need the time to get it right.鈥�
NM congressional delegation say Republicans could have avoided shutdown 鈥� if they had wanted to - Julia Goldberg,
New Mexico鈥檚 five-member Congressional delegation on Wednesday during a virtual news conference described the federal government shutdown as 鈥渆ntirely preventable,鈥� an 鈥渆laborate smokescreen鈥� and proof of Congressional Republicans鈥� 鈥渇ailure to govern.鈥�
All five members 鈥� all Democrats 鈥� said they remained in Washington, D.C., prepared to find a bipartisan agreement that would allow the government to operate. The federal government started shutting down early Wednesday after Congress failed to approve a funding bill before the new fiscal year began.
Affordable Care Act tax credits, without congressional intervention, became a sticking point in negotiations. New Mexico lawmakers intend to address that issue during a special legislation session that also kicked off Wednesday. The session also will focus on shoring up Medicaid and federal food assistance
U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich called the impasse and shutdown 鈥渆ntirely preventable鈥� during Wednesday鈥檚 news conference.
鈥淩epublicans obviously are in control of the House,鈥� Heinrich said. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e in control of the Senate, and they hold the White House. They had every single lever that they needed to negotiate a deal, and all Democrats have asked for was to protect New Mexicans and Americans across the country from higher health care costs.鈥�
Heinrich noted that he heard 鈥渇rom doctors and community leaders and parents鈥hat if we don鈥檛 do something right now, hard working New Mexicans will be forced to choose between paying rent, paying utility bills, paying their car payment, or paying for their health care.
In other words, 鈥渉ardworking people are going to suffer,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 irresponsible鈥onald Trump and the Republicans in Congress have spent the last nine months driving up health care costs and fueling inflation, and now they鈥檝e manufactured a new crisis, the shutdown of our federal government, and the effects will be devastating.鈥�
U.S. Sen. Ben Ray Luj谩n emphasized that Trump is 鈥渕aking a choice to fire hard working employees and make this as painful as possible for the American people. It鈥檚 his choice. The president could choose not to do the things that he鈥檚 doing today, or he can choose to inflict pain, and he鈥檚 been clear that he鈥檚 going to choose to inflict pain on the American people.鈥�
U.S. Rep. Melanie Stansbury, who represents the state鈥檚 1st Congressional District, noted the contrast between Washington, D.C. and New Mexico.
鈥淣ew Mexico is really a split screen right now,鈥� she said. 鈥淚n Washington, D.C., you have a Republican-controlled Congress and White House that is refusing to negotiate, to keep the government open, to keep our federal workers employed, and refusing to fix the health care of millions of Americans who will lose health care in the coming weeks if they don鈥檛 act. Meanwhile [in New Mexico], you have a Democratic-led state Legislature and governor who have called a special session today to try to fix what Republicans broke at the federal level.鈥�
As for the shutdown, Stansbury, added, Republicans 鈥渨anted鈥� it to happen. 鈥淭hey have been planning for this for months,鈥� she said, 鈥渂ut they are trying to create an elaborate smoke screen that makes the American people think that they鈥檙e trying to act when everything that they鈥檝e done has set the mechanics up for a shutdown so that they can carry out their policies that they laid out in Project 2025 鈥� that is what is actually happening here.鈥�
roadmap to Trump鈥檚 second term that U.S. Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought played a key role in creating.
鈥淧art of what the OMB director is doing is using this as an opportunity to shut down work in offices that they don鈥檛 support,鈥� Stansbury said.
All five members said New Mexico will feel the impacts of the federal shutdown.
鈥淎lmost 18,000 service members in New Mexico are at risk of not getting paid on time,鈥� Heinrich said. 鈥淭he same goes for our nearly 30,000 government employees who are at risk of not being paid until the shutdown is over and we don鈥檛 know how long this is going to be. Farmers won鈥檛 be able to access new loans. Families living in rural communities will not be able to get loans either. During hunting season, when many of you have already planned your annual fall harvest to fill your freezer, our public lands employees will be limited in the services that they can provide, or even the maintenance that they can complete. For most people, these are scary prospects. That鈥檚 part of the point: They want to sow fear and confusion, but the bottom line is that people are going to get hurt.鈥�
All the members reiterated their commitment to finding common ground with their Republican counterparts, but 鈥淚鈥檓 not going to bend the knee or sell out New Mexicans,鈥� U.S. Rep. Gabe Vasquez, who represents the southern part of the state in Congressional District 2, said.
Bottom line, U.S. Rep. Teresa Leger Fern谩ndez, of the 3rd Congressional District, said: 鈥淩epublicans control the government鈥heir failure to pass a funding bill is the Republicans鈥� failure to govern. I know people keep asking: Who will be blamed for the shutdown? I think that鈥檚 the wrong question. I think the real question is: Who feels the pain? And who will feel the pain if we don鈥檛 address the healthcare crisis?鈥�
This story has been updated to correct Rep. Vasquez's quote to "sell out New Mexicans."
By the numbers: International hot air balloon fiesta to lift off in Albuquerque - By Susan Montoya Bryan, Associated Press
It's the largest ballooning event in the world and one of the most photographed spectacles, drawing hundreds of thousands of spectators over nine days to watch as pilots from around the globe take to the skies in colorful hot air balloons.
The Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta kicks off Saturday with a mass ascension at Balloon Fiesta Park.
Fiesta attendees can walk among the inflating balloons and talk to pilots while scarfing down breakfast burritos and sipping pi帽on coffee. The roaring propane burners are not enough to drown out the cheers and whistles as the balloons drift upward.
The show is made even better by a combination of clear and cool mornings and a phenomenon known as the Albuquerque box: Different wind directions at different elevations allow pilots to adjust their flight patterns to stay close to the launch field, saturating the view for those on the ground.
The annual show has become quite a production over the last five decades. Here's a by-the-numbers look:
53
Years the balloon fiesta has been held, having grown from a modest launch of 13 balloons in 1972 at a shopping mall parking lot.
543
Pilots registered to fly this year. More than 40 U.S. states and a dozen countries are represented, ranging from Belgium and Brazil to Mexico, Spain, Switzerland, Thailand and China. For 59 pilots, it will be their first time.
102
Specially shaped balloons, nearly a dozen of which will be making their debut. Fan favorites include Darth Vader, Smokey Bear, a family of giant bees and Airabelle the cow.
5,073
The elevation at Balloon Fiesta Park, in feet. At takeoff, balloons already are nearly a mile (1.6 kilometers) above sea level. Few if any rise above the nearby Sandia Mountains, which border the city's east side and top out at 10,678 feet (3,255 meters).
61
Launch directors, affectionately referred to as zebras for their black and white striped uniforms. Like referees, they're not shy about blowing their whistles as they check the airspace above the balloons to ensure it's safe to ascend. Zebras go through three years of training, including two years spent on the field.
78
Acres of grass that make up the launch area, equivalent to 56 football fields. There are 208 launch sites within it from which balloons are rolled out, inflated and set soaring. As for landing, it can be a challenge when balloons drift. Pilots scan for any open spaces within the city where they can safely touch down. Sometimes it's grassy park, other times it's a parking lot or an empty patch of dirt.
838,337
Guest visits during the 2024 show, with 85% of them coming from outside of New Mexico. Spending on lodging, food, rental cars and other expenses resulted in an estimated $216 million economic impact for the metro area.
40
Food vendors, some of which stock up on tons of tortillas to dish out an unfathomable number of breakfast burritos. For pilots, the grab-and-go bundles often double as hand warmers as they prepare to take flight. Green chile cheeseburgers are another favorite, and a seemingly endless flow of coffee and hot cocoa fuels spectators in the predawn hours. The concession area stretches more than a third of a mile (half a kilometer).
375
Portable toilets. They're a necessity with that much coffee and green chile going around.
60,000
Collector pins for sale. They come in all sizes and shapes, and there are days set aside just for trading among collectors.
3,000
Volunteers needed to produce the event. For some the work begins months in advance. Their wide range of duties include mailing event posters, staffing ticket booths, installing flags, charging batteries for the evening drone shows and managing the temporary RV lots and coveted, luxurious "glamping" tents. Volunteers also coordinate and serve in chase crews that help with balloon landings.