REPORT FROM SANTA FE IS MADE POSSIBLE, IN PART, BY GRANTS FROM THE NEW MEXICO MUNICIPAL LEAGUE, A BETTER NEW MEXICO THROUGH BETTER CITIES AND FROM HELLO, I'M LORENE MILLS AND WELCOME TO REPORT FROM SANTA F.<br/> WE ARE HONORED TO HAVE AS OUR GUEST TODAY, STEPHANIE GARCIA RICHARD, WHO IS THE LAND COMMISSIONER FOR THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO, AN AWESOME JOB, THANK YOU.

YOU'RE THE FIRST WOMAN, THE FIRST EDUCATOR, WE'LL TALK ABOUT WHY THAT'S SO IMPORTANT AND YOU ARE IN CHARGE OF RAISING MONEY FOR STATE SCHOOLS AND HOSPITALS AND IT IS SO AMAZING HOW THIS WAS SET UP BECAUSE...WELL, TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOUR BACKGROUND BECAUSE YOU ARE AN EDUCATOR AND YOU'VE WORN MANY HATS.

YOU'VE BEEN A LAWMAKER, EVEN AN EDUCATOR, BUT HOW ALL OF THAT HAS COME TOGETHER TO MAKE YOU PERFECT PERSON FOR THIS JOB, SO WHAT DOES THE LAND OFFICE DO AND WHAT DOES THE COMMISSIONER DO?

>>STEPHANIE: SO, LORENE, FIRST, CAN I JUST THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME ON, IT'S ALWAYS A PLEASURE.

I MEAN, YOU ARE THE CONSUMMATE JOURNALISM PROFESSIONAL, I HAVE TO SAY.

YOUR CURIOSITY ABOUT, YOU KNOW, KIND OF LESSER-KNOWN OFFICES IN THE STATE, I THINK SHARING THAT WITH YOUR VIEWERS IS SO VITAL IN THIS DAY AND AGE OF, YOU KNOW, MISINFORMATION AND ALL KINDS OF THINGS.

>>LORENE: IT IS MY PLEASURE, ESPECIALLY WHEN THERE'S SOMEONE LIKE YOU DOING THINGS THAT ARE SO IMPORTANT FOR THE STATE AND SAVING THE CITIZENS OF THE STATE SO MUCH MONEY.

>>STEPHANIE: SO I DO APPRECIATE YOU COVERING THE LAND OFFICE AS YOU DO AND YOUR INTEREST THAT YOU TAKE IN WHAT WE DO AT THE STATE LAND OFFICE.

SO IF WE COULD JUST GO BACK IN TIME TO WHEN NEW MEXICO FIRST BECAME A STATE, WE HAD A FAIRLY SMALL POPULATION, I MEAN, THERE HAVE BEEN NATIVE PEOPLE LIVING IN THIS AREA SINCE TIME IMMEMORIAL, FOR MILLENNIA AND YOU KNOW, THERE WERE A SMALL SCATTERING OF CITIES BACK IN THIS, WE'RE TALKING 1898.

SO WELL BEFORE NEW MEXICO BECAME A STATE, WHEN CONGRESS WAS CONTEMPLATING TURNING THE TERRITORY OF NEW MEXICO INTO A BONA FIDE PIECE OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, THEY NEEDED A WAY FOR US TO PAY FOR THINGS LIKE PUBLIC SCHOOLS, UNIVERSITIES, HOSPITALS.

SO ESSENTIALLY WHAT THEY DID WAS DEED OVER FOR MANAGEMENT UNDER THE STATE, 13 MILLION ACRES OF LAND, AND WE USE THAT 13 MILLION ACRES TO DRAW REVENUE FOR NEW MEXICO'S PUBLIC SCHOOLS, MOST OF OUR UNIVERSITIES.

SO YOU KNOW, UNM, NMNSU, ALL OF THOSE UNIVERSITIES ARE ALL BENEFICIARIES OF THIS OFFICE AND THEN A FEW OTHER INSTITUTIONS, SOME OF OUR HOSPITALS AS WELL.

THAT'S HOW WE PAY FOR THOSE THINGS.

>>LORENE: ALSO AREN'T SOME SPECIFIC HEALTH CARE OPERATIONS, LIKE THE SCHOOL FOR THE BLIND AND THE SCHOOL FOR THE DEAF, ARE THEY NOT UNDER YOUR PURVIEW?

>>STEPHANIE: ALSO BENEFICIARIES, THE COLFAX MINER'S HOSPITAL UP IN RATON, NEW MEXICO, THAT IS A BENEFICIARY.

THERE IS THE CARRIE TINGLEY CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL IS A BENEFICIARY.

THE LAS VEGAS BEHAVIORAL HEALTH HOSPITAL IS A BENEFICIARY.

SO WE'VE GOT 22 NAMED BENEFICIARIES IN THE CONSTITUTION THAT WE ARE FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE FOR LORENE.

IT'S OUR JOB TO MAKE MONEY TO RUN THOSE INSTITUTIONS SO THAT TAXPAYERS DON'T HAVE TO FOOT THE BILL, THAT'S ESSENTIALLY WHY WE EXIST.

>>LORENE: SO I HAD AN OLD FIGURE, BECAUSE YOU'RE SAVING EACH NEW MEXICO HOUSEHOLD HOW MUCH MONEY, I JUST WANT OUR AUDIENCE TO LISTEN TO THIS BECAUSE WITHOUT WHAT YOU DO, THEY WOULD BE PAYING... >>STEPHANIE: OVER, SO WE'VE CHANGED OUR FIGURE NOW TO OVER $3,000 PER YEAR WE ARE SAVING TAXPAYING HOUSEHOLDS.

THEY DO NOT HAVE TO PAY IN TAXES BECAUSE THE LAND OFFICE EXISTS TO PAY FOR THOSE PUBLIC SERVICES ON THEIR BEHALF.

>>LORENE: YEAH, WOW.

THANK YOU, AS A TAXPAYER, THANK YOU.

BUT I ALSO THANK YOU FOR THE CARE AND CONCERN WHEN YOU ARE A CUSTODIAN OF SOME OF THESE INSTITUTES, I KNOW THAT THERE WELL TAKEN CARE OF.

AND I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE WHO'S NOTICED THIS BECAUSE USA TODAY NAMED THE STATE LAND OFFICE ONE OF THE TOP WORKPLACES IN THE ENTIRE COUNTRY, YOU'RE RANKED 22ND IN THE UNITED STATES, THE ONLY NEW MEXICO BASED ORGANIZATION TO BE IN THE TOP 25 AND THE ONLY GOVERNMENT ENTITY, SO WHAT ARE YOU DOING SO RIGHT?

>>STEPHANIE: SO WE ARE SO GRATIFIED TO RECEIVE THIS AWARD.

IT STARTED WITH THE ALBUQUERQUE JOURNAL AND THEY PUT OUT A SURVEY TO EMPLOYEES, SO IT'S ACTUALLY OUR EMPLOYEE FEEDBACK, THE MOST HONEST FEEDBACK OF ALL.

>>LORENE: RIGHT.

>>STEPHANIE: TO SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, THIS IS A PLACE WHERE WE SUPPORT PEOPLE IN THE WORKPLACE, WE ARE VERY FAMILY FRIENDLY AT THE LAND OFFICE, WE'VE GOT WORK FROM HOME OPTIONS FOR FOLKS SO THEY CAN BALANCE THEIR WORK AND HOME LIFE.

>>LORENE: YEAH, IT'S SO IMPORTANT.

>>STEPHANIE: I ACTUALLY LEARNED FROM THE BEST, LORENE, WHEN I WAS IN THE STATE LEGISLATURE AND I DIDN'T TALK ABOUT MY BACKGROUND, I APOLOGIZE, YOU ASKED ME TO DO THAT.

I WAS IN THE STATE LEGISLATURE FOR SIX YEARS, SO THAT'S THREE TERMS.

I GOT TO SIT ON THE HOUSE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE WITH LUCIANO "LUCKY" VARELA.

>>LORENE: LUCKY VARELA, WOW, WHAT A MIND.

>>STEPHANIE: SO LUCKY'S WHOLE DEAL, EVERY SINGLE DAY, NO MATTER WHAT, WHAT ARE WE DOING FOR STATE WORKERS, BECAUSE STATE WORKERS, WE REST ON THEIR SHOULDERS.

ALL OF THE SERVICES THAT WE THINK ABOUT THAT RUN THE STATE ARE ON THE BACKS OF STATE WORKERS, WHAT ARE WE DOING TO ENSURE THAT THEY'RE FAIRLY PAID, WHAT ARE WE DOING TO RECRUIT THEM, WHAT ARE WE DOING TO RETAIN THEM?

HOW ARE WE SUPPORTING THEM SO THEY HAVE WHAT THEY NEED TO DO THEIR JOB WELL ON BEHALF OF THE CITIZENS OF NEW MEXICO.

AND SO WHEN I CAME INTO A STATE AGENCY AND I WAS RESPONSIBLE ALL OF A SUDDEN FOR 180 OF THESE STATE WORKERS, I TOOK THAT MANDATE SERIOUSLY THAT I LEARNED FROM LUCKY, SUPPORT YOUR WORKERS, SUPPORT THEIR NEEDS AND WHAT YOU WILL HAVE IN RETURN IS QUALITY WORKERS THAT WANT TO STICK AROUND.

OUR RETENTION RATES ARE INCREDIBLY HIGH, OUR VACANCY RATES ARE INCREDIBLY LOW, WE JUST DON'T HAVE TURNAROUND AT THE LAND OFFICE IN THE WAY THAT YOU SEE IN OTHER STATE AGENCIES.

AND YOU KNOW, I THINK OUR PRODUCT SPEAKS FOR ITSELF, FOLKS HAVE CUSTOMER SERVICE, THEY INTERACT WITH OUR CLIENTS AND OUR CUSTOMERS DAY IN AND DAY OUT AND THEY DO IT WITH SUPPORT, WITH A SMILE.

AND SO I'M JUST INCREDIBLY PROUD OF THESE 180 INDIVIDUALS THAT WORK FOR THE STATE LAND OFFICE AND THE CARE AND CONCERN AND COMMITMENT THEY HAVE FOR THEIR WORK.

>>LORENE: SO YOU WERE ELECTED LAND COMMISSIONER IN 2018, AND WHAT WAS IT LIKE WHEN YOU ARRIVED AND WHAT WERE SOME OF THE CHANGES THAT, WELL, YOU JUST DESCRIBE ONE OF THEM WHICH IS SUPPORTING YOUR WORKFORCE, BUT WERE THERE OTHER CHANGES THAT YOU FELT, BECAUSE THE WORLD AND THE STATE ECONOMY, WE'LL BE TALKING ABOUT THAT IN A MINUTE, CHANGE SO FAST, CHANGE, DARE I SAY, ON A DIME.

BUT IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO LOOK AROUND AND READ THE ROOM AND SEE WHAT'S REALLY GOING ON, NOT JUST ALWAYS CONTINUE THE TRADITIONS OF A FINE AGENCY LIKE THE LAND OFFICE.

>>STEPHANIE: SO IT IS A FINE AGENCY, BUT THERE WERE SOME THINGS THAT NEEDED TO BE UPDATED.

SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE REALLY TRIED TO WORK ON WAS ENSURING THAT INTO THE FUTURE WE HAVE A DIVERSIFIED POOL OF REVENUE.

WE SHOULDN'T HAVE ALL OF OUR EGGS IN ONE BASKET, AS LUCRATIVE AS OIL AND GAS REVENUE HAS BEEN, WE NEED TO ENSURE THAT WE HAVE RENEWABLE ENERGY.

WE NEED TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE MEETING COMMUNITIES CHALLENGES FOR HOUSING NEEDS AND SO WE STARTED TO DIVERSIFY.

WE OPENED UP AN OFFICE OF RENEWABLE ENERGY ALMOST IMMEDIATELY.

AS YOU KNOW, LORENE, AND YOU'VE TALKED ABOUT ON THIS SHOW, NEW MEXICO HAS A LONG-STANDING HISTORY AND TRADITION OF FOLKS LIVING IN THIS AREA.

I THINK THE FOOTPRINTS AT WHITE SANDS PUT US NOW, I THINK, IS IT 13-15,000 SOMETHING.

>>LORENE: SOMETHING JAW DROPPINGLY ANCIENT.

>>STEPHANIE: SO WE'VE GOT FOLKS, WE'VE GOT PEOPLE WHO HAVE LIVED IN THIS AREA, THEIR CULTURAL RESOURCES, THE THINGS THAT THEY LEFT BEHIND THAT ARE CULTURALLY SIGNIFICANT TO PEOPLE WHO STILL LIVE HERE NEED TO BE PROTECTED.

SO, WE PUT INTO PLACE A CULTURAL PROTECTION RULE.

AND THEN THE LAST THING I WANT TO TALK ABOUT IS OUR ACCOUNTABILITY AND ENFORCEMENT PROGRAM.

SO ESSENTIALLY, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WHEN YOU'RE USING STATE LAND, THAT YOU'RE DOING SO WITH THE UTMOST RESPONSIBILITY AND STEWARDSHIP AND WE'RE GOING TO HOLD YOU TO THAT.

AND IF IT TURNS OUT THAT WE ASK YOU TO CLEAN UP A MESS AND YOU DON'T CLEAN UP A MESS, WE ARE NOT AFRAID TO TAKE FOLKS TO COURT TO MAKE SURE LIKE WE SAID BEFORE, THAT RESOURCE WE STEWARD ON BEHALF OF NEW MEXICANS NOT ONLY TODAY, BUT INTO THE FUTURE.

WE TAKE THAT RESPONSIBILITY INCREDIBLY SERIOUSLY.

>>LORENE: I JUST WANT TO GO BACK TO THE RENEWABLES, BECAUSE IN DIVERSIFYING FROM OIL AND GAS TO HAVE MORE RENEWABLES ON STATE LAND, I THINK WHEN YOU SET UP THE OFFICE LAST YEAR, WAS IT?

>>STEPHANIE: YES.

SO WE HAD SET UP THE OFFICE OF RENEWABLE ENERGY, BUT THE LEGISLATURE LAST YEAR OFFICIALLY PUT THAT INTO STATUTE, SO THAT NOW STANDS IN STATUTE.

ANY FUTURE LAND COMMISSIONER WILL NOW DE FACTO BE MANDATED TO HAVE A RENEWABLE ENERGY OFFICE.

>>LORENE: SO THE GOAL WHEN IT WAS SET UP WAS TO TRIPLE THE RENEWABLES.

>>STEPHANIE: YES LORENE, BUT WE HAVE BLOWN WAY PAST THAT NOW.

>>LORENE: GOOD FOR YOU!

>>STEPHANIE: THE INTEREST IN DEVELOPING RENEWABLE ENERGY ON STATE LAND IS SORT OF UNMATCHED RIGHT NOW.

WE ARE REALLY IN THIS BOOM CYCLE OF FOLKS LOOKING AT STATE LAND TO GENERATE RENEWABLE, SUSTAINABLE ENERGY SOURCES.

>>LORENE: BECAUSE WHAT HAPPENED WHEN WE BASED EVERYTHING ON OUR ENTIRE STATE BUDGET, YOU KNOW I'M JOKING, BUT STILL A HUGE PERCENTAGE OF EVERYTHING OUR STATE DOES IS FROM THE OIL AND GAS INDUSTRY.

BUT THE PROBLEM WAS THAT THAT IS FINITE ULTIMATELY AND ALSO THERE ARE ELEMENTS OF IT THAT ARE NOT GOOD FOR THE ENVIRONMENT.

SO TO DIVERSIFY ALL THE ENERGY SOURCES HAVE RENEWABLE AND FOSSIL FUELS AND WHATEVER, WIND AND ALL THESE OTHER THINGS.

>>STEPHANIE: GEOTHERMAL.

>>LORENE: YES, GEOTHERMAL.

SO I'M PARTICULARLY INTERESTED WHEN YOU ARE HOLDING COMPANIES RESPONSIBLE, BECAUSE PARTICULARLY WESTERN NEW MEXICO AND PARTICULARLY THE NATIVE LANDS ARE FULL OF URANIUM MINE TAILINGS AND LITTLE RADIOACTIVE DUMPS AND TOXIC WASTE DUMPS.

I JUST RECENTLY INTERVIEWED JEFF STEINBORN BECAUSE HE PUT IN THE BILL SAYING THAT THE FEDS AND THE SHADE HAVE TO GO AND AMELIORATE, RESTORE, NEUTRALIZE, WHAT ARE THERE 114 AND THAT'S VERY EXPENSIVE.

BUT WE CAN'T JUST LEAVE THEM OUT THERE UNMARKED FOR PEOPLE TO HAVE PICNICS ON.

YOU KNOW, WE REALLY HAVE TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY AND ARE YOU SAYING YOU HAVE A SYSTEM NOW ONGOING WHEN PEOPLE WHO ARE DEALING WITH WHAT MIGHT BE A TOXIC WASTE PRODUCT, THEY HAVE TO BE RESPONSIBLE.

>>STEPHANIE: YES.

SO I'LL JUST GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE.

IN OUR CONTRACTS THAT WE HAVE WITH FOLKS WHO USE STATE LAND, OUR LESSEES, PEOPLE WHO LEASE STATE LAND FOR WHATEVER PURPOSE.

YOU CAN SAY URANIUM, OIL AND GAS, EVEN A COMMERCIAL PROPERTY, IF THERE IS SOME CONTAMINATION THAT OCCURS ON THE LAND, WE HAVE LEVERAGE WITHIN THE CONTRACT TO SAY TO THAT INDIVIDUAL OR TO THAT COMPANY, YOU NEED TO CLEAN UP YOUR MESS IF YOU WANT TO CONTINUE LEASING THIS LAND, IF YOU WANT FURTHER OPPORTUNITIES ON STATE LAND, YOU NEED TO DEMONSTRATE TO US THAT YOU ARE A RESPONSIBLE LEASEHOLDER, THAT YOU HAVE JUST AS MUCH CARE AND COMMITMENT FOR THE RESOURCE THAT THE LAND OFFICE DOES.

AND WE DON'T WANT TO USE TAXPAYER DOLLARS, WE DON'T WANT TO USE SCHOOL CHILDREN'S DOLLARS TO CLEAN UP THOSE MESSES, WE FEEL THAT THE PEOPLE WHO MADE THE MESS SHOULD CLEAN IT UP.

>>LORENE: RIGHT, RIGHT.

WELL, WE'RE SPEAKING TODAY WITH STEPHANIE GARCIA.

RICHARD, NEW MEXICO STATE LAND COMMISSIONER.

WHAT YOU'RE DOING, IT'S REALLY EXCITING TO ME.

THERE'S ONE THING YOU DID LAST YEAR, YOU BANNED OIL AND GAS LEASING ON STATE LANDS WITHIN A MILE OF SCHOOLS OR EDUCATIONAL FACILITIES AND YOU CREATED SOMETHING CALLED A SCHOOL HEALTH BUFFER TO PROTECT FROM OIL AND GAS POLLUTION BECAUSE MORE THAN 144,000 NEW MEXICANS, INCLUDING 28,000 KIDS, LIVE OR ATTEND SCHOOL WITHIN HALF A MILE OF OIL AND GAS PRODUCTION.

>>STEPHANIE: THAT'S RIGHT.

SO, YOU KNOW, WE ACTUALLY DECIDED TO TAKE THIS ACTION BECAUSE SOME ADVOCATES WHO REPRESENTED FOLKS WHO ACTUALLY LIVE IN THE AREAS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT AND JUST FOR YOUR VIEWERS EDIFICATION, LORENE, THE TWO PLACES PRIMARILY IN THE STATE WHERE OIL AND GAS DEVELOPMENT OCCUR ARE IN THE NORTHWEST CORNER OF THE STATE.

SO, IF YOU'RE THINKING UP THERE IN MCKINLEY AND SAN JUAN COUNTY, SAN JUAN PRIMARILY, AND THEN DOWN IN THE SOUTHERN SOUTHEAST PORTION OF OUR STATE IN LEA AND EDDY COUNTIES.

SO THAT SOUTHEASTERN PORTION OF THE STATE HAS GOT SOME OF THE RICHEST OIL AND GAS RESOURCES IN THE WORLD AND SO THERE'S A LOT OF DEVELOPMENT THAT OCCURS.

AND I THINK DEVELOPMENT WENT UP IN TANDEM SOMETIMES WITH BUILDING SCHOOLS.

AND I'VE GOT A VISUAL THAT I PROBABLY NEED TO BRING IN AND SHOW YOU SOME TIME WHICH ESSENTIALLY HAS, YOU CAN SEE A BALL FIELD IN THE BACKGROUND AND IN THE FOREGROUND IS A BIG GATE WITH CAUTION WARNING TOXICITY IN THE AREA SIGNS.

SO THAT IS OCCURRING RIGHT WHERE CHILDREN ARE PLAYING, LEARNING GOING TO SCHOOL AND SO MOVING FORWARD, WELL WE DID TWO THINGS WITH THIS ORDER.

MOVING FORWARD, WE'RE NOT GOING TO LEASE ANY OIL AND GAS OPERATIONS WITHIN A MILE OF ANY SCHOOL OR EDUCATION FACILITY.

BUT WE ALSO WANTED TO TAKE A LOOK AT OUR FACILITIES THAT EXIST NOW.

ARE THEY COMPLIANT WITH AIR QUALITY STANDARDS, ARE THEY CAPTURING THEIR EMISSIONS AND SO WE'VE BEGUN TO UNDERTAKE THAT EVALUATION NOW WHERE WE'RE LOOKING AT CURRENT FACILITIES AND ENSURING THAT THEY ARE NOT POISONING CHILDREN.

>>LORENE: WELL, ISN'T IT TRUE THAT THE METHANE FLARES FROM NEW MEXICO CAN BE SEEN FROM THE SPACE STATION?

>>STEPHANIE: YEAH, THAT IS RIGHT.

IT'S A HOTSPOT THAT CAN BE SEEN FROM OUTER SPACE.

>>LORENE: SO THE ROYALTY RATE, THIS IS A REALLY INTERESTING ISSUE AND I REALLY WANT TO COMMEND YOU FOR TRYING TO DO THIS.

SO FOR HOW MANY YEARS WAS THE ROYALTY RATE, WHICH IS WHAT AN OIL AND GAS PRODUCER PAYS TO TAKE NEW MEXICO'S NATURAL RESOURCES FOR PROFIT.

SO THE ROYALTY RATE FOR HOW LONG HAS BEEN WHAT?

>>STEPHANIE: SO I ACTUALLY MET THE GENTLEMAN WHO RAISED THE ROYALTY RATE THE LAST TIME.

SO IT WAS RAISED BACK IN THE SEVENTIES, I'M NOT ENTIRELY SURE THE YEAR, BUT I KNOW IT WAS IN THAT DECADE.

SO ESSENTIALLY 50 YEARS AGO, THE CURRENT HIGH CEILING RATE THAT WE HAVE NOW, 20%, WAS SET AND THAT WAS ACTUALLY A REPUBLICAN STATE SENATOR FROM HOBBS, FROM THE HOBBS AREA.

>>LORENE: WOW!

>>STEPHANIE: HIS NAME WAS BILL LEE.

I MET HIM WHEN I WAS BARNSTORMING DOWN IN THE SOUTHEAST AND HE SAID, GIRL, IT'S ABOUT TIME THAT YOU RAISE THOSE THINGS AGAIN.

>>LORENE: AND YOU TRIED FOR YEARS.

>>STEPHANIE: I DID, I CAMPAIGNED ON THAT 2019 OR 2018 WHEN I FIRST CAME IN MY VERY FIRST SESSION, WE WERE RARING TO GO.

WE THOUGHT, YOU KNOW, DEMOCRATIC LEGISLATURE, SURELY, THEY'D EMBRACE THIS.

SO WE DID TRY AND WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO, LORENE, IS INCREASE THAT CEILING.

SO JUST, YOU KNOW, FOR YOUR VIEWERS, THE LAND COMMISSIONER, WHOEVER WE ELECT IN THAT POSITION, MYSELF OR ANYONE ELSE, THEY CAN NEGOTIATE ANY KIND OF USE OF STATE LAND ON THEIR OWN, JUST BETWEEN THE LEASE HOLDER AND THE LAND COMMISSIONER, EXCEPT OIL AND GAS.

OIL AND GAS LEASE TERMS ARE SET IN STATUTE.

SO ANY KIND OF CHANGE TO THAT OIL AND GAS LEASE HAS TO BE DETERMINED BY THE LEGISLATURE, THAT'S THE REASON THIS IS SUCH A BIG DEAL.

WE ARE GOING TO THE LEGISLATURE TO SET RESET THOSE RATES.

THE GOING RATE IN THE PERMIAN BASIN, ONE OF THE HOTTEST AREAS FOR OIL AND GAS DEVELOPMENT IN THE WORLD IS 25%.

>>LORENE: AND SO THAT'S TEXAS AND ANYONE ELSE WHO DRILLS IN THE PERMIAN BASIN, COLORADO, EVEN, HAS A 25% CHARGE?

>>STEPHANIE: THEY CAN ALL CHARGE 25%.

NEW MEXICO'S HANDS ARE TIED AT 20%.

>>LORENE: UNTIL... >>STEPHANIE: UNTIL THE LEGISLATURE INCREASES THAT.

AND I'M HOPING THAT THEY DO THAT IN THE NEXT SESSION.

>>LORENE: WELL, WHY WOULDN'T THEY, THEY'RE JUST GIVING OUR MONEY AWAY.

THEY'RE GIVING THE MONEY FOR THE SCHOOL KIDS AND THE HOSPITALS AWAY.

AND IF EVERYONE AROUND US IS DOING IT, IT SEEMS REASONABLE.

>>STEPHANIE: WELL IF EVERYONE AROUND US IS DOING IT THAT MEANS THAT MEANS THEY HAVE CREATED A MARKET FOR A CERTAIN RATE.

AND WE ARE CHARGING BELOW MARKET PRICES FOR A PUBLICLY OWNED RESOURCE.

THE MINERALS THAT I MANAGE ARE OWNED BY NEW MEXICANS.

>>LORENE: RIGHT AND WHEN THEY'RE GONE, THEY'RE GONE.

>>STEPHANIE: WHEN THEY ARE GONE, THEY ARE GONE.

>>LORENE: SO WE NEED TO GET AS MUCH AS WE CAN FOR THEM.

BUT YOU'VE BEEN VERY ASTUTE ABOUT THIS, SO LET'S TALK ABOUT WHAT YOUR STRATEGY HAS BEEN.

SO THE LEGISLATURE IS SPLIT ABOUT WHAT, I CAN IMAGINE IT'S ALONG PARTY LINES, BUT HOW CLOSE IS THE VOTE TO ACTUALLY INCREASE THIS PERCENTAGE?

>>STEPHANIE: WELL, THIS YEAR WE CAME FURTHER THAN WE EVER HAD BEFORE.

WE ACTUALLY GOT IT OFF OF THE HOUSE FLOOR.

>>LORENE: OKAY, GOOD.

>>STEPHANIE: SO, YOU KNOW, WE HAD A FAIRLY HEALTHY MARGIN, I MEAN, IT WASN'T A ONE VOTE MARGIN.

AND SO WE ARE VERY EXCITED THAT THAT MOMENTUM SHOULD HOPEFULLY CONTINUE INTO THIS NEXT SESSION.

WE'VE GOT THE ATTENTION OF LEADERSHIP, WE'RE REALLY WORKING WITH LEADER WIRTH.

HE'D LIKE US TO EDUCATE LEGISLATORS ON ALL OF THE DETAILS OF THIS THROUGH THE INTERIM.

SO YOUR VIEWERS WILL CONTINUE TO HEAR ABOUT THIS ISSUE THROUGH THE INTERIM, BUT LORENE, I WANT TO PAUSE TO ENSURE THAT WE KNOW HOW MUCH MONEY WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.

>>LORENE: YES.

>>STEPHANIE: HOW MUCH WE ARE LEAVING ON THE TABLE.

SO THESE ARE NOT MY, STEPHANIE GARCIA RICHARDS, ESTIMATES, BACK OF AN ENVELOPE FIGURE, THESE ARE NUMBERS COMING FROM THE LEGISLATIVE FINANCE COMMITTEE, RIGHT?

THE FINANCIAL STALWARTS OF OUR STATE SAY THAT BETWEEN 40 TO $80 MILLION A YEAR ON THESE LEASES, BUT REMEMBER THAT THE 40 AND 80 MILLION THEN YEARLY OR MONTHLY GETS DEPOSITED INTO THE PERMANENT FUND WHERE IT EARNS ADDITIONAL REVENUE.

SO TRULY WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IS BETWEEN ONE AND A HALF TO TWO AND A HALF BILLION DOLLARS WITH A B THAT WE ARE LEAVING ON THE TABLE BECAUSE WE'RE NOT CHARGING MARKET RATE FOR OUR RESOURCE.

>>LORENE: WHAT POSSIBLE RATIONALE COULD THERE BE TO NOT TAKE ADVANTAGE OF USING OUR LARGESSE IN OIL AND GAS TO BENEFIT OUR PEOPLE?

>>STEPHANIE: YOU KNOW, IT BEATS ME.

LORENE, HONESTLY.

HONESTLY, TO ME IT SEEMS A LITTLE BIT LIKE A NO BRAINER AND SO I DID TAKE THE UNPRECEDENTED STEP TO LET THE INDUSTRY AND THE LEGISLATURE KNOW THAT UNTIL WE RECEIVE THOSE HIGHER RATES ON OUR PREMIUM, BEST OF THE BEST TRACTS, WE WILL NO LONGER BE LEASING THEM.

WE HAVEN'T STOPPED ALL LEASING, WE ARE STILL LEASING THE TRACTS THAT SHOULD GO FOR 20%.

>>LORENE: THE PRIME ONES... >>STEPHANIE: THE PRIME, LIKE YOU SAID BEFORE, ONCE THEY'RE GONE, THEY'RE GONE.

IF WE LEASE THOSE OUT AT THE LOWER AMOUNT THEY WILL BE HELD BY LEASE IN PRODUCTION FOR DECADES, SO WE WILL NEVER GET THAT MONEY BACK.

>>LORENE: RIGHT.

WELL WE'LL JUST SEE.

WILL A BILL COME UP AGAIN IN THE LEGISLATURE AGAIN?

IT ALREADY PASSED THE HOUSE SO IT WILL PROBABLY GO THROUGH THAT.

>>STEPHANIE: WE ARE STRATEGIZING NOW, SO OUR BILL SPONSOR IS REPRESENTATIVE MCQUEEN, MATTHEW MCQUEEN IN THE HOUSE.

WE ARE STRATEGIZING WITH THE BILL'S SPONSOR AND SENATE LEADERSHIP, BOTH THE PRESIDENT PRO TEM STEWART AND LEADER WORTH ON THE SENATE SIDE.

I JUST WANT TO SAY GOD BLESS THE NEW MEXICO STATE HOUSE, THE SPEAKER, FOR PUTTING IT UP ON THE FLOOR, PASSING IT OUT.

I MEAN, THEY DID THEIR JOB, THEY DID THEIR JOB.

>>LORENE: WHAT I FOUND REALLY INTERESTING WAS THAT MORE THAN 20% OF THE NEW MEXICO STATE LAND TRUST INCOME SINCE 1900 HAS COME IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS.

>>STEPHANIE: I MEAN, IT'S HISTORIC.

>>LORENE: THE SPIKE IN OIL AND GAS PRODUCTION.

>>STEPHANIE: TURN ON ANY FINANCIAL REPORT AND YOU WILL SEE OIL AND GAS COMPANIES MAKING RECORD PROFITS, SHOULDN'T THE STATE ALSO BE MAKING OUR SHARE OF THAT PROFIT?

>>LORENE: YEAH, ALSO, BECAUSE WHEN IT'S GONE, IT'S GONE.

SO WE SHOULD ACTUALLY, WE SHOULD GET A JUST RATE AND WE'LL SEE HOW THAT GOES.

YOU DO SO MANY OTHER THINGS TOO, IN THE SUMMER YOU JUST REALLY WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW THAT STATE LANDS ARE OPEN FOR ADVENTURE.

AND SO HOW CAN PEOPLE FIND OUT MORE, SUMMER'S COMING AND PEOPLE WANT ADVENTURE, SO HOW CAN THEY FIND OUT MORE WHERE THEY CAN GO AND ENJOY OUR STATE LANDS AS CAMPERS, HIKERS, TOURISTS.

>>STEPHANIE: LORENE, I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE OF THIS CLAMORING THAT WE'RE GETTING TO ENJOY STATE LAND, WE ARE OPENING UP MORE AND MORE OPPORTUNITIES ON STATE LANDS.

SO IF YOU ARE A VIEWER OF THIS SHOW THAT HAS ENJOYED STATE LAND BEFORE, I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOUR VIEWERS TO CONTINUE TO CHECK OUR WEBSITE, SO IT'S NMSTATELANDS.ORG AND THERE YOU CAN PURCHASE A VERY REASONABLE PERMIT THAT ALLOWS YOU TO RECREATE STATEWIDE FOR A YEAR AND REMEMBER, NEW MEXICANS LIKE TO RECREATE WITH THEIR FAMILY, THEIR COUSINS, THEIR FAMILY, SO THAT PASS ACTUALLY WILL ALLOW YOU AND TEN OF YOUR FAMILY MEMBERS TO RECREATE ALL IN THE PASS.

>>LORENE: WHAT A DEAL, WHAT A DEAL.

SO WILDLIFE CORRIDORS, YOU WROTE A BRILLIANT ESSAY ABOUT WHY THIS IS SO IMPORTANT?

WE ONLY HAVE, CAN YOU GIVE ME THE ONE-MINUTE VERSION, I'M SORRY TO SPRING ON YOU AT THE END, BUT PEOPLE NEED TO KNOW.

IT'S A MATTER OF LIFE OR DEATH FOR MANY SPECIES.

>>STEPHANIE: IT IS AND YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO CARE FOR OUR WILDLIFE JUST LIKE WE DO OUR LAND AND WATER.

THEY ARE PART OF WHAT WE STEWARD HERE IN NEW MEXICO.

SO STATE LAND IS A PLACE WHERE WILDLIFE CROSS FOR MIGRATORY PATTERNS, FOR MATING... >>LORENE: CLIMATE CHANGE DROUGHT DOWN SOUTH GO NORTH.

>>STEPHANIE: ABSOLUTELY SO WE WANT TO ENSURE THAT WHEN THEY'RE CROSSING STATE LAND, THEY'RE DOING SO SAFELY, SO WE HAVE PARTICIPATED WITH THE NEW MEXICO DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION ON ENSURING THAT PASSAGE OF CROSSING THROUGH STATE LAND HAS PROTECTED WILDLIFE CORRIDORS ON IT.

AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT PLACES LIKE THE 599 HIGHWAY IN BETWEEN BERNALILLO AND CUBA, NEW MEXICO, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE 285 UP ON THE NORTH, THE STATE LINE BETWEEN NEW MEXICO AND COLORADO.

WE WANT TO PRIORITIZE THOSE AREAS OF HIGH TRAFFIC SO THAT WILDLIFE CAN CROSS.

>>LORENE: AND I'VE SEEN SOME OF THESE BRIDGES THAT YOU BUILD FOR THE WILDLIFE, YOU WOULDN'T KNOW THEY'RE SO BIG, YOU WOULDN'T KNOW THAT IT'S JUST THE BRIDGE AND THE ANIMALS VERY EASILY AND SAFELY GO BACK AND FORTH AND UNDERNEATH AS TRUCKS AND TRAFFIC ARE ROARING BY.

WELL DONE.

OH MY GOODNESS.

WELL, CAN YOU GIVE US A LAST WORD TO PEOPLE... AND I WANT TO THANK YOU.

THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU'RE DOING FOR EACH HOUSEHOLD.

$3,000, IT'S WONDERFUL.

BUT I WANT PEOPLE, SUMMER'S COMING TO GET OUT AND REALLY ENJOY OUR STATE LANDS.

>>STEPHANIE: RIGHT, SO ONCE MORE, ACTUALLY EVERYTHING YOU'D LIKE TO KNOW ABOUT STATE LANDS IS ON THIS WEBSITE SO WWW.NMSTATELANDS.ORG AND THERE ACTUALLY IS EVEN A BAR AT THE TOP ON THE HOME MENU WHERE YOU CAN CLICK ON, OPEN FOR ADVENTURE, YOU CAN FIND OUT WHERE THE AREAS NEAR YOU THAT YOU CAN GO OUT AND HIKE, BIRDWATCH, TAKE PHOTOGRAPHS, NOW WE'RE ADDING CAMPING.

I WOULD ENCOURAGE ALL NEW MEXICANS TO SPEND THEIR SUMMERS ON STATE LAND.

>>LORENE: OH WONDERFUL, WELL OUR GUEST TODAY IS STEPHANIE GARCIA RICHARD, THE STATE LAND COMMISSIONER FOR THE BEAUTIFUL STATE OF NEW MEXICO.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

>>STEPHANIE: THANK YOU, LORENE.

AND I'M LORENE MILLS, I'D LIKE TO THANK YOU, OUR AUDIENCE, FOR BEING WITH US TODAY ON REPORT FROM SANTA FE.

REPORT FROM SANTA FE IS MADE POSSIBLE, IN PART, BY GRANTS FROM THE NEW MEXICO MUNICIPAL LEAGUE, A BETTER NEW MEXICO THROUGH BETTER CITIES AND FROM