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 THE HEALY FOUNDATION, TAOS, NM.

HELLO, I'M LORENE MILLS AND WELCOME TO REPORT FROM SANTA FE .

WE HAVE A VERY IMPORTANT GUEST TODAY, SENATOR JEFF STEINBORN, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

>>JEFF: IT'S GREAT TO BE WITH YOU, LORENE, THANKS FOR THE INVITATION.

>>LORENE: ALWAYS, ALWAYS, BECAUSE YOU'RE DOING SOME REALLY IMPORTANT THINGS.

YOU ARE A DEMOCRAT FROM LAS CRUCES, FROM DONA ANA COUNTY, TELL ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW YOU HOP, SKIPPED, AND JUMPED THROUGH BEING A REPRESENTATIVE AND THEN SENATOR.

>>JEFF: YEAH, WELL, YOU KNOW, I WAS IN THE HOUSE FOR EIGHT YEARS, AND WE ENDED UP WITH A STATE SENATOR WHO I REALLY DIDN'T AGREE WITH HIS POSITIONS, I THOUGHT HE WAS KIND OF EXTREME, AND SO I TOOK HIM ON, AND I WON.

SO I ENDED UP IN THE STATE SENATE, AND NOW I'M, GOSH, HALFWAY THROUGH MY THIRD TERM.

>>LORENE: YEAH, THAT'S GREAT AND YOU'VE DONE SOME VERY IMPORTANT WORK, BUT ONE OF THE THINGS I WANT TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT IS WHAT YOU'RE DOING WITH THE MICROGRID OVERSIGHT BILL.

YOU'VE HAD OTHER BILLS, I WANT YOU TO TALK ABOUT THEM, TOO, BUT THIS IS KIND OF FRONT AND CENTER RIGHT NOW.

NOW I DO HAVE TO MENTION THAT WE'RE TAPING TUESDAY.

AND THE LAST WEEK OF THE SESSION, ENDS ON THURSDAY, SO THERE'S GOING TO BE A LOT OF UNEXPECTED RESULTS.

SOME THINGS WILL PASS, SOME THINGS WILL FAIL, BUT I THINK THAT GETTING THE IDEAS ABOUT THE WHOLE MICROGRID CONCEPT IS NOT GOING TO GO AWAY, SO LET'S START WITH THAT.

>>JEFF: YEAH, SO THERE'S A BILL RIGHT NOW, WE'RE WAITING, IT'S PASSED THE SENATE, AND WE'RE WAITING ON ITS LOAN COMMITTEE REFERRAL HEARING IN THE HOUSE AND YOU KNOW, THERE ARE SO MANY IMPORTANT THINGS GOING ON RIGHT NOW WITH MEDICAL MALPRACTICE AND OTHERS, AS WE SIT HERE, A LITTLE BIT OF A QUESTION MARK.

ARE WE GOING TO GET A HEARING, WILL WE GET A FLOOR VOTE IF IT PASSES, OF COURSE, WILL THE GOVERNOR SIGN IT, ALL WILL BE REVEALED, BUT, THE ISSUE IS SO IMPORTANT FACING NEW MEXICANS RIGHT NOW AND THAT IS NOT GOING AWAY, WHICH IS THE ISSUE OF DATA CENTERS COMING TO NEW MEXICO.

THE POWER GENERATION THAT OUR LAW CURRENTLY ALLOWS THEM TO BUILD THESE MASSIVE NEW POWER CENTERS THAT ARE NOT CONNECTED TO UTILITIES THAT CURRENTLY UNDER NEW MEXICO LAW HAVE NO GREEN ENERGY REQUIREMENTS.

THEY WILL BE MASSIVE POLLUTERS IF THEY CHOOSE TO NOT USE ANY GREEN ENERGY, WHICH IS EXACTLY WHAT WE'RE FACING IN MY COUNTY IN DONA ANA COUNTY FOR PROJECT JUPITER.

AND FURTHERMORE, OUR LAW THAT WE PASSED AT THE END OF LAST SESSION ALLOWS UTILITIES TO THEN PLUG INTO THESE MICROGRIDS AND THEN RAISE OUR RATES TO PAY FOR BASICALLY THIS POWER AND FOR REALLY POTENTIALLY CONSTRUCTING THESE MICROGRIDS IN THE FIRST PLACE.

THIS IS WHAT'S HAPPENING ALL OVER THE COUNTRY, WHICH IS DATA CENTERS ARE MOVING IN, UTILITIES ARE ERECTING MASSIVE, BECAUSE THEY TAKE MASSIVE AMOUNTS OF POWER, AND THEN THEY'RE RAISING EVERYBODY'S RATES BECAUSE THAT'S HOW UTILITIES FINANCE UTILITY INFRASTRUCTURE AND THEY MAKE MONEY ON DOING IT.

THIS IS WHAT WE'RE AT RISK OF HAVING HAPPEN RIGHT NOW IN NEW MEXICO UNDER LAW, SO IT'S A VERY URGENT SITUATION.

MY BILL WOULD CORRECT BOTH THOSE THINGS, IT WOULD REQUIRE THAT MICROGRIDS, WHICH ARE, AGAIN, STANDALONE SELF-GENERATED POWER SOURCES OVER 20 MEGAWATTS, WHICH IS EQUIVALENT TO ABOUT 20,000 HOMES, SO WE'RE TALKING BIG SELF-GENERATED POWER STATIONS, MEET THE SAME ENVIRONMENTAL RENEWABLE ENERGY REQUIREMENTS AS OUR UTILITIES RIGHT NOW UNDER THE ENERGY TRANSITION ACT, WHERE THEY, RIGHT NOW, UTILITIES LIKE PNM, EL PASO ELECTRIC, HAVE TO BE GETTING 40% OF THEIR ENERGY FROM RENEWABLE ENERGY.

THIS IS WHAT WE WOULD REQUIRE UNDER MY LAW, SENATE BILL 235, FOR MICROGRIDS AND THEN ALSO WE WOULD PROHIBIT UTILITIES FROM RAISING OUR RATES TO PAY FOR THE INFRASTRUCTURE COSTS OF BUILDING THESE MICROGRIDS.

THIS IS JUST SO IMPORTANT WE'VE GOT TO PROTECT NEW MEXICANS NOT ONLY FROM PROJECT JUPITER AND THIS IS NOT WHETHER OR NOT YOU'RE FOR PROJECT JUPITER, THIS IS JUST ABOUT INSTALLING BASIC PROTECTIVE AIR QUALITY PROTECTIONS THROUGH REQUIRING A LOT MORE RENEWABLE ENERGY AND NOT ALLOWING THOSE COSTS TO BE SHIFTED ON TO UTILITY CUSTOMERS.

>>LORENE: SO IT'S THIS BILL IN TIME, I MEAN, IS IT TOO LATE, WHAT HAVE THEY ALREADY DONE?

>>JEFF: WELL, THE TIMING IS GOOD BECAUSE THEY HAVE NOT BUILT THIS PROJECT JUPITER, THEY'RE JUST DOING THE DIRT WORK RIGHT NOW, THEY HAVE NOT BUILT THE DATA CENTER, THEY HAVEN'T BUILT THE MICROGRID TO POWER IT.

THEY ARE TALKING ABOUT BRINGING IN RENEWABLE ENERGY FOR THE PROJECT, BUT WHAT THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT WOULD JUST BE A SMALL PERCENTAGE OF THE OVERALL POWER.

IT WOULD BE, MAYBE, IF THEY GOT THE MAXIMUM AMOUNT OF GREEN ENERGY THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT, IT'D BE 10% AND WHAT WE NEED TO REALLY OFFSET THESE DANGEROUS EMISSIONS IS A LOT HIGHER PERCENTAGE.

WE NEED ETA LEVEL AND EVEN THEN, THAT'S GOING TO LEAVE A MASSIVE AMOUNT OF POLLUTION.

LET ME PUT IT IN PERSPECTIVE, PROJECT JUPITER, THROUGH THEIR AIR PERMITS THAT THEY HAVE APPLIED FOR WITH THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO, RIGHT NOW, WOULD EMIT OVER 13 MILLION TONS OF GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS.

>>LORENE: OVER... >>JEFF: OVER THE STATE, I BELIEVE, ANNUALLY AND THIS WOULD, THEY WOULD GENERATE AS MUCH ELECTRICITY AS LAS CRUCES AND ALBUQUERQUE COMBINED AND IT WOULD BE THE SAME AMOUNT OF POLLUTION.

THIRTEEN MILLION TONS IS THE EQUIVALENT TO FOUR LARGE COAL-BURNING FIRE PLANTS, OF GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS, WERE 2.6 MILLION CARS.

>>LORENE: OH MY GOSH.

>>JEFF: SO THE MICROGRID OVERSIGHT ACT, BY SAYING YOU HAVE TO USE 40% OF YOUR ENERGY FROM RENEWABLE, IS REALLY AN ATTEMPT TO JUST BRING SANITY TO AN OUT OF CONTROL, WILDLY IRRESPONSIBLE ENVIRONMENTAL SITUATION, MY POINT OF VIEW, AND IT WOULD SAVE ABOUT A MILLION CARS A YEAR WORTH OF POLLUTION ON THAT ONE POWER PLANT, UNFORTUNATELY, IT WOULD STILL LEAVE 1.6 MILLION CARS WORTH OF POLLUTION.

SO I THINK THE MICROGRID OVERSIGHT ACT IS JUST THE MINIMUM WHAT WE CAN DO TO PROTECT NEW MEXICANS AND OUR AIR QUALITY BUT ALSO ENSURE THAT THESE COSTS AREN'T PASSED ON DOWN TO US.

IF WE DON'T PASS THIS LAW NOW, SADLY, THIS WILL BE BUILT, IT WILL BE BUILT UNDER, STARTING OFF THEY SAID 100% NATURAL GAS WILL BE STARTING OFF UNDER THE WORST ENVIRONMENTAL SCENARIO.

AND THE STATE IS ACTIVELY COURTING, ACCORDING TO THE SECRETARY OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, A DOZEN OTHER DATA CENTERS RIGHT NOW.

AND SO THIS IS, SADLY, THE VISION THAT SOME HAVE FOR OUR STATE RIGHT NOW, AND I THINK IT'S KIND OF EXPLOITING THESE WEAK LACK OF ENVIRONMENTAL LAWS FOR THESE MICROGRIDS AND CONSUMER PROTECTIONS.

EXPLOITING THAT, I THINK, TO MAKE US AN ATTRACTANT TO THESE OPERATIONS AND I THINK, IF WE CAN PASS THIS LAW NOW, BUT IF WE DON'T, THIS IS AN ISSUE NOT GOING AWAY, AND IT'S URGENT THAT NEW MEXICANS BECOME AWARE OF THIS WEAK LAW WE HAVE, AND THAT THOSE THAT WOULD SEEK TO BE GOVERNOR, THOSE WHO SEEK TO RUN OUR STATE, AND OF COURSE THE NEXT LEGISLATIVE SESSION, THAT WE CLOSE THESE LOOPHOLES THEN, IF NOT NOW.

>>LORENE: RIGHT.

BUT ALSO, YOU SAY THAT WHAT WE WOULD BE VULNERABLE TO IS TEN TIMES WHAT WE WERE FEARING.

JUST THAT THIS BILL PROHIBITS, THAT ONCE THE FOOT'S IN THE DOOR, THEY'RE GOING TO JUST RUN WITH IT AND WE CAN'T AFFORD THAT, MY GOD.

>>JEFF: NO AND THEN THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT WILL HAPPEN, THEY'LL SAY, OH, IT'S TOO LATE, WE'VE ALREADY BUILT THIS INFRASTRUCTURE AND THEN YOU'RE TRYING TO UNRING THE BELL, AS THEY SAY.

AND WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SET GROUND RULES NOW AND SEND A VERY CLEAR MESSAGE TO ANY DATA CENTER THINKING OF COMING HERE.

AND THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO ITSELF, WHO'S TALKING TO THEM, THAT HERE ARE THE GROUND RULES YOU MUST FOLLOW IF YOU'RE GOING TO COME HERE.

YOU KNOW, WE CAN GO A TOTALLY DIFFERENT DIRECTION, WE CAN GO A GREEN DIRECTION WITH THIS.

I HAD AN ALTERNATIVE VISION, WHICH IS FACEBOOK, WHEN THEY CAME HERE TO LOS LUNAS, THEY DID TAP INTO THE UTILITY AND THE PRC DID TWO THINGS, THEY REQUIRED 100% RENEWABLE ENERGY.

AND THEY PUT IN A RIDER THAT THERE COULD BE NO ADVERSE IMPACT TO UTILITY CUSTOMERS, FORCING FACEBOOK AND META TO PAY, IT WAS FACEBOOK THEN, TO PAY THE COST OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE UPGRADES.

SO, WHAT WE CAN DO IF THE STATE WANTS TO RECRUIT DATA CENTERS IS WE CAN SAY YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO INVEST HEAVILY IN RENEWABLE ENERGY, WE CAN BUILD A GIGAWATT PLUS OF CLEAN ENERGY TO POWER THESE JOBS AND TO THEN HAVE GREEN ENERGY CAPACITY FOR THE FUTURE OF NEW MEXICO WHEN THESE JOBS GO AWAY.

AND WE CAN PROTECT NEW MEXICO CONSUMERS FROM HAVING TO BEAR THE BRUNT OF IT, WE CAN USE THESE BILLION-DOLLAR COMPANIES AND USE THEIR MONEY TO PAY FOR THIS GREEN ENERGY AND ALL THE COSTS AS IT SHOULD BE.

>>LORENE: YEAH, YEAH.

>>JEFF: THIS COULD BE THE FUTURE WE CAN GO TO AND I HOPE THAT WE'RE HAVING A CONVERSATION ABOUT WAITING TO SEE IF THE GOVERNOR IS GOING TO SIGN THIS BILL THAT MAYBE WILL HAVE PASSED WHEN THIS INTERVIEW AIRS.

>>LORENE: I HOPE SO, AND I HOPE SHE DOES.

>>JEFF: WE'LL FIND OUT.

>>LORENE: WITHOUT IT, WITHOUT THESE PROTECTIONS IN PLACE, AND IF WE'RE GOING TO BUILD THEM ANYWAY, WHY NOT BUILD THEM IN A GREEN MANNER IN A WAY THAT DOES NOT JUST POLLUTES US.

>>JEFF: ABSOLUTELY.

YOU KNOW, THIS SHOULD ALWAYS BE OUR POSITION WHEN IT COMES TO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN NEW MEXICO, WE ALL WANT JOBS AND I'VE HELPED CREATE TWO DIFFERENT DIVISIONS OF THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT.

SO I, YOU KNOW, SUPPORT CREATING JOBS AS MUCH AS ANYBODY, BUT WE CAN'T EVER DO SO AT THE EXPENSE OF OUR AIR QUALITY, OUR WATER, AND OUR LAND.

SO THAT'S REALLY WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE, WHETHER OR NOT THIS BILL PASSES, YOU KNOW, I REALLY URGE THE GOVERNOR AND THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT TO ESTABLISH THESE BENCHMARKS BECAUSE THEY REALLY ARE THE ONES ENGAGING THESE CONVERSATIONS AND CAN HELP STEER THEM IN A MORE ENVIRONMENTALLY RESPONSIBLE DIRECTION.

>>LORENE: ALSO, THE DEVELOPMENT WILL BE THERE, WHY NOT HAVE THE RUBRIC, WHY NOT HAVE THE REQUIREMENTS THAT WOULD BE ENVIRONMENTALLY SAFE FOR US.

>>JEFF: IT'S GOT TO BE.

>>LORENE: YEAH, WELL, THERE'S SOME OTHER THINGS THAT YOU'VE DONE THAT I REALLY WANT TO TALK ABOUT.

SOME TIME AGO THERE WAS AN ISSUE EVERYONE WAS WRINGING THEIR HANDS OVER ALL OF THE OF UNMARKED, UNIDENTIFIED URANIUM WASTE TAILINGS ALL OVER THE WEST.

TELL US WHAT YOU DID ABOUT THAT BECAUSE IT WAS REALLY IMPORTANT, NOBODY WANTED IT, THE FEDS DIDN'T WANT TO TOUCH IT, THE STATE DIDN'T WANT TO TOUCH IT AND IT WAS A DANGER THAT NONE OF THEM WERE MARKED, AND THERE'S SOMETHING CALLED A RADIOACTIVE EXPOSURE COMPENSATION ACT THAT HAS NOW GOT MORE TEETH IN IT.

IF YOU DON'T MARK THESE THINGS AND YOU PUT IT THERE, YOU'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE HARM, TALK TO ME.

>>JEFF: SO, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T KNOW, AND IT'S REALLY INTERESTING BUT VERY SAD HISTORY, THAT NEW MEXICO HAS THIS INCREDIBLY ROBUST SUPPLY OF URANIUM, IN FACT, WE HAVE AN AREA CALLED THE GRANTS MINERAL BELT, AND IT'S IN THE GRANTS GALLOP AREA.

WE SUPPLIED ROUGHLY HALF THE COUNTRY'S URANIUM TO MAKE PLUTONIUM IN THE COUNTRY'S NUCLEAR WEAPONS STOCKPILE.

THEY MINED THIS STUFF IN NEW MEXICO DECADES AGO AND THESE WERE FLY-BY-NIGHT OPERATIONS, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WAS THE CUSTOMER, WE HAD THE SUPPLY, AND MINERS DIDN'T KNOW WHAT THEY WERE EXPOSING THEM TO, MINERS GOT SICK.

THIS IS, OF COURSE, RADIOACTIVE.

CANCER-CAUSING, DEADLY STUFF WHEN YOU'RE EXPOSED TO IT, THEY DIDN'T HAVE PROTECTIVE GEAR, SO WE HAD THOUSANDS OF THESE MINES.

AND THEN, WHEN THE CUSTOMER WENT AWAY, THERE WAS NO REMEDIATION, AND WE LITERALLY WERE LEFT WITH WHAT IS NOW A THOUSAND ABANDONED URANIUM MINE SITES IN NEW MEXICO WHERE THERE IS NO LEGAL RESPONSIBLE PARTY.

THE OWNER LONG SINCE WENT AWAY AND COMMUNITIES, IN MANY CASES, INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES, THEIR HOMELAND LEFT WITH CONTAMINATED LAND THAT WAS ONCE FERTILE ORCHARDS, PRODUCTIVE LAND, AS WE WERE TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WITH NOW TAILINGS PILES, URANIUM ORE, AND KIDS, YOU KNOW, THESE ARE THEIR HOMES ARE POLLUTING WATER SUPPLIES.

SO, BECAUSE THERE'S NO RESPONSIBLE PARTY SINCE MY ENTIRE TIME HERE, PEOPLE HAVE BEEN BEMOANING, WE HAVE ALL THESE SITES AND POINTING THE FINGER, YOU KNOW, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT NEEDS TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT, OF COURSE, THERE WAS NO MONEY AND THERE WAS NO REAL PUSH TO GET THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO PAY TO CLEAN UP THESE SITES.

SO FINALLY, IN FACT, THERE WAS COMPENSATION FOR WORKERS WHO WERE EXPOSED, BUT THERE WAS NO COMPENSATION FOR THOSE AFFECTED BY THE TESTING OF THE TRINITY BOMB.

THAT'S WHAT THE TULAROSA DOWNWINDERS ARE ABOUT AND THEY JUST GOT THIS LANDMARK LAW, THE RADIATION EXPOSURE COMPENSATION ACT FOR THE FIRST TIME TO INCLUDE GIVING COMPENSATION TO NEW MEXICANS WHO HAVE CERTAIN TYPES OF CANCERS, WHO WERE ALIVE DURING THAT ERA.

RIGHT NOW, BY THE WAY, THEY CAN APPLY, NEW MEXICANS ARE ELIGIBLE FOR $100,000 OF FUNDING IF THEY MEET THE CRITERIA, BUT THEY HAVE TO APPLY BY I THINK DECEMBER OF 2027.

SO THAT'S A LITTLE PSA FOR NEW MEXICANS ALIVE THEN, IF YOU HAVE CERTAIN KINDS OF CANCERS, GOOGLE RADIATION EXPOSURE COMPENSATION ACT OF NEW MEXICO, MAKE SURE YOU'RE AWARE OF THAT AND APPLY.

BUT BACK TO THE MINE SITES, WE HAVE THESE SITES AND SO I GOT SO FRUSTRATED BY THE LACK OF ACTION AND NO ACTION THAT I INTRODUCED A BILL SEVERAL YEARS AGO TO CREATE ABANDONED URANIUM MINE REMEDIATION COORDINATOR POSITIONS IN BOTH THE NEW MEXICO ENVIRONMENT DEPARTMENT AND THE ENERGY, MINERALS, AND NATURAL RESOURCES DEPARTMENT, WHO BOTH HAVE DIFFERENT, YOU KNOW, PURVIEW AND OVERSIGHT OF MINING ACTIVITY IN THE STATE, TO START TO CREATE A PLAN AND A ROADMAP AND A DASHBOARD OF ALL THESE SITES AND TO START.

AND WE GOT, FOR THE FIRST TIME LAST YEAR, WE GOT $20 MILLION APPROPRIATED IN THE STATE BUDGET TO START TO CLEAN UP A HANDFUL OF SITES.

IT WAS AMAZING.

THIS YEAR, HAPPY TO TELL YOU RIGHT NOW, OF COURSE, IT HASN'T BEEN SIGNED YET BY THE GOVERNOR, I DOUBT IT WILL BE BY THE TIME THIS AIRS, WE HAVE ANOTHER $20 MILLION IN THE BUDGET THIS YEAR WAITING ON ACTION FROM THE GOV TO CLEAN UP MORE SITES.

SO THAT'S SUPER EXCITING, BUT IN REALITY, WHAT WE'RE DEALING WITH IS A THOUSAND SITES THAT ARE GOING TO PROBABLY COST OVER A BILLION DOLLARS TO CLEAN UP THESE SITES.

WE REALLY NEED THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO STEP UP TO, I BELIEVE, THEIR MORAL RESPONSIBILITY TO DO RIGHT BY NEW MEXICO AND NOT LEAVE US HOLDING THE BAG OF THIS CONTAMINATION AND PAY TO CLEAN IT UP.

>>LORENE: WE'RE SPEAKING TODAY WITH SENATOR JEFF STEINBORN, THANK YOU SO MUCH.

WHAT I AM CONCERNED ABOUT IS THE FED'S ABILITY, IT'S LIKE SQUISHING MERCURY, TO NOT CLAIM RESPONSIBILITY AND TO EXPECT SOMEONE ELSE TO SET UP.

CAN THE STATE AFFORD IT, ALL THOSE BILLIONS, CAN WE AFFORD NOT TO DO IT?

>>JEFF: I DON'T THINK WE, I MEAN, COULD WE LITERALLY SPEND A BILLION DOLLARS TO DO THIS, WE COULD, BUT THE REALITY IS WE WOULD NOT HAVE MONEY FOR THE OTHER THINGS THAT WE NEED WITH THIS MONEY, RIGHT?

AND SO, I DON'T THINK, THOUGH, THAT THE CITIZENS OF THESE AREAS CAN AFFORD FOR SOMEONE TO NOT CLEAN THIS UP.

YOU KNOW, NEW MEXICO, I THINK, HAS DONE A VERY STAND-UP THING TO START TO SPEND $40 MILLION TO CLEAN UP SITES THAT WEREN'T CONTAMINATED AT OUR BEHEST, THEY WERE DONE AT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT'S BEHEST, BUT THE REALITY IS, NO, WE NEED THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO STEP IN AND DO THIS.

WE CANNOT AFFORD TO SHOULDER THIS AS A STATE OURSELVES AND YOU'RE RIGHT, PEOPLE WILL SHIRK RESPONSIBILITY, THEY WON'T STEP UP TO THE PLATE.

AND WHAT I AM CALLING FOR IS A NEW HIGH-LEVEL CONCERTED EFFORT FROM OUR GOVERNOR, FROM OUR CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION, FROM OUR TRIBAL GOVERNMENT, ALL WORKING TOGETHER AS A COALITION, AND OTHER WESTERN STATES WHO ALSO HAVE THESE ABANDONED SITES.

WE NEED TO BE GOING TO WASHINGTON AND SAYING, GET YOUR CHECKBOOK OUT, YOU NEED TO ADD A BILLION DOLLARS OR TWO BILLION DOLLARS TO EVERY BILL THAT COMES THROUGH AND YOU NEED TO TAKE CARE OF THIS ONCE AND FOR ALL, LET'S NOT GO INTO SOME PROTRACTED LEGAL BATTLE, WHICH I ALSO BELIEVE WE SHOULD INSTIGATE AS A STATE.

I THINK ONE WAY OR ANOTHER, WE NEED TO UP OUR GAME AND WE NEED TO ADOPT A VERY AGGRESSIVE, PROACTIVE APPROACH TO GETTING THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO DO RIGHT BY NEW MEXICO.

>>LORENE: WELL, THERE'S BEEN SOME INTERESTING, IN THE ARTS THERE WAS A MOVIE CALLED FIRST THEY BOMB NEW MEXICO THAT BRINGS UP A LOT OF THESE ISSUES AND I THINK FOR MANY PEOPLE, IT WAS THE FIRST TIME THEY EVEN THOUGHT ABOUT IT.

>>JEFF: NO DOUBT.

IT'S REALLY A SAD LEGACY, RIGHT, OF NEW MEXICANS AND I THINK WHEN PEOPLE TALK ABOUT NUCLEAR POWER, FOR EXAMPLE, YOU KNOW AS NEW MEXICANS ARE THE LEGACY THAT WE'VE BORNE OVER URANIUM MINING AND IT'S JUST A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE WHEN YOU KNOW THAT HISTORY ABOUT THOSE THAT REALLY BEAR THE COST OF THE RESOURCE EXTRACTION AND THE SAFETY HAZARDS.

BUT THIS IS ONE OF THE SADDEST ENVIRONMENTAL LEGACIES AND SOCIAL INJUSTICES HERE IN THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO THAT STILL EXISTS TODAY THAT WE NEED TO ADDRESS.

>>LORENE: RIGHT.

AND SO THERE HAVE BEEN SOME PUBLIC OUTREACHES TO TRY TO GET PEOPLE, IS THERE A WEBSITE THAT PEOPLE COULD GO TO TO FIND OUT IF THEY QUALIFY OR IF THEIR GRANDFATHER WHO WAS A URANIUM MINER, I THINK THERE'S A CERTAIN LUMP SUM THAT THEY PAY TO PEOPLE WHO'VE BEEN PROVEN TO HAVE DIED FROM RADIOACTIVE EXPOSURE.

>>JEFF: YEAH, I THINK THERE'S PROBABLY MULTIPLE AVENUES.

FEDERALLY, I WANTED TO SAY THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, BUT I WOULD JUST URGE PEOPLE TO GO ONLINE, GO TO GOOGLE, TYPE IT IN, MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE DEALING WITH A GOVERNMENTAL ENTITY AND NOT A THIRD PARTY, THERE ARE ALREADY SCAMS REPORTED OF PEOPLE TRYING TO HELP YOU PROCESS YOUR CLAIM AND THEN TAKE THE CUT OFF IT.

SO I WOULD URGE PEOPLE TO MAKE SURE YOU'RE GOING THROUGH A GOVERNMENT ENTITY AND CLEARINGHOUSE THAT THERE ARE NOT FEES OR CUTS ASSOCIATED WITH IT, JUST BE VERY CAREFUL ABOUT THAT.

BUT, YEAH AND HELP SPREAD THE WORD TO OTHER PEOPLE WHO MAY HAVE BEEN AROUND, SO THAT ALL NEW MEXICANS ELIGIBLE FOR THIS CAN TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT.

>>LORENE: THERE WAS A CAMPAIGN OF BILLBOARDS THAT SAID IT STARTED HERE, LET'S END IT HERE AND THEN NUMBERS TO CALL AND STUFF, SO I HOPE THAT EVERYONE CAN STEP UP, EVEN IF YOUR FAMILY MEMBER HAS DIED ALREADY, THERE STILL IS COMPENSATION IF IT CAN BE PROVED THAT IT WAS A RADIOACTIVITY EXPOSURE CAUSED ILLNESS.

>>JEFF: YOU'RE RIGHT.

YEP, YEP.

SO LET'S ALL SPREAD THE WORD.

>>LORENE: YEAH, YEAH.

WHAT ELSE, OH, I LOVE YOUR BILL ABOUT, LET'S SEE.

>>JEFF: UNIVERSITY REGENTS.

>>LORENE: YES, OKAY, THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT.

>>JEFF: LATE BREAKING NEWS.

>>LORENE: WHAT'S THE LATE BREAKING NEWS?

>>JEFF: LATE BREAKING NEWS.

SO JUST MINUTES AGO ON THE SENATE FLOOR, WE PASSED HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION 1, THAT I SPONSORED THIS YEAR WITH REPRESENTATIVE CHRISTINE CHANDLER FROM LOS ALAMOS, GREAT REPRESENTATIVE.

YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN WORKING ON THIS LITERALLY SINCE I GOT ELECTED BACK IN 2008, 2009, TRYING TO GO TO A MERIT-BASED SYSTEM FOR HOW OUR UNIVERSITY LEADERS ARE CHOSEN AND BY LEADERS, I DON'T MEAN THE PRESIDENTS, I MEAN THE REGENTS WHO HIRE THE PRESIDENTS.

>>LORENE: YES.

>>JEFF: LET ME EXPLAIN.

SO, THE GOVERNOR, UNDER THE NEW MEXICO CONSTITUTION, GETS TO PICK THESE FOLKS WHO HIRE AND FIRE UNIVERSITY PRESIDENTS, SET TUITION, CALLED UNIVERSITY REGENTS.

UNFORTUNATELY, AS MANY TIMES AS NOT, GOVERNORS HAVE CHOSEN JUST POLITICAL SUPPORTERS, WELL-CONNECTED PEOPLE TO DO THESE JOBS.

SOME OF THEM HAVE BEEN GREAT, BUT MANY OF THEM HAVE NOT BEEN QUALIFIED AT ALL AND IT'S CLEARLY BEEN KIND OF A CRONY PATRONAGE SYSTEM, POLITICAL PLUM OF THE HIGHEST ORDER.

AND IT'S BEEN, AND I'VE SEEN THIS NOW OVER THREE GOVERNORS THAT I'VE SERVED WITH, SO THIS IS NOT AN ATTACK ON ANYONE BUT WE DESERVE SO MUCH BETTER AS A STATE.

WE DESERVE THE VERY BEST PEOPLE WHO WE CAN FIND WHO WANT TO BE REGENTS, IRRESPECTIVE OF THEIR POLITICAL CONNECTIONS TO A GOVERNOR.

>>LORENE: BUT YOU'RE THROWING IT INTO THE HANDS OF THE PEOPLE.

>>JEFF: WE ARE.

SO WHAT I PROPOSE THAT NOW WE HAVE FINALLY PASSED, AFTER ALL THESE YEARS, BECAUSE I'VE BEEN TRYING EVERY SESSION, WE PASSED A CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT THAT NOW I CAN FINALLY SAY WILL BE ON THE NOVEMBER BALLOT FOR NEW MEXICANS TO DECIDE ON, WE GET TO ESTABLISH, IF APPROVED BY US, THE VOTERS, NOMINATING COMMISSIONS FOR EACH UNIVERSITY THAT WILL INTERVIEW ALL CANDIDATES WHO WANT TO BE A UNIVERSITY REGENT, RECOMMEND THE BEST NAMES TO THE GOVERNOR, AND THEN THE GOVERNOR WOULD HAVE TO CHOOSE FROM THAT LIST OF RECOMMENDATIONS.

>>LORENE: ALREADY APPROVED.

>>JEFF: FROM NOMINATING COMMISSIONS.

>>LORENE: SHE COULD MAKE THE FINAL CHOICE, BUT THEY WOULD ALL HAVE BEEN VETTED.

>>JEFF: THEY WOULD BE VETTED.

>>LORENE: DO YOU HAVE THE RIGHT EXPERIENCE, THE RIGHT POLITICAL NON-PARTISANSHIP.

>>JEFF: JUST HAVE SOMETHING TO OFFER OUR STATE, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE WHO ARE INSPIRING ENOUGH TO HAVE THE CONFIDENCE AND BE AT THE TOP OF THE HEAP OF AN INTERVIEW COMMITTEE, PROFESSIONAL BIPARTISAN COMMITTEE.

AND WE, AS A LEGISLATOR OF THE VOTER'S APPROVAL, WILL DECIDE, WE WILL THEN PASS A NEW LAW DECIDING WHO GETS TO BE ON THESE NOMINATING COMMISSIONS, WHO APPOINTS THEM AND SO IT'S HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION 1, JUST PASSED BY THE STATE SENATE, ALREADY HAD PASSED THROUGH THE REST OF THE LEGISLATURE, UNANIMOUS, THERE WERE SEVEN PEOPLE WHO VOTED AGAINST IT ON THE FLOOR TODAY, BUT OVER 30 VOTED FOR IT, I KNOW.

BUT WE PASSED IT OVERWHELMINGLY WITH BIPARTISAN SUPPORT, NOW IT GOES BEFORE THE VOTERS AND I'M EXCITED.

>>LORENE: THE NOVEMBER BALLOT.

>>JEFF: THE NOVEMBER BALLOT AND IF THE VOTERS APPROVE IT, THEN OUR NEXT GOVERNOR WILL HAVE A WHOLE NEW SLEW OF APPOINTMENTS TO RUN OUR UNIVERSITIES WILL HAVE TO GO THROUGH THESE NOMINATING COMMISSIONS.

>>LORENE: THANK GOODNESS.

>>JEFF: WE'LL SEE A WHOLE NEW GRASSROOTS ENERGY AND DYNAMISM THAT WILL HELP TO BE PART OF RUNNING OUR UNIVERSITIES.

>>LORENE: AND EDUCATION IS FOUNDATIONAL TO EVERYTHING WE DO HERE, WE'VE GOT TO HAVE THE BEST AT EVERY SINGLE LEVEL.

>>JEFF: ABSOLUTELY, IN EVERYTHING WE DO.

WHY WOULD OUR UNIVERSITIES OF ALL PLACES BE EXPENDABLE TO NOT GETTING THE BEST.

YOU KNOW, MOST OF OUR UNIVERSITIES ONLY HAVE FIVE REGENTS, ONE OF THEM IS A STUDENT REGENT.

SO YOU JUST CAN'T AFFORD TO HAVE TWO OR THREE DUDS WHO ARE JUST POLITICAL BUDDIES.

NOW, WE'LL JUST POINT OUT, BECAUSE IT'S VERY COOL, THIS JOINT RESOLUTION ALSO HAS ONE OTHER LITTLE COOL THING, WHICH IS THAT EACH OF THESE REGENTS' BOARDS HAS A STUDENT REGENT AND UNDER CURRENT CONSTITUTION, THE UNIVERSITY PRESIDENT GETS TO PICK THE STUDENT REGENT, EVEN THOUGH THE REGENT IS GOING TO BE THEIR BOSS.

A LITTLE BIT OF CONFLICT OF INTEREST, SO WHAT WE DID IN THE CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT THAT NOW WILL GO BEFORE THE VOTERS IS WE TAKE THE PRESIDENT OUT OF IT SO THAT THE GOVERNOR HAS TO SELECT FROM A LIST PROVIDED BY THE STUDENT BODY THEMSELVES.

>>LORENE: OH, GREAT, SO THE STUDENTS ACTUALLY HAVE THEIR VOICE IN WHAT'S GOING TO DETERMINE THEIR FUTURE.

>>JEFF: YES.

>>LORENE: THAT WAS BRILLIANT.

>>JEFF: YES.

WELL, IT WAS JUST SOMEONE POINTED IT OUT THAT WE HAD A LITTLE BIT OF A CONFLICT WITH THIS PRESIDENT SITUATION.

IT'S BEEN SUCH A HARD BILL TO PASS THROUGH THE YEARS, THERE'S SO MANY, YOU KNOW, SELF-INTERESTED PARTIES WHO HAVE BEEN FIGHTING THIS AND FIGHTING REFORM, BUT ULTIMATELY, THANKFULLY, WE JUST HAVE A LOT NEWER LEGISLATORS WHO AREN'T SO ENTRENCHED IN THE OLD BOY SYSTEM WHO GET IT.

>>LORENE: SO WE JUST HAVE A COUPLE OF MINUTES LEFT, I DON'T KNOW WHETHER YOU WANT TO URGE PEOPLE TO, YOU KNOW, PAY ATTENTION TO WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE LAST TWO DAYS OF THE SESSION OR WHAT CAN WE LOOK ON AFTER THIS SESSION AND ARE WE GOING TO HAVE A SPECIAL SESSION?

>>JEFF: WELL, THIS WILL BE, WE'RE GOING TO KNOW MORE WHEN THIS AIRS, YOU KNOW, THE GOVERNOR HAS REALLY MADE A PRIORITY FOR THIS MALPRACTICE REFORM TO HELP RECRUIT MORE DOCTORS, AND SHE'S MADE THIS PASSING OF THIS BILL, WHICH WE'RE ABOUT TO DEBATE HERE IN AN HOUR OR TWO ON THE SENATE FLOOR.

SO WE'RE GOING TO KNOW IF WE GOT SOMETHING DONE, AT LEAST TO HER SATISFACTION, SUCH AS SHE DOESN'T FEEL THE NEED TO CALL A SPECIAL SESSION.

>>LORENE: AND IT'S IMPORTANT THAT THE VIEWERS KNOW THE ISSUE WITH THE MEDICAL MED MAL BILL, MEDICAL MALPRACTICE, IS THE LIMITING OF PUNITIVE DAMAGES.

THE COMPENSATORY DAMAGES ARE VERY UNDERSTANDABLE, BUT THERE HAS BEEN NO CAP AT ALL ON THE PUNITIVE DAMAGES, THAT'S PUNISHING PEOPLE WHO HAVE DONE WRONG.

>>JEFF: YEAH, YOU KNOW, I THINK THERE'S A BELIEF THAT OUR SYSTEM IS TOO LITIGATION FRIENDLY AND PAYOUT FRIENDLY.

NEW MEXICO'S PAYOUTS KIND OF DWARF PROPORTIONALLY OTHER STATES SUCH THAT IT'S DRIVING UP INSURANCE COSTS FOR DOCTORS.

>>LORENE: WE'RE LOSING DOCTORS.

>>JEFF: YES, BECAUSE IF IT'S JUST EXPENSIVE OR OVERLY LITIGIOUS FOR THEM OR THEY'RE WORRIED ABOUT LOSING EVERYTHING AND HAVING A LOT HIGHER OVERHEAD, THEN WE'RE AT A DISADVANTAGE TO OTHER STATES WHERE THEY CAN GO ANYWHERE, SO THAT'S IT.

WE WANT TO PASS LEGISLATION TO BRING THAT INTO REASON AS WELL AND WE JUST NEED TO DO MUCH MORE TO HELP STIMULATE RETAINING AND GROWING DOCTORS HERE AND I WILL JUST TELL YOU, WE'VE DONE SOME AMAZING THINGS THIS SESSION ASIDE FROM MALPRACTICE.

WE JUST GAVE A $10,000 PER DOCTOR PER YEAR INCOME TAX CREDIT.

>>LORENE: GREAT.

>>JEFF: IN A TAX BILL.

THAT'S COOL, THE LARGEST IN THE COUNTRY.

I WAS ABLE TO PASS A GROSS RECEIPTS TAX BILL ELIMINATING THE GROSS RECEIPTS TAX FOR MEDICAL PRACTICES, ALSO NOW BEFORE THE GOVERNOR TO ELIMINATE THEIR GRT ON MEDICAL SUPPLIES AND EQUIPMENT.

>>LORENE: OH GREAT.

>>JEFF: AND I'LL JUST SAY WE ALSO, I WAS ABLE TO GET BASICALLY OVER 20 MILLION DOLLARS FOR NEW MEDICAL RESIDENCIES IN THE STATE TO FINANCE GROWING PHYSICIANS HERE, BECAUSE AS MANY AS 60-70% OF THEM WILL STAY IN THE STATE AFTER THEY DO IT.

>>LORENE: AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAD WAS WE HAD THESE COMPACTS WITH OTHER STATES, BUT IT WAS A TWO-WAY STREET.

WE WERE HOPING DOCTORS WOULD COME HERE.

>>JEFF: THAT'S TRUE.

>>LORENE: BUT SOME DOCTORS WERE GOING, AND SO NOW, WITH THESE INCENTIVES, WE NEED OUR DOCTORS DESPERATELY, WE CANNOT LOSE ANOTHER DOCTOR.

>>JEFF: ABSOLUTELY AND WE NEED TO MAKE IT OUR MISSION AND MAKE THIS A GREAT PLACE TO PRACTICE MEDICINE.

YOU KNOW, I THINK MANY DOCTORS, PARTICULARLY NEW MEXICANS, KNOW WE'RE ONE OF THE GREATEST PLACES ON THE WORLD TO LIVE AND THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO GET THAT, WE JUST NEED TO MAKE IT JUST AN ATTRACTIVE BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT FOR THEM TOO.

>>LORENE: YEAH, THANK YOU SO MUCH.

OUR GUEST HAS BEEN SENATOR JEFF STEINBORN, THANK YOU FOR TALKING ABOUT IT.

I WAS SO INTERESTED IN MEDICAL MALPRACTICE, BUT ALL OF YOUR OTHER ISSUES.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

>>JEFF: I LOVE IT, YOU'RE WELCOME.

>>LORENE: I HOPE YOU'LL BE BACK SOON.

>>JEFF: I LOVE IT, I WOULD LOVE TO, 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 .

WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT WEEK.

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 THE HEALY FOUNDATION, TAOS, NM.

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