♪ MUSIC 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 F. WE HAVE A VERY IMPORTANT SHOW TODAY BECAUSE OUR GUEST IS STEPHANIE GARCIA RICHARD, WHO IS THE LAND COMMISSIONER FOR THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO.

WHAT AN IMPORTANT JOB YOU HAVE, THANK YOU FOR COMING.

>>STEPHANIE: THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME, LORENE, IT'S ALWAYS A PLEASURE TO BE HERE WITH YOU.

>>LORENE: WELL, YOUR BACKGROUND IS SO EXTRAORDINARY, YOU'RE THE FIRST WOMAN TO HOLD THIS JOB, THE FIRST EDUCATOR TO HOLD THIS JOB.

IT'S SO WONDERFUL BECAUSE, WELL, YOU TELL US WHAT THE JOB, WHAT IS THE JOB OF THE LAND COMMISSIONER AND WHO DO YOU RAISE MONEY FOR?

>>STEPHANIE: RIGHT.

SO, THE REASON THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT IS BECAUSE THE MONEY FROM THIS OFFICE, AND REMEMBER, WE'RE TALKING IN THE BILLIONS OF DOLLARS.

THE MONEY FROM THIS OFFICE GOES TO PAY FOR PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN NEW MEXICO, PUBLIC UNIVERSITIES IN NEW MEXICO, AND A VARIETY OF OTHER INSTITUTIONS.

>>LORENE: HOSPITALS, INSTITUTIONS, YES.

>>STEPHANIE: CARRIE TINGLEY HOSPITAL GETS MONEY FROM THE STATE LAND OFFICE.

>>LORENE: LET'S TALK ABOUT YOUR BACKGROUND, BECAUSE IT'S SO INTERESTING.

TUCUMCARI IS WHERE YOU WERE BORN.

>>STEPHANIE: THAT'S RIGHT.

>>LORENE: YOU LIVED IN SILVER CITY AND LOS ALAMOS, YOU WERE A TEACHER, YOU WERE A NEW MEXICO STATE REPRESENTATIVE FOR FIVE YEARS AND TALK ABOUT THE ISSUES YOU WORKED ON WHEN YOU WERE A LEGISLATOR.

>>STEPHANIE: SO I HAD THE INCREDIBLE PRIVILEGE TO BE THE CHAIR OF THE HOUSE EDUCATION COMMITTEE WHEN I WAS IN THE STATE LEGISLATURE FOR ONE TERM, SO WE REALLY WERE ALL ABOUT MAKING SCHOOLS BETTER FOR STUDENTS AND TEACHERS.

THAT WAS OUR PRIMARY GOAL.

SO, ENSURING THAT WE WERE HAVING FAIRLY COMPENSATED SALARIES FOR TEACHERS, WE WANTED TO, YOU KNOW, MAKE SURE THAT IN OUR REGION HERE IN THE WESTERN PART OF THE UNITED STATES, THAT WE WEREN'T THE BOTTOM OF THE BARREL IN TERMS OF TEACHER PAY.

WE WANTED TO ENSURE THAT WE HAD OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE FOR STUDENTS ACROSS THE STATE, UNDERSTANDING THAT RURAL STUDENTS FACE DIFFERENT CHALLENGES THAN URBAN ONES DO.

SO A LOT OF MY WORK HAD TO DO WITH EDUCATION REFORM.

>>LORENE: A COUPLE OF OTHER VERY TOUCHY ISSUES THAT YOU CHAMPIONED, ONE WAS GUN CONTROL.

THAT IS JUST A RED FLAG FOR EVERYBODY, YOU JUST SAY THOSE WORDS AND PEOPLE, THE PARTISANSHIP IS VERY INTENSE.

>>STEPHANIE: JUST A REMINDER, LORENE, I CARRIED THAT BILL AT A TIME WHEN THERE WAS NOT A BAN ON HAVING FIREARMS AT THE STATE CAPITOL.

SO WE HAVE NOW METAL DETECTORS, YOU ARE NOT ALLOWED TO CARRY WEAPONS INSIDE THE CAPITOL, BUT AT THAT TIME, NONE OF THOSE PROVISIONS WERE IN PLACE.

WE HAD THE ENTIRE HOUSE GALLERY FILLED WITH PEOPLE WHO WERE OPENLY CARRYING AND IT WAS A TERRIFYING PERIOD OF TIME, BUT, YOU KNOW, I FELT THEN, AS I DO NOW, ABOUT SOME OF THE THINGS I CHAMPIONED.

WE EXPECT BOLDNESS IN OUR ELECTED LEADERS, WE EXPECT THEM TO BE OUT IN FRONT OF SOME OF THESE ISSUES, ESPECIALLY AS A SCHOOL TEACHER, LORENE ESPECIALLY CONSIDERING ALL OF THE, YOU KNOW, VERY TRAGIC SCHOOL SHOOTINGS THAT HAD OCCURRED EVEN AT THAT TIME.

I FELT THAT THAT THIS WAS AN IMPORTANT ISSUE AND THAT ISSUE THAT I WORKED ON WAS BACKGROUND CHECKS, I MEAN, IT WAS, YOU KNOW, YES RED FLAG, BUT, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING THAT WAS NOT TRYING TO LIMIT PEOPLE'S ACCESS, BUT JUST ENSURE THAT THERE WERE BACKGROUND CHECKS THAT PEOPLE HAD TO GO THROUGH BEFORE THEY HAD ACCESS TO A FIREARM.

>>LORENE: MENTAL HEALTH, FELONIES, ARMED ROBBERY, THINGS LIKE THAT, YOU HAVE TO KNOW, YOU HAVE TO FIND OUT.

>>STEPHANIE: EXACTLY.

>>LORENE: AND SOME OTHER ISSUES THAT YOU CHAMPIONED WERE FOR PREGNANT WOMEN AND THEN THE TIMELY PROCESSING OF RAPE KITS.

>>STEPHANIE: YEAH, SO WE HAD, AT THAT TIME, WE CALLED IT A BACKLOG, ESSENTIALLY, YOU KNOW, RAPE KITS HADN'T BEEN PROCESSED BY THE CORRECT, PUBLIC SAFETY OFFICES, SO WE GAVE AN APPROPRIATION OF A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF DOLLARS AND ASKED THAT THE POLICE DEPARTMENTS AROUND THE STATE, INCLUDING THE STATE POLICE DEPARTMENT, TO PRIORITIZE PROCESSING THE RAPE KITS, BECAUSE THAT WOULD GIVE THE VICTIMS A LITTLE BIT OF CLOSURE, ABILITY TO HAVE EVIDENCE BE PUT FORTH IN TRIALS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

SO WE TRIED TO ENSURE THAT THOSE WERE PROCESSED IN A TIMELY MANNER.

>>LORENE: ANOTHER THING YOU WORKED ON THAT WE'LL GET TO LATER WAS WORKING TO PROTECT AND PRESERVE CHACO CANYON BECAUSE, WELL WE'LL GET TO THAT, BUT PEOPLE WANTED TO DRILL RIGHT UP, YOU KNOW, AND IT ISN'T JUST THAT ONE LITTLE BIT OF CHACO CANYON THAT'S SACRED.

>>STEPHANIE: THE WHOLE LANDSCAPE.

>>LORENE: IT'S A WHOLE THING AND THE ROAD, BECAUSE THE ROAD THAT THEY FOUND THERE.

>>STEPHANIE: ANCIENT.

>>LORENE: AND IT WASN'T FOR TRADE AND TRANSPORTATION AND JOURNEYS, IT WAS A SACRED ROAD WITH A CURBING ON EACH SIDE WAS SEMI-SACRED OBJECTS PLACE ALONG, IT'S BEAUTIFUL.

YOU JUST DON'T WANT TO RUN SEMIS ON THAT.

THANK YOU FOR PROTECTING THEM.

SO IN 2018 YOU WERE ELECTED LAND COMMISSIONER AND IT JUST SEEMED LIKE WITH YOUR BACKGROUND, YOU LANDED IN THE SPOT WHERE YOU COULD REALLY MAKE A HUGE AMOUNT OF DIFFERENCE.

>>STEPHANIE: AND I FELT LIKE, BRING A FRESH PERSPECTIVE, I FEEL LIKE BECAUSE THE MONEY WE MAKE AT THE LAND OFFICE GOES TO PUBLIC SCHOOLS, AND I UNDERSTOOD THE VALUE OF EVERY DOLLAR INTO A CLASSROOM.

I FEEL LIKE I BROUGHT THAT PERSPECTIVE TO THE LAND OFFICE FOR THE FIRST TIME IN OUR HISTORY.

>>LORENE: RIGHT, RIGHT.

BECAUSE TO THEM IT WAS JUST NUMBERS ON A SPREADSHEET AND YOU KNEW IF EACH TEACHER HAD AN EXTRA $20 A MONTH, THEY WOULDN'T BE BUYING THE COLORED PENCILS FOR THEIR KIDS.

YOU KNOW, THEY COULD ACTUALLY USE IT FOR THE GOOD OF THE CHILDREN.

>>STEPHANIE: OR STUDENTS WOULD HAVE ACCESS TO COLORED PENCILS FOR THE FIRST TIME, MAYBE EVER.

>>LORENE: YEAH, YEAH, IT'S WONDERFUL.

TALK TO ME MORE ABOUT THE EXECUTIVE ORDER ABOUT CHACO CANYON, AND THE LAND USE RESTRICTIONS, BECAUSE IT'S NOT JUST NEW MEXICO.

AREN'T THERE MANY, FOUR, STATES INVOLVED.

>>STEPHANIE: THERE ARE FOUR STATES INVOLVED.

NOW, REMEMBER THAT WE, AS THE STATE LAND OFFICE OF NEW MEXICO, CAN ONLY IMPACT THE STATE LAND IN NEW MEXICO, BUT YOU'RE RIGHT THAT THE LANDSCAPE OF CHACO CANYON, GOES ACROSS THE FOUR CORNERS OF THOSE FOUR STATES, IN THE NORTHWEST PART OF NEW MEXICO.

SO FOR YOUR VIEWERS WHO ARE NOT FAMILIAR WITH CHACO CANYON, IT IS A SACRED LANDSCAPE TO NAVAJO CULTURE, TO PUEBLOAN CULTURES, HOPI.

THERE ARE A NUMBER OF PEOPLE STILL LIVING IN NEW MEXICO WITH CULTURAL AND SACRED TIES TO THAT LANDSCAPE.

YOU MENTIONED YOURSELF, THERE ARE CULTURAL, THEY CALL THEM TCP, TRADITIONAL CULTURAL PROPERTIES AND PLACES THAT ARE VALUED BY PEOPLE STILL HERE IN NEW MEXICO, STILL VALUING THOSE PLACES, STILL MAKING PILGRIMAGE TO THOSE PLACES.

SO IT WAS VITAL TO US AT THE STATE LAND OFFICE THAT WE DON'T JUST DO MASS DEVELOPMENT ACROSS THAT LANDSCAPE.

SO, THIS WAS BACK, WE ACTUALLY JUST RENEWED THIS EXECUTIVE ORDER, BUT ESSENTIALLY IT TAKES 70,000 ACRES OF STATE LAND OFF THE TABLE FOR THINGS LIKE OIL AND GAS DEVELOPMENT, LARGE SCALE DEVELOPMENT OF THAT SORT.

>>LORENE: AND IT'S PARTICULARLY TROUBLESOME BECAUSE ISN'T THAT AREA WHAT THEY CALL CHECKERBOARD, FEDERAL LAND, STATE LAND, BLM LAND, I MEAN IT JUST IT'S REALLY HARD.

>>STEPHANIE: IT IS HARD IN THAT CHECKERBOARD, YOU MENTIONED THE CHECKERBOARD NATURE OF THAT LAND, IT'S HARD TO HAVE CONSISTENT LAND MANAGEMENT IN THOSE PLACES.

SO OUR EXECUTIVE ORDER ONLY APPLIES TO STATE LAND IN THE CHACO REGION.

>>LORENE: IS THERE A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING OR DO THE OTHER SEE THE OIL AND GAS INTERESTS, DO THEY REALIZE THAT ONCE THEY TRASH THIS IT'S FOREVER AND IT HAS TO BE PRESERVED.

>>STEPHANIE: WELL, THANKFULLY, JUST A FEW YEARS AFTER WE PASSED OUR EXECUTIVE ORDER, THEN THE, DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR, THE SECRETARY OF INTERIOR, DEB HAALAND, THEN EXPANDED THEIR MINERAL WITHDRAWAL, THEY'RE CALLING IT A MINERAL WITHDRAWAL.

IT WAS FOR TWO DECADES, FOR 20 YEARS IN THAT SAME CHACO REGION FOR FEDERAL LAND.

SO NOW STATE LAND IS PROTECTED AND FEDERAL LAND.

>>LORENE: OH, GOOD, GOOD, GOOD.

THERE'S ANOTHER ELEMENT ABOUT METHANE FLARING.

WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH THAT, CAN YOU GIVE US AN UPDATE WITH METHANE?

>>STEPHANIE: SO, REMEMBER THAT WHEN THE CURRENT GOVERNOR, GOVERNOR LUJAN GRISHAM WAS FIRST CAMPAIGNING TO BE GOVERNOR, ONE OF THE TOP ISSUES THAT SHE WAS TALKING ABOUT BECAUSE THERE WAS THE METHANE FLARES SEEN FROM SPACE, DO YOU REMEMBER THIS?

>>LORENE: I REMEMBER IT PUT US ON THE MAP, WE WERE THE WORST IN NORTH AMERICA, WEREN'T WE?

>>STEPHANIE: SO THESE WERE NASA CAMERAS THAT PICKED UP THE FLARE IN THE NORTHWEST AND SO SHE REALLY CAMPAIGNED ON THIS IDEA THAT WE WOULD GET A HANDLE ON WHAT SHE CALLED METHANE CAPTURE.

SO ESSENTIALLY WHEN SHE WAS ELECTED GOVERNOR, SHE DIRECTED THE DEPARTMENTS OF ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY TO PROMULGATE RULES TO REQUIRE AND MANDATE THAT COMPANIES NO LONGER JUST FLARE OFF OR RELEASE THEIR EXTRA METHANE, BUT THAT THAT WAS CAPTURED, AND SHE SUCCESSFULLY DID THAT.

WE WERE A NEGOTIATING PARTY IN THOSE RULEMAKING AND SO THEY IMPACT STATE LAND AS WELL.

ONE THING THAT I DO WANT TO MENTION JUST FOR YOUR VIEWERS IMAGINATIONS, TOM UDALL USED TO TALK ABOUT THIS ISSUE, AND HE WOULD SAY THAT IT'S BECAUSE THERE'S A VALUE, AN INHERENT VALUE TO METHANE, IT'S AN ENERGY RESOURCE.

IT WOULD BE LIKE LIGHTING A $100 BILL ON FIRE, THAT'S THE IMPACT, ESSENTIALLY, OF LIGHTING THIS METHANE ON FIRE RATHER THAN CAPTURING IT AND REUSING IT FOR ENERGY PURPOSES.

>>LORENE: ANOTHER ELEMENT THAT YOU'VE TALKED ABOUT NO NEW MINING LEASES IN SOME OF THESE AREAS, BUT TALK ABOUT THE GOLD KING MINE SPILL AND WHAT THAT DID TO US AND HOW THAT HAS AFFECTED PERHAPS NEW REGULATIONS.

>>STEPHANIE: YEAH, WE WERE DOWNSTREAM IN NEW MEXICO FROM THAT GOLD KING MINE SPILL THAT HAPPENED NORTH OF OUR BORDER IN COLORADO.

AND ESSENTIALLY WHAT IT DID, I MEAN, YOU KNOW, I TALKED TO FOLKS IN THE FARMINGTON REGION ON THE SAN JUAN RIVER THAT TALKED ABOUT THE SILT AND DEPOSITS IN THE RIVER JUST BEING BROWN AND BLACK FROM THE ALL OF THE RELEASE THAT HAPPENED UPRIVER FROM US.

SO, ESSENTIALLY IT WAS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY, THE EPA, THE FEDERAL AGENCY THAT THAT LOOKS INTO CLEAN WATER, THAT THERE WERE SOME TIGHTENING UP OF REGULATIONS AROUND MINE SPILLS AFTER THAT PARTICULAR RELEASE.

>>LORENE: GOOD.

WELL, WE'RE SPEAKING TODAY WITH STEPHANIE GARCIA RICHARD, THE LAND COMMISSIONER FOR THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO.

I WANT TO TALK ABOUT A VERY IMPORTANT THING THAT YOU WERE DOING FOR NEW MEXICANS.

SO THIS LEGISLATURE, YOU ARE INTRODUCING A BILL THAT WOULD RAISE THE PERCENT GIVEN TO THE STATE LAND OFFICE FROM ALL OF THE OIL AND GAS LARGESSE, OUR NEW MEXICAN BOUNTY THAT ALL THE STATES AROUND US CHARGED 25% AND WE WERE ONLY CHARGING 20%.

THANK YOU, TELL US HOW THAT WORKED AND WHAT THE RESPONSE HAS BEEN.

IS THE LEGISLATURE RESPONSIVE TO IT, IT'S OUR MONEY, IT'S OUR RESOURCES.

>>STEPHANIE: SO TO ANSWER THAT LAST QUESTION FIRST, THE LEGISLATURE IS ABSOLUTELY RESPONSIVE TO IT BECAUSE THE HOUSE PASSED IT OFF OF THE HOUSE FLOOR LAST SESSION FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER.

WE'VE BEEN CARRYING THIS BILL A FEW YEARS NOW, AND THE HOUSE FINALLY PASSED IT OFF THE HOUSE FLOOR.

SO THIS YEAR WE ARE STARTING IT IN THE SENATE TO TRY AND GET IT THROUGH THAT CHAMBER FIRST, IN HOPES THAT WE CAN GET IT THROUGH THE HOUSE AS WE DID LAST TIME.

SO ESSENTIALLY, THE LONG AND THE SHORT OF IT IS THIS.

YOU'RE RIGHT, WE OWN NEW MEXICO, OWNS OUR OWN OIL AND GAS MINERALS.

OIL AND GAS COMPANIES COME TO NEW MEXICO AND SAY, HEY, WE HAVE THE TECHNOLOGY, WE HAVE THE RESOURCES TO DEVELOP THOSE MINERALS ON YOUR BEHALF AND BY THE WAY, THEY'RE GOING TO FETCH A PRETTY PROFIT IN THE MARKET.

SO WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO IS WE'RE GOING TO DO A PROFIT SHARE WITH YOU, YOU ALL GET TO KEEP 20% OF THE PROFIT AND WE AS THE COMPANY GET TO KEEP 80% OF THE PROFIT.

WHICH, YOU KNOW, THE PROFIT SHARE MAKES SENSE BECAUSE WE DON'T DEVELOP THOSE MINERALS OURSELVES, SOMEONE ELSE DEVELOPS THEM FOR US.

THE THING THAT'S THE RUB IS THAT IN OTHER STATES, LIKE THE PROGRESSIVE STATE OF TEXAS RIGHT NEXT DOOR, THAT SHARES THE PERMIAN BASIN WITH US, THOSE OIL AND GAS COMPANIES PAY THE STATE 25%, AND THEY ONLY GET TO KEEP 75% OF THE PROFITS FOR THEMSELVES.

SO ALL WE'RE SAYING IS WE WANT TO BE ON THE SAME LEVEL PLAYING FIELD AS TEXAS.

>>LORENE: I THINK COLORADO ALSO, I THINK THE SURROUNDING STATES, EXCEPT MAYBE UTAH.

>>STEPHANIE: WE ARE ONE OF THE LOWEST LORENE, WE ARE ONE OF THE STATES THAT HAS THE LOWEST, BASICALLY PROFIT SHARING, OF OUR OWN MINERALS THAT WE OWN.

>>LORENE: WELL, I WILL WATCH THIS DURING THE SESSION.

I'M TRUSTING THAT THE RIGHT THING WILL BE DONE IN THE SENATE.

>>STEPHANIE: AND JUST AS AN ASIDE, THAT 5% ADDITIONAL MAY NOT SEEM LIKE A LOT, BUT OVER THE COURSE OF THESE LEASES, WHAT THAT REALLY MEANS IS BILLIONS, BILLIONS OF DOLLARS.

AND THAT PROJECTION DIDN'T COME FROM US, THE PROJECTION CAME FROM THE LFC, FROM THE SIC, THAT WE ARE LEAVING ON THE TABLE.

>>LORENE: STATE INVESTMENT COUNCIL.

>>STEPHANIE: STATE INVESTMENT COUNCIL, LEGISLATIVE FINANCE COMMITTEE SAYS WE ARE LEAVING SAYS WE ARE LEAVING BILLIONS OF DOLLARS ON THE TABLE BY NOT ADDING THIS ADDITIONAL 5% OF ROYALTY.

>>LORENE: RIGHT, YES, YES.

HOW MUCH, HOW MUCH IS THIS GOING TO SAVE EACH INDIVIDUAL HOUSEHOLD?

>>STEPHANIE: RIGHT.

>>LORENE: I THINK WE NEED TO REALLY EMPHASIZE THAT.

>>STEPHANIE: THAT I IS AN IMPORTANT POINT FOR YOUR VIEWERS.

WHEN I FIRST TOOK OFFICE AT THE STATE LAND OFFICE, THE MONEY THAT WE BROUGHT IN, THAT WE BRING IN AND WE PAY FOR PUBLIC SCHOOLS, MEANT THAT EACH STATE TAXPAYING HOUSEHOLD DIDN'T HAVE TO PAY $1,500 PER YEAR IN THEIR TAXES.

WELL NOW, WE'RE MAKING SO MUCH, IN FACT, A RECORD 2.6 BILLION, SECOND ONLY TO OUR 2.7 BILLION PRIOR, BECAUSE WE'RE MAKING SO MUCH MONEY, WE ARE NOW SAVING TAXPAYING HOUSEHOLDS $3,000 A YEAR THAT YOUR AVERAGE TAXPAYING HOUSEHOLD IN NEW MEXICO DOESN'T HAVE TO PAY BECAUSE THE STATE LAND OFFICE IS MAKING ALL THAT MONEY.

>>LORENE: WELL, AS A TAXPAYER, I THANK YOU, AND I'M HAPPY TO GET THIS WORD OUT TO NEW MEXICANS WHO KNOW WHAT YOU'RE DOING, BOTH TO PROTECT AND PRESERVE OUR RESOURCES, BUT ALSO TO PROTECT OUR TAXPAYERS.

THAT MORATORIUM ON OIL AND GAS LEASING IN THE CHACO REGION THAT WAS ISSUED IN 2019, IT WAS GOING TO EXPIRE AT THE END OF THIS YEAR, NOW, HOW MUCH LONGER HAVE YOU BEEN ABLE TO EXTEND IT.

>>STEPHANIE: WE EXTENDED IT INTO THE 2040S.

THE ISSUE THAT WE'RE DEALING WITH RIGHT NOW IS THAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR A PARTY WHO IS WILLING TO PAY FOR THAT NEGATIVE EASEMENT.

IF WE CAN HAVE A CONTRACT, WE'RE ESSENTIALLY A GROUP WHO IS INTERESTED IN PROTECTING CHACO, PAYS US FOR NOT DEVELOPING, THEN IT DOESN'T MATTER.

A FUTURE LAND COMMISSIONER COULD COME IN, THAT ORDER WILL NOT REVERSE AS LONG AS IT'S PAID FOR.

SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE WORKING ON NOW.

>>LORENE: ANOTHER THING THAT YOU'VE BEEN WORKING ON IS PLUGGING THE ABANDONED OIL WELLS, NOT ONLY JUST TO THE METHANE FLARING, BUT DO YOU HAVE AN INVENTORY OF HOW MANY ABANDONED OIL WELLS THERE ARE AND ARE THEY LEAKING.

>>STEPHANIE: YES.

SO ON STATE LAND ONLY, SO THIS IS NOT STATEWIDE, ON STATE LAND ONLY WE'VE GOT ABOUT 1100 WELLS THAT ARE WHAT WE TERM ABANDONED.

THEY ARE NO LONGER PRODUCING, AND THEY NEED TO BE PROPERLY PLUGGED.

OF THOSE 1100, WE HAVE PLUGGED OVER 600 OF THOSE WELLS, WE SUCCESSFULLY PLUGGED OVER 600.

YES AND FURTHERMORE, IT HAS NOT BEEN ON THE TAXPAYER DIME.

WE'RE NOT MAKING TAXPAYERS PAY FOR THIS PLUGGING, AT THE EXPENSE OF THE COMPANIES.

>>LORENE: AS IT SHOULD BE, AS IT SHOULD BE.

>>STEPHANIE: YOU MAKE A MESS, YOU CLEAN IT UP, THAT'S KINDERGARTEN LAW.

>>LORENE: SO YOU HAD MENTIONED EARLIER TO ME THAT YOU'RE QUADRUPLING THE AMOUNT, LET'S TALK ABOUT RENEWABLES.

SO, YOU THINK LAND COMMISSION AND OIL AND GASSES ARE RICH INHERITANCE AS A STATE, BUT SO IS SUN AND WIND.

SO, WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH RENEWABLES?

>>STEPHANIE: THAT'S RIGHT.

WE HAD LAST TIME WE WERE WITH YOU TALKED ABOUT QUADRUPLING, WE HAVE NOW INCREASED OUR RENEWABLE ENERGY ON STATE LAND SIXFOLD AND THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF THAT, I MEAN, WE'VE GOT THESE LARGE SCALE PROJECTS LIKE SUNZIA THAT YOU'VE PROBABLY HEARD OF.

BUT REALLY WHAT EXCITES ME IS THAT THE LEGISLATURE PASSED A BILL ON COMMUNITY SOLAR, ALLOWING LOCAL NEIGHBORHOODS, TRIBES, MUNICIPALITIES TO GENERATE THEIR OWN RENEWABLE ENERGY.

AND EIGHT OF THOSE PROJECTS HAVE ALREADY BEEN APPROVED ON STATE LAND, IN PLACES LIKE GRANT COUNTY, VALENCIA COUNTY, DONA ANA COUNTY, NOT ONLY WILL THOSE PROJECTS POWER ABOUT A THOUSAND HOMES EACH, BUT THEY ALSO MAKE MONEY.

SO AS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, RAISING REVENUE FOR PUBLIC SCHOOLS, THOSE WILL BRING IN ALMOST $3 MILLION OVER THE LIFETIME OF THOSE PROJECTS.

>>LORENE: THERE'S SO MANY OTHER THINGS I WANT TO ASK YOU ABOUT.

ONE LITTLE SIDE NOTE, BECAUSE OUR OUTDOOR RECREATION IS SUCH AN INDUSTRY IN OUR STATE, BUT YOU NEGOTIATED A RIGHT OF WAY WITH THE BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT SO THAT HIKERS WHO ARE HIKING THE TRAILS.

>>STEPHANIE: CONTINENTAL DIVIDE TRAILS.

>>LORENE: THEY DON'T HAVE TO GO AROUND, THEY'RE ALLOWED EASEMENT TO JUST ACTUALLY PROGRESS IN THE REAL ORDER OF THE TRAIL AND NOT HAVE TO GET OFF OF THIS PIECE OF LAND.

>>STEPHANIE: SO THIS THIS ACTUALLY ADDRESSES WHAT YOU BROUGHT UP PREVIOUSLY ABOUT THE CHECKERBOARD NATURE OF LAND IN NEW MEXICO.

YOU COULD GO DOWN A TRAIL LORENE AND CROSS THROUGH PRIVATE LAND, STATE LAND, FEDERAL LAND, TRIBAL LAND.

WHAT WE WANTED TO DO WITH THIS AGREEMENT WITH BLM IS ENSURE THAT HIKERS WHO ARE GOING DOWN ONE TRAIL DON'T HAVE TO KEEP STOPPING AND NEGOTIATING WITH EACH LAND MANAGEMENT AGENCY.

>>LORENE: MY LORD, YES.

IMAGINE HOW LONG, HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO HIKE FROM THE TEXAS BORDER.

>>STEPHANIE: IT'S 3000 MILES.

WELL, NO, YOU START AT BASICALLY THE BOOT HEEL OF NEW MEXICO AND IT GOES ALL THE WAY UP TO THE CANADIAN BORDER.

>>LORENE: OH MY GOODNESS.

I KNOW THAT'S ON THE BUCKET LIST FOR A WHOLE LOT OF PEOPLE AND HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE.

>>STEPHANIE: IT TAKES ABOUT SIX MONTHS.

THE REASON I KNOW THIS IS BECAUSE MY HUSBAND IS, A VERY PASSIONATE HIKER, HE HAS NOT DONE THE ENTIRE CDT, BUT HE'S DONE SECTIONS.

>>LORENE: WELL, THAT'S REALLY NICE BECAUSE YOU CAN DO LIKE A ONE DAY AND THEN COME BACK IN A MONTH AND DO ANOTHER ONE.

IT'S NOT SOMETHING I WILL PROBABLY DO, BUT I CAN SEE TO WALK THIS BELOVED STATE.

>>STEPHANIE: AND IT TAKES YOU THROUGH SOME OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL LANDSCAPES, THE GILA WILDERNESS DOWN IN THE SOUTHERN PART OF THE STATE WHERE I'M ORIGINALLY FROM, IS ON THE CDT, THE WIND RIVER RANGE UP IN WYOMING IS ON THE CDT.

I MEAN, IT'S JUST REALLY PRISTINE, GORGEOUS LANDSCAPES.

>>LORENE: YES, YES.

I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR EFFORTS TO PRESERVE AS MUCH OF THAT AS WE CAN, BUT LIKE YOU SAY, WITH THE CHECKERBOARD THING IS VERY, VERY COMPLICATED.

WHAT ELSE DO PEOPLE NEED TO KNOW ABOUT WHAT YOU'RE DOING, BECAUSE FINANCIALLY AND IN TERMS OF PRESERVING OUR STATE AND ITS BEAUTY, I JUST WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW THIS IS A MULTI-PRONGED APPROACH, AND WE ARE THE BENEFICIARIES.

>>STEPHANIE: YEAH.

SO WE TALKED, YOU KNOW, ABOUT A NUMBER OF THINGS ALREADY, RECORD REVENUE INTO THE OFFICE, ENSURING THAT WE'RE DIVERSIFYING AND PROTECTING THE LAND ALONG THOSE PROTECTION PIECES BECAUSE THE LAND THAT WE MANAGE IS ANCESTRAL LAND OF OUR 22 NAMED PUEBLOS, APACHE NATIONS, NAVAJO NATION, WE HAVE REALLY IMPLEMENTED CULTURAL PROTECTIONS ON THE LAND, WE REQUIRE NOW ARCHEOLOGICAL SURVEYS, TRIBAL CONSULTATION BEFORE YOU MOVE A SPADE OF STATE LAND, YOU'VE GOT TO ENSURE THAT THERE ARE NO TRIBAL CULTURAL SITES.

>>LORENE: BURIAL GROUNDS.

>>STEPHANIE: BURIAL GROUNDS, ARCHEOLOGICAL SITES ON THE LAND WE ARE REALLY, TRYING TO WORK ON OUR PARTNERSHIPS WITH THE TRIBAL ENTITIES IN NEW MEXICO WHO ALREADY LEAD THE WAY IN LAND MANAGEMENT HERE.

>>LORENE: INDEED, INDEED.

SO ONE OF THE THINGS YOU'VE BEEN DOING IS WORKING WITH LAND GRANT COMMUNITIES TO CLEAR FORESTED LAND AND USE THE WOOD.

>>STEPHANIE: PROVIDE FUEL WOOD.

>>LORENE: BUT DOES THAT INCLUDE THE BURN SCARS FROM THE FIRES AROUND MORA.

THAT'S A LOT OF WOOD.

>>STEPHANIE: UP IN THE NORTHEAST PART OF THE STATE WHERE WE DID HAVE, YOUR VIEWERS WILL REMEMBER, IT WAS BACK, NOW 2022.

CALF CANYON, HERMITS PEAK FIRES.

SOME OF THOSE IMPACTED STATE LAND, WE HAD COOK'S PEAK FIRE ON STATE LAND, AND THERE WAS A LOT OF DEVASTATION IN THAT AREA THAT WE ARE NOW HAVING TO GO IN AND DO REMEDIATION ON CLEARING OUT OF DEAD AND DOWN WOOD.

I WILL TELL YOU THAT WE HAVE A PROGRAM AT THE STATE LAND OFFICE WHERE WE RESTORE THE LAND.

WE PARTICIPATE IN FUEL REDUCTION PROGRAMS WHERE WE'RE GOING IN AND THINNING OUT VERY LARGE AND DENSE SWATHS OF STATE LAND TO ENSURE THAT IF THOSE, YOU KNOW, GOD FORBID, A CONFLAGRATION EVER STARTED THAT THE INTENSITY, THE SPEED WOULD NOT GET TO THOSE CALF CANYON, HERMITS PEAK LEVELS.

>>LORENE: EXHIBIT A, THE PALISADES FIRE, ALL THE CALIFORNIA FIRES.

WE'RE AS DRY AS THEY ARE AND IF WE CAN AMELIORATE MAYBE, YOU KNOW, FUTURE LOSSES, THEN THANK GOODNESS.

>>STEPHANIE: WE'RE DOING WHAT WE CAN TO REDUCE FUEL LOADS, THAT THAT REALLY IS A HUGE PIECE OF HOW HOT A FIRE GETS, HOW HOT IT BURNS, HOW FAST IT BURNS.

>>LORENE: AND IS THERE ANYONE IN THE AREAS WHERE YOU'RE DOING THAT WHO OBJECTS, BECAUSE I THINK THEY WOULD SAY THANK YOU.

WE DON'T WANT TO LOSE, YOU KNOW, THESE FORESTS.

>>STEPHANIE: I THINK IN NEW MEXICO, WITH WHAT WE'VE GONE THROUGH WITH OUR WILDFIRES, I THINK IT'S PRETTY AGREED UPON THAT ENSURING WE HAVE HEALTHY FORESTS IS KEY, TOP OF MIND PRIORITY FOR ALL OF THE LAND MANAGEMENT AGENCIES AND THE WAY THAT WE PARTNER WITH THE LAND GRANT ASSOCIATION AND THE INDIVIDUAL LAND GRANTS IS THAT THE WOOD THAT'S CUT DOWN AND THINNED OUT, WE ARE PROVIDING THAT FOR FUEL WOOD FOR THE WINTER, FOR LAND GRANT COMMUNITIES.

>>LORENE: OH THAT'S WONDERFUL, THAT'S ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL.

WELL, WHAT CAN THE AVERAGE NEW MEXICAN DO TO HELP YOU AND DO YOU HAVE A CALL TO ACTION FOR US.

I THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU'RE DOING, WE'RE VERY GRATEFUL.

>>STEPHANIE: WELL, CERTAINLY WITH THE LEGISLATURE COMING UP, MY CALL TO ACTION IS REALLY ON THAT ROYALTY BILL AND ENSURING THAT WE ARE ASKING OUR LEGISLATORS TO CONSIDER ADDING BILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO OUR COFFERS FROM STATE LAND.

>>LORENE: AND SINCE CITIZENS, EACH HOUSEHOLD WOULD SAVE $3,000.

>>STEPHANIE: THAT'S REAL MONEY.

>>LORENE: THAT'S REAL MONEY AND I THINK PEOPLE WILL.

THIS WILL BE A BILL THAT I'LL BE FOLLOWING VERY CLOSELY.

IT MAKES SENSE TO ME THAT IT WOULD BE WELL SUPPORTED, BUT THEN I'VE WORKED HERE TOO LONG TO KNOW WHAT SENSE TO ME, DOESN'T ALWAYS MAKE SENSE TO EVERYONE ELSE.

YOU ARE MAKING GREAT SENSE.

IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE THAT PEOPLE... >>STEPHANIE: LORENE, IF I COULD JUST BRAG ON THE STATE LAND OFFICE EMPLOYEES FOR JUST A MOMENT.

>>LORENE: YOU'VE GOTTEN ALL THOSE AWARDS, OH MY GOODNESS.

>>STEPHANIE: SO WE HAVE HAD NOW TWO YEARS IN A ROW, THE ALBUQUERQUE JOURNAL RUNS THIS SURVEY WHERE THEY RANK THE WORK PLACES IN NEW MEXICO, THEN THE USA TODAY ALSO DOES THAT NATIONALLY.

SO TWO YEARS IN A ROW NOW WE'VE WON AN ALBUQUERQUE JOURNAL TOP WORKPLACE AWARD AND A USA TODAY NATIONAL TOP WORK PLACE AWARD.

>>LORENE: EXACTLY.

>>STEPHANIE: AND THIS LAST YEAR IN 2024, WE ACTUALLY WERE THE TOP RANKED GOVERNMENT AGENCY IN THE COUNTRY, IN THE COUNTRY.

THAT HAS TO DO WITH, NOT STEPHANIE, THAT HAS TO DO WITH THE 190 DEDICATED STATE LAND OFFICE EMPLOYEES, SOME OF WHOM WHO HAVE WORKED FOR THE LAND OFFICE FOR LONGER THAN I'VE BEEN ALIVE, LORENE, BRINGING IN THIS MONEY, CARING FOR THE LAND, TAKING THEIR JOB SERIOUSLY, REALLY PRIORITIZING THE MISSION OF THE STATE LAND OFFICE.

THEY UNDERSTAND ITS IMPORTANCE, MAYBE ALMOST MORE THAN I DO.

>>LORENE: YEAH, I THINK I READ PART OF THAT SURVEY AND ONE OF THE QUESTION WAS DOES YOUR WORK HAVE MEANING AND YOU GET A PERCENTAGE RESPONSE IN THE 90S, BECAUSE PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, YOUR EMPLOYEES ARE REALLY DEDICATED TO THIS AND THEY KNOW HOW IMPORTANT IT IS.

THAT'S A PHENOMENAL AWARD.

>>STEPHANIE: I ALWAYS SAY WE DON'T ARGUE AT THE LAND OFFICE ABOUT WHAT OUR JOB IS, BECAUSE OUR JOB IS ACTUALLY LINED OUT IN OUR STATE'S CONSTITUTION AND OUR STATE STATUTES.

RAISE MONEY FOR NEW MEXICO'S PUBLIC SCHOOLS, BUT DON'T DAMAGE THE LAND WHILE YOU'RE DOING IT.

THAT'S ESSENTIALLY OUR MANDATE.

>>LORENE: WELL, YOU ARE FULFILLING IT BEAUTIFULLY.

OUR GUEST TODAY IS STEPHANIE GARCIA RICHARD, WHO IS THE LAND COMMISSIONER FOR THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO.

THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE AND THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DO.

>>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 .

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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