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 >>LORENE: HELLO, I AM LORENE MILLS AND WELCOME TO REPORT FROM SANTA FE .

OUR GUEST TODAY IS NEW MEXICO'S COMMISSIONER FOR PUBLIC LANDS, STEPHANIE GARCIA RICHARD, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

>>STEPHANIE: THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME, LORENE.

I ALWAYS LOVE TO COME AND CHAT WITH YOU ABOUT WHAT IS GOING ON AT THE STATE LAND OFFICE.

>>LORENE: WELL I LOVE IT BECAUSE I REALLY WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW BECAUSE OF YOUR WORK, WHAT YOU THE LAND OFFICE DO WHICH YOU ARE GOING TO TELL US ABOUT, YOU ARE SAVING THE TAXPAYERS SO MUCH MONEY.

SO, WHAT IS THE STATE OFFICE OF PUBLIC LANDS AND WHAT DO YOU DO?

>>STEPHANIE: SO ESSENTIALLY THIS IS AN ELECTED OFFICE, SO CONSTITUTIONAL OFFICERS SIMILAR TO, YOU KNOW, STATEWIDE OFFICERS, SECRETARY OF STATE, STATE AUDITOR, SECRETARY OF STATE, AG, ALL OF THOSE FOLKS ARE ELECTED STATEWIDE AND HAVE A CONSTITUTIONAL MISSION, SAME WITH THE STATE LAND COMMISSIONER.

SO I OVERSEE 13 MILLION ACRES OF OUR STATE'S PUBLIC LAND AND I DO THAT TO DRAW REVENUE FOR NEW MEXICO'S PUBLIC SCHOOLS, UNIVERSITIES, HOSPITALS AND OTHER VARIOUS INSTITUTIONS, MILITARY SCHOOL DOWN IN ROSWELL, SCHOOL FOR THE DEAF HERE IN SANTA FE, SCHOOL FOR THE BLIND DOWN IN ALAMOGORDO.

ALL OF THOSE ARE BENEFICIARIES OF MY OFFICE.

THE FIRST YEAR I CAME IN THERE WAS A LOT OF CONSTERNATION ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHO IS THIS WOMAN, SHE IS COMING FROM THE CLASSROOM, FROM THE STATEHOUSE, HOW IS SHE GOING TO RUN THINGS IN THE LAND OFFICE AND WE ACTUALLY BROKE OUR VERY FIRST RECORD, A BILLION DOLLARS FOR THE VERY FIRST TIME IN THE LAND OFFICE.

>>LORENE: BUT WHAT WAS EXTRAORDINARY IN A WAY THAT WAS THE PERFECT BACKGROUND.

WE ARE VERY LUCKY TO HAVE YOU BECAUSE AS AN EDUCATOR, AND SINCE THE BENEFICIARY OF THESE FUNDS IS EDUCATION, AND ALSO AS YOU WERE A LAWMAKER, YOU SAW HOW BUDGETS WORKED AND HOW AND WHERE TO PORTION MONIES WHO NEEDS WHAT TO DO IT RIGHT.

SO IT WAS A REAL GIFT THAT WE HAD YOU WITH YOUR EXPERIENCE.

>>STEPHANIE: WELL ABSOLUTELY, I UNDERSTAND THE MEANING OF A DOLLAR IN A CLASSROOM.

HOW FAR THAT NEEDS TO BE STRETCHED, WHAT THAT MEANS.

AND SO WITH THAT BILLION DOLLARS, COVID HIT AND WE HAD SOME CHALLENGES TO GET THROUGH, BUT THEN WE BROKE VERY QUICKLY TWO BILLION DOLLARS FOR THE FIRST TIME AT THE LAND OFFICE.

GUESS WHAT, LORENE.

>>LORENE: WHAT?

>>STEPHANIE: THIS YEAR.

>>LORENE: YES.

>>STEPHANIE: WE ARE SET TO BREAK THREE.

>>LORENE: OH, MY GOODNESS.

THAT'S THREE WITH A "B"!

>>STEPHANIE: IN ONE YEAR, YES.

BILLION.

EVERYONE MAKES FUN OF ME AND MY SORT OF... >>LORENE: THAT'S BECAUSE WE CAN'T IMAGINE THAT.

>>STEPHANIE: THREE BILLION.

>>LORENE: THREE BILLION WITH A "B".

>>STEPHANIE: YEAH, THAT'S RIGHT.

>>LORENE: CONGRATULATIONS.

>>STEPHANIE: SO WHAT THAT MEANS FOR NEW MEXICANS, NEW MEXICO TAX PAYING HOUSEHOLDS, IS, WE, ACCORDING TO OUR CALCULATIONS, ARE SAVING ABOUT TWO THOUSAND DOLLARS A YEAR OF UNPAID TAXES, RIGHT, FOR NEW MEXICO TAX PAYING HOUSEHOLDS AN AVERAGE OF TWO THOUSAND DOLLARS A YEAR, THAT THEY DON'T HAVE TO PAY FOR OUR PUBLIC SERVICES.

PUBLIC EDUCATION IS A PUBLIC GOOD THAT WE ALL PARTICIPATE IN PROVIDING AND THAT IS A COST THAT IS NOT BORNE BY TAXPAYERS BECAUSE THE LAND OFFICE EXISTS AND MAKES THAT MONEY FOR PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

>>LORENE: AND THAT IS WHY I LOVE HAVING YOU HERE.

I, AS A TAXPAYER, AM VERY GRATEFUL TO YOU, BUT I KNOW THAT YOU HAVE BROUGHT THE PERFECT BACKGROUND TO IT.

YOU WERE THE FIRST WOMAN LAND COMMISSIONER AND THE FIRST EDUCATOR, AND YOU ALSO WERE A LAWMAKER, SO IT IS LIKE A TRIFECTA OF SKILLS THAT YOU BROUGHT TO THIS AND AT A TIME WHEN WE HAD ENOUGH MONEY TO REALLY THINK ABOUT WHAT TO INVEST IN.

>>STEPHANIE: ABSOLUTELY, ABSOLUTELY.

I MEAN THERE ARE A NUMBER OF THINGS THAT WE COULD TALK ABOUT.

EARLY CHILDHOOD IS A PARTICULAR PASSION OF MINE.

SO, YOU REMEMBER THAT FIRST THE STATE LEGISLATURE AND THEN THE VOTERS OF NEW MEXICO IN THIS LAST ELECTION, IT WAS JUST, YOU KNOW, SIX MONTHS AGO, APPROVED THE CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT TO PAY FOR UNIVERSAL EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION FOR EVERY THREE AND FOUR-YEAR-OLD IN NEW MEXICO.

THAT MONEY COMES FROM THE OFFICE I HOLD.

>>LORENE: YES, AND THAT IS THE BEST INVESTMENT WE CAN DO.

>>STEPHANIE: ABSOLUTELY.

>>LORENE: ALWAYS IN OUR CHILDREN, ALWAYS IN OUR CHILDREN.

BUT YOU HAVE AFFECTED US ON SO MANY LEVELS BECAUSE YOU ARE A PROTECTOR OF PUBLIC LANDS, YOU HAVE MADE A WHOLE LOT OF LAWS... OH WAIT, LET'S TALK ABOUT THE OFFICE HOLD IT.

WELL, I AM GOING TO GO RIGHT TO RENEWALABLE ENERGY.

SO UNDER YOUR AUSPICES, YOU SET UP THE OFFICE OF RENEWABLE ENERGY, WHICH WAS VOTED IN BY THE LEGISLATURE IN 2023.

>>STEPHANIE: THE LAST SESSION.

>>LORENE: OKAY SO THAT IS A CREDENTIALED OFFICE NOW, BUT WHAT DOES IT DO?

>>STEPHANIE: RIGHT, THAT IS A CREDENTIALED OFFICE, WHAT A GREAT WAY TO DESCRIBE IT.

THE LAND OFFICE NEVER HAD, SOMETHING THAT FOCUSED PRIMARILY AND SPECIFICALLY ON BUILDING OUT RENEWABLE ENERGY ON STATE LAND.

WE ALL LIVE IN NEW MEXICO, AND WE KNOW WE HAVE INCREDIBLE WIND AND SOLAR RESOURCES, WE SHOULD BE TAPPING INTO THOSE TO MAKE MONEY ON BEHALF OF NEW MEXICANS.

THIS WAS ACTUALLY SOMETHING WE CREATED MY FIRST YEAR THERE AND YOU KNOW AT THAT TIME IT WAS NOT IN STATUTE.

NOW, THANKS TO REPRESENTATIVE TARA LUJAN, REPRESENTATIVE DEBBIE SARI�ANA WERE BOTH CHAMPIONS AND CO-SPONSORS OF THAT BILL, CARRIED IT THROUGH, IT WAS SIGNED BY THE GOVERNOR, BIPARTISANLY SUPPORTED IN THE STATE LEGISLATURE AND ESSENTIALLY THEIR MISSION IS TO GO OUT AND TO ENSURE THAT WE HAVE DEVELOPERS THAT COME TO US TO GENERATE WIND, SOLAR, TO STORE RENEWABLE ENERGY ON SITE.

ALL OF THE GREAT THINGS TO ACTUALLY NOT ONLY DRAW REVENUE, BUT TO HELP NEW MEXICO MEET ITS RENEWABLE ENERGY GOALS.

SO THE GOVERNOR ACTUALLY SET FORTH SOME PRETTY, I WOULD SAY ROBUST, ENERGY GOALS FOR NEW MEXICO AND THE RENEWABLE ENERGY WE BUILD OUT ON STATE LAND HELPS US MEET THOSE VERY ROBUST GOALS.

>>LORENE: OH THAT IS WONDERFUL, THAT IS WONDERFUL.

WELL, HOW ELSE ARE YOU USING STATE LANDS BECAUSE I KNOW THAT YOU HAVE DONE SOME WORK WITH EXPANDING OUTDOOR RECREATION AND YOU MADE RIGHT OF WAY AGREEMENT WITH BLM, THE BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT, ON THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE TRAIL SO THEY NO LONGER HAVE TO BE PERMITTED TO CONTINUE ON THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE TRAIL, YOU DON'T HAVE TO, THERE WERE BARRIERS TO CONTINUE ON THE PATH.

>>STEPHANIE: ABSOLUTELY.

>>LORENE: AND NOW YOU SAID, LOOK IT'S COOL, YOU CAN WALK ACROSS STATE LAND TO GET TO THE REST OF THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE TRAILS.

>>STEPHANIE: THAT'S A GREAT WAY TO DESCRIBE IT, YES.

PEOPLE WHO HAVE RECREATED IN NEW MEXICO UNDERSTAND THE CHALLENGES THAT WE HAVE WITH THE CHECKERBOARD NATURE OF LAND HERE.

SO WE HAVE GOT PRIVATE, RIGHT UP AGAINST TRIBAL, RIGHT UP AGAINST FEDERAL AND STATE, RIGHT?

SO WHAT WE DECIDED TO DO WAS STREAMLINE THAT ROUTE OF THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE TRIAL, WHICH BY THE WAY, GOES FROM THE BORDER OF CANADA ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE BORDER OF MEXICO, THREE THOUSAND PLUS MILE TRAIL ALL THE WAY THROUGH NEW MEXICO AND WE WANTED TO DO OUR PART TO EASE THE PASSAGE THROUGH STATE LAND.

ESSENTIALLY, THE BLM NOW HOLDS THAT EASEMENT FOR ITS HIKERS TO PASS THROUGH STATE LANDS WITHOUT HAVING ADDITIONAL PERMITS, ADDITIONAL, YOU KNOW, RED TAPE AND PAPERWORK, BUREAUCRATIC PROCESSES.

>>LORENE: REGISTERS, SIGNING IN, SHOWING YOUR ID.

>>STEPHANIE: EXACTLY.

>>LORENE: YEAH.

>>STEPHANIE: THEY CAN JUST DO THAT STRAIGHT THROUGH ONE PROCESS WITH THE BLM AND THEY ARE COVERED.

>>LORENE: WHAT A WONDERFUL JOURNEY THAT WOULD BE TO WALK THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE TRAIL.

THANK YOU FOR MAKING IT EASIER FOR EVERYONE.

ANOTHER THING THAT YOU HAVE BEEN DOING AND IT IS FUNNY, IT IS HARD FOR ME TO REALIZE WHY THIS WOULD BE PROBLEMATIC, BUT YOU HAD DECREED A MORATORIUM ON OIL AND GAS DRILLING AND LEASING WITHIN THE GREATER CHACO CANYON AREA.

SO THERE ARE TWO SORT OF PROTECTIONS THAT YOU HAVE DONE, ONE IS FOR PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND EDUCATIONAL FACILITIES TO NOT HAVE OIL AND GAS PRODUCTION RIGHT THERE BECAUSE I THINK YOU PUT A BAN IN THAT NEW OIL AND GAS LEASING ON STATE LANDS, YOU CAN'T DO IT WITHIN ONE MILE OF SCHOOLS AND EDUCATIONAL FACILITIES.

AND SO YOU CREATED A KIND OF SCHOOL HEALTH BUFFER TO PROTECT THEM, BUT RIGHT NOW, MORE THAN 144,000 NEW MEXICANS INCLUDING 28,000 KIDS LIVE OR ATTEND SCHOOLS WITHIN A HALF A MILE OF OIL AND GAS PRODUCTION.

>>STEPHANIE: SO LET'S AT FIRST ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THIS OIL AND GAS INDUSTRY PAYS FOR OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM IN NEW MEXICO.

>>LORENE: OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM, YEAH.

>>STEPHANIE: IT PAYS FOR OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

HOWEVER, I DON'T THINK THAT THE BURDEN OF THE INDUSTRY, THE INFRASTRUCTURE AND ALL OF THE EMISSIONS THAT COME FROM THAT INDUSTRY SHOULD BE BORNE BY SCHOOL KIDS.

I DON'T THINK THAT IT IS A LOT TO ASK, THAT WE LIMIT WHERE OIL AND GAS PRODUCTION HAPPENS.

>>LORENE: YEAH.

>>STEPHANIE: WE HAVE A TREMENDOUSLY LARGE STATE, THE FIFTH LARGEST GEOGRAPHICALLY IN THE NATION.

THERE ARE OTHER PLACES WHERE OIL AND GAS ACTIVITY CAN OCCUR, IT DOES NOT HAVE TO BE RIGHT FRONT AND CENTER WHERE KIDS ARE PLAYING, LEARNING, GROWING, DEVELOPING.

>>LORENE: YEAH.

>>STEPHANIE: THERE IS SO MUCH WE DON'T EVEN UNDERSTAND ABOUT HUMAN DEVELOPMENT, PHYSICAL BRAIN DEVELOPMENT.

>>LORENE: RIGHT.

>>STEPHANIE: WHY WOULD WE PUT THAT AT RISK FOR POTENTIAL, THEY ARE CALLED "VOCS" BASICALLY COMPOUNDS, VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUNDS THAT COME OUT OF OIL AND GAS PRODUCTION.

>>LORENE: AND SOME OF THEM ARE FOREVER CHEMICALS AND SO ONCE THEY ARE THERE.

>>STEPHANIE: THEY ARE FOREVER BECAUSE YOU CAN'T GET RID OF THEM.

>>LORENE: YEAH, YES.

SO I APPRECIATE THAT AND I APPRECIATE THAT NOT ONLY ARE YOU PROTECTING THE SCHOOL KIDS BUT VARIOUS CULTURAL PLACES LIKE CHACO.

HEY, YOU KNOW YOU ARE NOT GOING TO GET ANOTHER ONE OF THESE, WE HAVE TO REALLY, REALLY WORK HARD AT PROTECTING IT AND I UNDERSTAND THAT THESE PROHIBITIONS HAVE LIMITS, THAT THERE ARE SOME ENTITIES THAT ARE STILL ALLOWED, YOU'RE ONLY TALKING ABOUT NEW OIL AND GAS DRILLING AND PRODUCTION, RIGHT?

SO THERE IS PLENTY OF OTHER PLACES, WE ARE A VERY RICH STATE, THERE ARE A LOT OF OIL AND GAS IN OTHER PLACES, SO I THANK YOU FOR PROTECTING OUR KIDS AND OUR CULTURAL LAND MARKS.

SO, THE RENEWABLE ENERGY, LET'S JUST GO BACK TO THAT FOR A MINUTE BECAUSE IT IS A NATURAL HERE FOR US AND THAT YOU ARE USING THE STATE LAND GRANT LAND, SO TELL ME A LITTLE MORE ABOUT THAT, SPECIFICALLY, GIVE ME SOME EXAMPLES.

>>STEPHANIE: WELL, NEW MEXICO IS SUCH A RESOURCE RICH STATE.

SO IN ADDITION TO THAT YOU KNOW OIL AND GAS DEPOSITS THAT WE HAVE IN THE PERMIAN BASIN OF NEW MEXICO, WE HAVE PROBABLY THE BEST RESOURCES, I HAVE BEEN TOLD BY DEVELOPERS, TOP RESOURCES IN SOLAR AND WIND IN FACT, YOU CAN GET MORE MEGAWATTS GENERATED VIA SOLAR ON A SQUARE MILE OF NEW MEXICO THAN YOU CAN MOST OTHER PLACES.

>>LORENE: OH MY GOSH.

>>STEPHANIE: BECAUSE OF THE QUALITY OF OUR RESOURCES, RIGHT.

>>LORENE: YEAH, YEAH.

>>STEPHANIE: THE EASTERN PART OF THE STATE YOU KNOW PERSONALLY HOW WINDY IT IS THERE.

THERE ARE MARKETS, VAST MARKETS, CALIFORNIA, ARIZONA, WEST OF THE COUNTRY THAT ARE LOOKING FOR PLACES TO GENERATE THOSE MEGAWATTS, THOSE ELECTRONS.

NEW MEXICO HAS A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT ADVANTAGES.

WHEN THE SUN IS SETTING IN CALIFORNIA, THE WIND IS JUST PICKING UP HERE.

>>LORENE: YEAH.

>>STEPHANIE: SO WE CAN REALLY CONTRIBUTE TO THOSE ENERGY NEEDS.

WE ARE DOING THAT BY BUILDING WIND FARMS ON STATE LAND, IN FACT, THE LARGEST WIND FARM IN THE WESTERN HEMISPHERE, PATTERN WIND FARM CALLED... >>LORENE: IT WILL COME BACK TO YOU.

>>STEPHANIE: ANYWAY, IT IS ON THE EASTERN SIDE OF OUR STATE, ESSENTIALLY TORRANCE AND LINCOLN COUNTIES ARE PROVIDING THOSE MEGAWATTS GENERATING THAT RENEWABLE, AND REMEMBER, THIS IS A SUSTAINABLE ENERGY FORCE, THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT WE ARE GOING TO DEPLETE.

THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IN NEW MEXICO FOR GENERATIONS TO COME.

THEY ARE GENERATING THOSE MEGAWATTS TO SEND TO MARKETS THAT CAN USE IT IN THE WEST, DRAWING REVENUE FOR NEW MEXICANS.

BUT WE ARE ALSO USING STATE LAND TO DERIVE RENEWABLE ENERGY FOR OUR OWN USE AS WELL.

>>LORENE: YEAH.

>>STEPHANIE: SO, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU REMEMBER THE LEGISLATURE PASSED A COMMUNITY SOLAR ACT.

>>LORENE: YES, I DO.

>>STEPHANIE: SO WE HAVE COMMUNITY SOLAR PROJECTS ON STATE LAND AS WELL AND THOSE ACTUALLY BENEFIT NEW MEXICANS WITH RENEWABLE, SUSTAINABLE FORMS OF ENERGY.

>>LORENE: OH THAT'S WONDERFUL.

>>STEPHANIE: YEAH.

WESTERN SPIRIT IS THE NAME OF THE PATTERN WIND PROJECT.

>>LORENE: OH, OKAY.

>>STEPHANIE: WESTERN SPIRIT, SORRY.

>>LORENE: WE ARE SPEAKING TODAY WITH OUR COMMISSIONER OF PUBLIC LANDS, STEPHANIE GARCIA RICHARD AND IT IS TRULY WESTERN SPIRIT THAT YOU ARE EXPRESSING HERE.

BUT I AM SO INTERESTED BECAUSE YOU ARE DOING A LOT OF REALLY, KIND OF THINGS THAT I WOULD NOT HAVE EXPECTED, ONE OF WHICH IS YOU DID A WONDERFUL EDITORIAL, YOU WROTE AN OP-ED PIECE ABOUT WILDLIFE CORRIDORS AND WHY THEY ARE SO IMPORTANT.

JUST GIVE US THE ELEVATOR VERSION OF THAT BECAUSE I WANT PEOPLE TO REALLY THINK ABOUT WHAT IT MEANS.

>>STEPHANIE: ESSENTIALLY AND I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, PAY ATTENTION TO THIS ISSUE IF YOU ARE NOT A WILDLIFE ADVOCATE LIKE YOU ARE, BUT ESSENTIALLY, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE PUT HUMAN DEVELOPMENT IN THE PATH OF WHERE WILDLIFE USED TO MIGRATE AND DO THEIR MATING ROUTES AND HAVE THEIR HABITAT.

SO WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO DO WITH THE LAND OFFICE IS CREATE CORRIDORS WHERE WILDLIFE CAN SAFELY PASS THROUGH AREAS THAT ARE USED, HIGHWAYS IS A PERFECT EXAMPLE.

>>LORENE: YES.

>>STEPHANIE: HIGHWAYS, YOU KNOW, TRANSECT NATURAL WILDLIFE MIGRATION PATTERNS AND SO WE HAVE PUT INFRASTRUCTURE IN PLACE, STATE LAND IS BEING USED FOR THIS PURPOSE, TO ENSURE THAT WILDLIFE CAN CROSS BUSY HIGHWAYS SAFELY.

THERE IS ONE THAT I ALWAYS GIVE THE EXAMPLE AND ACTUALLY I JUST DROVE BY THERE OUTSIDE OF CUBA, SO THERE IS WILDLIFE FENCING THAT KIND OF CORRALS THE CROSSING UP TO A CERTAIN PLACE AND THEN MOTORISTS ARE ALERTED BY LIGHTS AND DIFFERENT THINGS SIGNAGE, LIGHTS, THAT THAT IS AN ACTUAL WILDLIFE CROSSING AREA, SLOW DOWN, REDUCE YOUR SPEED, WATCH FOR WILDLIFE IN THAT PARTICULAR AREA BECAUSE THAT IS WHERE THEY ARE GOING TO BE CROSSING.

>>LORENE: YES, YES.

BUT I HAVE SEEN SOME OF THOSE BRIDGES AND THEY ARE PERFECTLY CAMOUFLAGED, YOU WOULD NEVER KNOW THIS WAS A BRIDGE AND YOU HAVE GOT THE SAME SOIL AND THE SAME SHRUBBERY AND THE SAME EVERYTHING.

>>STEPHANIE: BUT THAT IS PASSAGE FOR WILDLIFE.

>>LORENE: EXACTLY, EXACTLY.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

ANOTHER THING THAT YOU HAD DONE, YOU HAD BANNED THE USE OF FRESH WATER IN OIL AND GAS PRODUCTION, THANK YOU VERY MUCH BECAUSE ONCE IT HAS BEEN USED IN THAT, WHY NOT USE THE SAME WATER THAT HAS THE SAME CHEMICALS IT STILL DOES WHAT IT NEEDS TO DO.

BUT WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH FRESH WATER AND WE SHOULD KEEP THAT FOR PEOPLE AND ANIMALS.

>>STEPHANIE: JUST LIKE THE QUALITY OF WATER THAT I HAVE RIGHT HERE IN MY CUP, THAT TYPE OF WATER WAS BEING USED IN OIL AND GAS OPERATIONS.

LIKE YOU SAID, ONCE IT IS USED FOR THAT PURPOSE, IT BECOMES A WASTE PRODUCT, WE CAN NO LONGER REUSE IT FOR AGRICULTURE, GROWING FOOD FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION, ANIMAL CONSUMPTION AND WE LIVE IN AN ARID STATE, WE ARE EXPERIENCING A HISTORIC DROUGHT.

>>LORENE: YEAH.

>>STEPHANIE: AND WE THOUGHT THAT WE NEEDED TO PRESERVE AND CONSERVE THAT VERY, VERY RARE RESOURCE THAT WE HAD IN FRESH WATER.

SO WE DID BAN THE SALE OF FRESH WATER FROM STATE LAND FOR THE USE IN OIL AND GAS PROCESSES AND PEOPLE SAY, WELL, HOW DOES THAT IMPACT THE INDUSTRY?

INDUSTRY NEEDS TO USE VERY LITTLE FRESH WATER, MOST OF WHAT THEY USE CAN BE... >>LORENE: REUSED.

>>STEPHANIE: REUSED.

AND SO WE THOUGHT THAT WAS THE RIGHT THING TO DO.

OUR CONSTITUTIONAL MANDATE IS NOT ONLY THAT WE RAISE REVENUE BUT THAT WE DO IT WITH AN EYE TOWARDS THE HEALTH OF THE LAND, THE HEALTH OF THE WATER.

LOOKING TOWARDS THE FUTURE TO ENSURE THAT THE RESOURCES THAT I AM MANAGING TODAY, ARE HERE FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS.

>>LORENE: AMAZINGLY ENOUGH YOU ARE INVOLVED IN AFFORDABLE HOUSING.

SO RIGHT NOW, NEW MEXICO IS NUMBER 39TH IN THE US CENSUS OF PEOPLE OVER 65, 39TH IN THAT POPULATION, BUT, BY 2030, WE WILL BE NUMBER FOUR IN THE US WITH PEOPLE OVER 65 AND THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO NEED AFFORDABLE HOUSING, BUT SENIORS ARE DEFINITELY A CATEGORY.

>>STEPHANIE: WELL SENIORS ARE USUALLY ON A LIMITED INCOME.

>>LORENE: YEAH, YEAH.

SO TELL ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT LUMINARIA AND WHAT YOU ARE DOING IN ALBUQUERQUE.

>>STEPHANIE: OKAY.

IT SURPRISES NOT ONLY YOU, LORENE, BUT WHEN FOLKS HEAR THAT STATE LAND OFFICE, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE THINK OF US AND ASSOCIATE US WITH OIL AND GAS PRODUCTION AND AGRICULTURE, THAT'S ESSENTIALLY IT.

>>LORENE: YEAH, YEAH.

>>STEPHANIE: BUT WE FEEL LIKE BECAUSE WE EXIST IN EVERY SINGLE COMMUNITY, THERE IS STATE LAND IN EVERY SINGLE COUNTY, ALL 33 COUNTIES OF THIS STATE, WE CAN HELP TO SOLVE SOME OF THESE CHALLENGES THAT POLICYMAKERS ARE FACING RIGHT NOW.

SO THERE REALLY IS A DEARTH OF SAFE, AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN OUR STATE AND SO WHAT WE DID IS WE TOOK A COUPLE OF PROPERTIES THAT WE HAD ON EAST CENTRAL, WHICH IS REALLY THE HOT BED OF A PLACE WHERE THERE IS A STRONG HOUSING NEED IN ALBUQUERQUE AND WE PARTNERED WITH VARIOUS, IT WAS ACTUALLY WAS A WHOLE KIND OF MOSAIC OF GROUPS THAT CAME TOGETHER, DEVELOPERS, THOSE WHO PROVIDED FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE.

>>LORENE: MAYOR.

>>STEPHANIE: THE MAYOR OF ALBUQUERQUE AND THE GREATER ALBUQUERQUE HOUSING AUTHORITY, ALL CAME TOGETHER TO USE STATE LAND TO BUILD HOUSING FOR FOLKS 55 AND OLDER THAT IS AFFORDABLE TO THEM.

I CAN'T BE SURE, BUT I AM ALMOST POSITIVE THAT PARTICULAR FACILITY IS, IF NOT ALL THE WAY FULL CLOSE TO IT.

>>LORENE: YEAH.

>>STEPHANIE: LUMINARIA.

RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET THERE IS ANOTHER PIECE OF STATE LAND AND WE DECIDED TO DO THE SAME THING AS LUMINARIA PART 2, WE CALL IT FAROLITO.

SO WE HAVE LUMINARIA AND FARALITO FOR THOSE OF YOU IN NORTHERN NEW MEXICO, YOU KNOW.

>>LORENE: YEAH, YEAH.

>>STEPHANIE: TO SOLVE THIS ISSUE AND THIS TRUE CRISIS OF ACCESS TO HOUSING THAT WE HAVE IN OUR STATE.

>>LORENE: YEAH, ACTUALLY, IT IS EVERYWHERE.

YOU KNOW, THE NEXT GENERATION WILL NOT BE ABLE TO BUY A HOUSE, THEY WON'T BE ABLE TO AFFORD HOUSING.

THEY WILL EITHER INHERIT IT OR THEY WILL SHARE IT OR SOMETHING.

BUT IT REALLY IS AN IMPORTANT PROBLEM AND THANK YOU, LAND OFFICE, FOR EVEN ADDRESSING THAT.

WHEN I THINK OF THE LAND OFFICE, I THINK OF PUBLIC LANDS AND RECREATION.

SO SINCE SUMMER IS COMING, YOU CALLED IT "OPEN FOR ADVENTURE, YOUR PUBLIC LANDS FOR YOU TO ENJOY."

AND SOMETIMES YOU HIGHLIGHT CERTAIN NEW MEXICO OUTDOOR SITES FOR SUMMER RECREATION, SO DO YOU HAVE ANY UP YOUR SLEEVE?

>>STEPHANIE: SO THERE ARE A COUPLE OF PARTNERSHIPS THAT WE HAVE UNDERGOING RIGHT NOW.

UNFORTUNATELY, THEY WON'T BE FULLY BAKED BY THIS SUMMER VACATION BUT HOPEFULLY BY NEXT SUMMER WE WILL.

SO THE FARMINGTON LAKE AREA, WE ARE IN TALKS WITH THE CITY OF FARMINGTON TO REALLY DEVELOP AND HIGHLIGHT THAT PARTICULAR LOCATION FOR RECREATION AND THEY HAVE AN INSTRUMENT WITH US, THEY HAVE A LEASE WITH US WHERE THEY ARE GOING TO BE LEASING THAT LAND FOR OUTDOOR REC.

I AM NOT SURE IF YOU ARE FAMILIAR WITH THE SOCORRO BOX, BUT ESSENTIALLY THERE IN THE COUNTY OF SOCORRO WE ARE WORKING WITH FOLKS TO LEASE THAT AREA FOR OUTDOOR RECREATION AND TO CREATE, TRY TO CREATE A LOOPED TRAIL OR A HIKING TRAIL IN THE COUNTY OF SOCORRO.

THAT STATE LAND WILL BE A CRUCIAL PART OF THIS AS WELL.

>>LORENE: WELL GOOD, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

BECAUSE WE LIVE HERE AND IT IS OUR LAND AND IT IS SO NICE TO KNOW THAT YOU ARE LOOKING AT NEW PLACES FOR US TO GO.

SOMETHING IN THE NEWS JUST HAPPENED RECENTLY, THERE WAS A CELEBRATION UP AT CHACO, CHACO CANYON, BECAUSE YOU HAD PUT A 20 YEAR BAN ON DRILLING WITHIN, HOW FAR?

>>STEPHANIE: SO THIS WAS ACTUALLY A BAN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WAS GOING TO PUT IN SO... >>LORENE: RIGHT, BUT IT WAS GOING TO EXPIRE... >>STEPHANIE: NO, THIS WAS THEIR BRAND NEW MORATORIUM THEY WERE ANNOUNCING.

THEY HAD DONE A PROCESS OF ENGAGEMENT WITH TRIBAL COMMUNITIES TO ASSESS WHAT THE BEST SORT OF MOVE FORWARD WAS AND SO THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR, OUR OWN DEB HAALAND, WAS HERE IN OUR STATE TO ANNOUNCE AND CELEBRATE BASICALLY PROTECTIONS AROUND CHACO FOR THE NEXT 20 YEARS FOR A 10 MILE BUFFER AROUND THE CHACO CANYON REGION.

>>LORENE: SO YOU WERE THERE.

>>STEPHANIE: I WAS THERE.. >>LORENE: SHE WAS THERE AND SOME PEOPLE WERE NOT HAPPY.

>>STEPHANIE: RIGHT.

SO THERE WAS A PROTEST, SOME FOLKS THINK THEY SHOULD STILL BE ABLE TO DO OIL AND GAS DRILLING IN THIS VERY SACRED PLACE OF CHACO CANYON AND SO THERE WAS A BARRICADE ACROSS THE ROAD, THE FOLKS WHO HAD COME FROM ALL OVER, IT WASN'T JUST SECRETARY HAALAND, THERE WERE TRIBAL LEADERS FROM THE ALL PUEBLO COUNCIL OF GOVERNORS, I KNOW FOR CERTAIN THE ACOMA GOVERNOR WAS THERE, THE TESUQUE GOVERNOR WAS THERE AND THEY HAD ALL COME AND WERE BARRED FROM ENTERING CHACO.

SO WE ALL HAD TO FIND AN ALTERNATE LOCATION TO DO THAT CELEBRATION.

>>LORENE: YOU HAD TO MOVE AWAY FROM THE ACTUAL LOCATION?

>>STEPHANIE: WE LEFT CHACO, YES, AND ENDED UP HAVING THE CELEBRATION INSTEAD IN ALBUQUERQUE.

>>LORENE: OH, VERY DIFFERENT.

>>STEPHANIE: VERY DIFFERENT.

>>LORENE: I AM SO SORRY.

BUT, YOU KNOW, IT IS THEIR RIGHT TO PROTEST, IT JUST WAS NOT SOMETHING THAT I WOULD HAVE THOUGHT OF PROTESTING, I WAS ACTUALLY CELEBRATING IT.

>>STEPHANIE: IT WAS UNFORTUNATE THAT WE WERE NOT ABLE TO ENTER THE PARK, BECAUSE THE PARK IS, AGAIN, PUBLIC LAND.

>>LORENE: YEAH, YEAH.

WHAT ELSE DO WE NEED TO KNOW, WE ONLY HAVE A FEW MINUTES LEFT.

AND YOU KNOW SO MUCH ABOUT WHAT IS GOING ON, WHAT DID I NOT BRING OUT?

>>STEPHANIE: I DID WANT TO TALK ABOUT ONE VERY IMPORTANT THING.

FOLKS LIKE TO FOCUS ON THE MONEY WE RAISE FOR PUBLIC SCHOOLS, THE BILLIONS OF DOLLARS, WHICH IS AMAZING.

WE LIKE TO TOUT THAT OURSELVES.

BUT LIKE I SAID BEFORE, WE HAVE A DUEL MANDATE.

WE HAVE TO ALSO PROTECT THE RESOURCE, SO WE HAVE RESTORATION AND REMEDIATION PROJECTS THAT WE DO.

IT INVOLVES MANY DIFFERENT THINGS, BUT A COUPLE OF THINGS I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT.

ONE IS THAT WE HAVE HAD OUR OFFICE OF GENERAL COUNCIL REALLY DIG IN TO INSURING THAT WE ARE PLUGGING ABANDONED WELLS.

>>LORENE: OH YES.

>>STEPHANIE: PLUGGING ABANDONED WELLS ON STATE LAND NOT AT THE EXPENSE OF YOU AND I, NOT AT THE EXPENSE OF THE NEW MEXICO TAXPAYER.

>>LORENE: BUT PERHAPS THE PEOPLE WHO DRILLED AND ABANDONED THEM, BECAUSE IT IS THEIR RESPONSIBILITY.

THAT IS TERRIFIC.

>>STEPHANIE: ABSOLUTELY!

SO WE VERY QUICKLY HAVE PLUGGED A HUNDRED WELLS.

WE ARE CLOSING VERY QUICKLY IN ON TWO HUNDRED WELLS PLUGGED NOW ON STATE LAND.

WE FIGURE THAT IS ABOUT A QUARTER OF THE ABANDONED WELLS WE HAVE ON STATE LAND.

>>LORENE: AND ISN'T THIS...CAN YOU NOT SEE THIS FROM SPACE?

ALL THE METHANE THAT IS LEAKING FROM THESE ABANDONED WELLS, I MEAN IT IS MORTIFYING, ON THE MAP FROM SPACE YOU CAN SEE THAT WE HAVE A PROBLEM.

>>STEPHANIE: THERE IS A METHANE CLOUD IN THE NORTHWEST PART OF OUR STATE THAT CAN INDEED BE VIEWED FROM SPACE.

BUT WHAT FOLKS DON'T OFTEN REALIZE IS JUST BECAUSE A WELL IS NO LONGER PRODUCING OIL THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT IT IS NOT EMITTING OTHER COMPOUNDS.

SO UNTIL IT IS PROPERLY PLUGGED AND REMEDIATED, WILL IT NO LONGER EMIT.

SO THAT IS PART OF THE REASON AS WELL THAT WE HAVE FOLKS PROPERLY PLUG THEIR WELLS.

THE OTHER PIECE OF THIS REMEDIATION WORK AND MAN IT HITS ON A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT AREAS - OIL AND GAS IS ONE.

ANOTHER IS JUST THE STATE OF OUR FORESTS.

AS WE SAW LAST SPRING, UNFORTUNATELY, WE HAD CATASTROPHIC, ONCE IN A GENERATION FIRE UP IN THE NORTHERN PART OF OUR STATE.

SOME FOLKS CALL THAT GOD'S COUNTRY.

TO PREVENT SUCH CATASTROPHIC FIRES FROM HAPPENING IN THE FUTURE, WE ACTUALLY DO A LOT OF THINNING PROJECTS ON STATE LAND AND I CAN SHOW YOU IN ANOTHER PROGRAM I WILL SHOW YOU THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WHAT STATE LAND FOREST LOOKS LIKE AND WHAT FEDERAL LAND FORESTS LOOKS LIKE AND HOW THAT REALLY CAN PREVENT THESE REALLY HOT FUEL LOADED FIRES FROM HAPPENING.

BUT THE NICE THING IS, WE HAVE A PARTNERSHIP WITH THE LAND GRANT COUNCIL, WE ACTUALLY HAVE SIGNED AN MOU WITH THEM WHERE THE WOOD THAT WE TAKE OUT OF THE FOREST, WHEN WE ARE THINNING IT, IS PROVIDED TO OUR LAND GRANT COMMUNITIES.

>>LORENE: OH THAT'S WONDERFUL.

AND DID YOU DO THAT WITH THE FIRE UP NEAR MORA, COOKS PEAK?

>>STEPHANIE: COOKS PEAK IS A FIRE THAT REALLY IMPACTED US LAST SPRING.

>>LORENE: OH, TRAGIC.

>>STEPHANIE: WE HAD BURN SEVERITY THAT TURNED OUR LAND INTO A MOON SCAPE.

I VISITED IT MYSELF AND IT HAD FEET OF ASH THAT WILL TAKE YEARS, DECADES TO REGENERATE.

>>LORENE: AND ALSO I NOTICED WHEN IT COMES DOWN IN THE ACEQUIAS AND IN THE WATER TREATMENT PLANTS IT CLOGS IT ALL UP AND YOU HAVE TO CLEAN IT AND THERE IS MORE ASH.

SO IT IS REALLY A CHALLENGE, BUT YOU ARE CERTAINLY UP FOR IT.

WE HAVE A DATE TO SHOW US THE DIFFERENT WAYS OF MANAGING FORESTS AND UNDERGROWTH.

BUT I REALLY WANT TO THANK YOU.

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

WE HAVE REALLY ONLY SCRATCHED THE SURFACE OF SOME OF THE THINGS YOU ARE DOING THAT I PERSONALLY WANT TO THANK YOU FOR COMING HERE AND TELLING US ABOUT IT.

>>STEPHANIE: THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

>>LORENE: IT WAS A PLEASURE.

REMEMBER, WE ARE GOING TO COME BACK WITH CHARTS, GRAPHS, AND PICTURES, SO THAT'S A DATE, BUT WE ARE DONE FOR TODAY.

AND I AM LORENE MILLS, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK YOU, OUR AUDIENCE, FOR BEING WITH US THIS WEEK ON REPORT FROM SANTA FE.

OUR GUEST WAS OUR COMMISSIONER OF NEW MEXICO PUBLIC LANDS, STEPHANIE GARCIA RICHARD, WE'LL SEE YOU AGAIN 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