REPORT FROM SANTA FE IS MADE POSSIBLE, IN PART, BY GRANTS FROM THE NATIONAL EDUCATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF NEW MEXICO, AN ORGANIZATION OF PROFESSIONALS WHO BELIEVE THAT INVESTING IN PUBLIC EDUCATION IS AN INVESTMENT IN OUR STATE'S ECONOMIC FUTURE, FROM THE NEW MEXICO MUNICIPAL LEAGUE, A BETTER NEW MEXICO THROUGH BETTER CITIES AND FROM THE >>LORENE: HELLO, I AM LORENE MILLS AND WELCOME TO REPORT FROM SANTA FE.

TODAY OUR GUEST IS STEPHANIE GARCIA RICHARD, LAND COMMISSION FOR THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

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

>>LORENE: WELL, WE HAVEN'T EVEN BEEN ON SINCE YOU WERE ELECTED IN 2018, LAND COMMISSIONER.

IT WAS SUCH AN EXTRAORDINARY EVENT BECAUSE YOU ARE THE FIRST WOMAN AND THE FIRST EDUCATOR IN THIS VERY IMPORTANT ROLE.

PLEASE TELL US WHY YOU ARE SO PERFECTLY QUALIFIED FOR THIS POSITION AND WHAT THE LAND OFFICE DOES, BECAUSE I THINK THERE IS A LOT OF REASONS FOR PEOPLE TO LOVE THE LAND OFFICE WHEN THEY UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU PROVIDE FOR US.

>>STEPHANIE: THAT'S RIGHT.

SO, WHEN I FIRST WANTED TO RUN FOR THIS POSITION, YOU KNOW, EVERYONE WAS SAYING "WHAT, WHAT MAKES THAT SO INTERESTING TO YOU?"

AND I THOUGHT THAT BECAUSE IT IS THE OFFICE THAT RAISES MONEY FOR EDUCATION, THAT AN EDUCATOR WOULD REALLY KNOW THE VALUE OF EVERY DOLLAR, EVERY DIME REALLY, THAT THE LAND OFFICE EARNS.

AND THIS YEAR, WE ARE ANNOUNCING A HISTORIC BILLION DOLLARS' WORTH OF REVENUE THAT WE HAVE RAISED ON BEHALF OF THE CITIZENS OF NEW MEXICO THAT WILL GO TO OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS, UNIVERSITIES AND HOSPITALS.

BUT WHAT YOUR LISTENERS, PROBABLY YOUR VIEWERS, REALLY WANT TO KNOW, IS THAT WILL SAVE THE AVERAGE TAX PAYING HOUSEHOLD $1500 A YEAR IN TAXES THAT THEY DON'T HAVE TO PAY TO SUPPORT THEIR SCHOOLS AND UNIVERSITIES AND HOSPITALS.

>>LORENE: SO, THE BENEFICIARY LIST IS VERY INTERESTING BECAUSE IT WAS LAID OUT IN THE CONSTITUTION.

OUR FOUNDING FATHERS, THEY KNEW, WITH JUST THE WISDOM OF THEM, I NEVER TRY TO SECOND GUESS THEM OR CHANGE IT.

SO, WHO ARE THE BENEFICIARIES?

>>STEPHANIE: RIGHT, SO ESSENTIALLY THE LARGEST OF THE BENEFICIARIES, ABOUT 90 PLUS PERCENT OF OUR REVENUE, GOES TO WHAT WE CALL "COMMON SCHOOLS," AND THAT'S ESSENTIALLY K12 PUBLIC EDUCATION STUDENTS THROUGHOUT NEW MEXICO.

THAT MONEY GOES THROUGH THE PUBLIC EDUCATION DEPARTMENT AND IS DISTRIBUTED THEN TO SCHOOL DISTRICTS THROUGHOUT NEW MEXICO.

THE OTHER LARGE BENEFICIARIES ARE OUR SPECIAL SCHOOLS, SO NEW MEXICO SCHOOL FOR THE DEAF, NEW MEXICO SCHOOL FOR THE BLIND, THE MILITARY INSTITUTE, NEW MEXICO MILITARY INSTITUTE DOWN IN ROSWELL IS A BENEFICIARY AND THEN ALL OF OUR UNIVERSITIES, OBVIOUSLY, UNM, NEW MEXICO STATE UNIVERSITY, HIGHLANDS NORTHERN, ALL OF THOSE UNIVERSITIES ARE BENEFICIARIES.

AND THEN THERE ARE SOME VARIOUS DIVERSE INSTITUTIONS BESIDES, BUT THOSE ARE THE BULK OF THE 22 BENEFICIARIES THAT WE RAISE MONEY ON BEHALF OF.

>>LORENE: SO, LET'S TALK A LITTLE ABOUT YOUR BACKGROUND BECAUSE NOT ONLY ARE YOU THE LAND COMMISSIONER, BUT YOU ARE AN EDUCATOR, BUT YOU WERE ALSO A LAWMAKER FOR FIVE YEARS, TELL US ABOUT WHAT YOUR FOCUS WAS THERE.

>>STEPHANIE: SO, I ACTUALLY CAME TO THE ROUNDHOUSE FROM THE SCHOOLHOUSE.

I WAS A PUBLIC-SCHOOL ELEMENTARY TEACHER AND I REALLY WANTED TO FOCUS ON EDUCATION POLICY, EDUCATION FUNDING, AND THAT IS THE REASON I RAN FOR THE STATE LEGISLATURE.

I WAS VERY HONORED TO BE APPOINTED HOUSE EDUCATION CHAIR, MY VERY LAST TERM IN OFFICE, SO I DID THAT FOR TWO YEARS AND I BELIEVE THAT WE REALLY WORKED HARD TO ENSURE THAT FUNDING WAS EQUITABLE, THAT STUDENTS WHO NEEDED A LEG UP COULD GET THOSE EXTRA RESOURCES, TEACHERS COULD GET THE RESOURCES THEY NEED IN ORDER TO BE SUCCESSFUL AND I AM VERY PROUD OF MY WORK AT THE STATE HOUSE.

BUT LIKE I SAID, I COULD HAVE AN EVEN BIGGER IMPACT AT THE LAND OFFICE WITH OUR BILLION-DOLLAR REVENUE.

>>LORENE: ABSOLUTELY.

SO, LET'S LET PEOPLE KNOW WHERE THAT BILLION DOLLARS CAME FROM.

SO, WHAT IS YOUR SOURCE OF REVENUE AND WHAT IS THE NAME OF THIS FUND THAT IT GOES INTO AND HOW MUCH IS IN IT AND WHO IS TRYING TO GET THEIR HANDS ON IT?

>>STEPHANIE: SO, WE HAVE, FOLKS CALL IT MANY DIFFERENT THINGS, IT'S OFFICIAL NAME IS THE LAND GRANT PERMANENT FUND AND YOUR VIEWERS MAY BE FAMILIAR WITH IT BECAUSE THERE HAVE BEEN ATTEMPTS OVER THE YEARS, THIS LAST YEAR FINALLY SUCCESSFULLY TO HAVE AN ADDITIONAL PERCENT COME FROM THAT FUND FOR EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION.

BUT THAT LAND GRANT PERMANENT FUND IS NOW WORTH $30 BILLION DOLLARS, IT IS ONE OF THE LARGEST OF ITS KIND, ENDOWMENT FUNDS IN THE NATION, AND IT IS MANAGED BY THE STATE INVESTMENT COUNCIL, SO THE GOVERNOR, THE TREASURER, MYSELF, AND SOME OTHER APPOINTEES SIT ON THAT INVESTMENT COUNCIL AND WE MANAGE THAT FUND.

THE BULK OF THE REVENUE COMES FROM OIL AND GAS DEVELOPMENT, SO DOWN IN THE PERMIAN BASIN PART OF OUR STATE, WE HAVE GOT ABOUT TWO MILLION ACRES OF STATE LAND THAT IS USED FOR OIL AND GAS PRODUCTION AND THAT IS A GOOD 98 PERCENT OF THE REVENUE THAT WE GENERATE.

THE ISSUE WITH THAT IS THAT THAT'S A FINITE RESOURCE, FOR VARIOUS REASONS OIL AND GAS, YOU KNOW, WILL NOT ALWAYS BE WITH US, SO THERE ARE CLIMATE REASONS FOR THAT, ENVIRONMENTAL REASONS, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE SCARCE WATER RESOURCES, AND JUST THE RESOURCE ITSELF IS FINITE.

SO, WE ARE LOOKING AT OTHER WAYS TO DIVERSIFY THAT REVENUE AND INSURE THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO HAVE THOSE MONIES AND REVENUES COME INTO THE LAND OFFICE.

>>LORENE: WELL ONE THING THAT I HAVE OBSERVED DURING THE LEGISLATURE IS THAT YOU HAVE HAD BILLS PUT IN TO RAISE THE PERCENTAGE OF THIS ROYALTY RATE THAT IS GIVEN TO THE LAND OFFICE.

THE STATES AROUND US, COLORADO AND TEXAS, THEY HAVE A 25% ROYALTY RATE AND ALWAYS LAST TO THE DANCE, NEW MEXICO HAS 20, IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE AS LOW AS WE ARE IN THE WEST?

>>STEPHANIE: THAT'S RIGHT.

IN THE WEST I DON'T BELIEVE SO, I DO THINK THAT WE ARE KIND OF LAGGING BEHIND IN THE RATES THAT WE CHARGE, FRANKLY, IT IS THE PRIVILEGE TO DEVELOP MINERALS THAT BELONG TO NEW MEXICANS.

THIS IS A SHARED PUBLIC RESOURCE AND IF OIL COMPANIES WANT THE PRIVILEGE OF DEVELOPING IT, THEY HAVE TO PAY THE ROYALTY RATE.

SO WE DID, YOU KNOW, A LITTLE BIT OF FINANCIAL PROJECTIONS AND WE FEEL OUR CALCULATIONS TELL US THAT WE ARE LOSING OUT ON BILLIONS OF DOLLARS NOT HAVING THAT ADDITIONAL ROYALTY RATE.

SO WE WERE REALLY TRYING TO PUSH FOR LEGISLATION TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN, WE ARE GOING TO CONTINUE TO WORK ON THAT BUT WE FEEL THAT WE SHOULD AT LEAST BE CHARGING THE AMOUNT THAT THE STATE OF TEXAS CHARGES.

>>LORENE: YEAH.

ANOTHER ISSUE THAT IS GOING TO TAKE SOME LEGISLATION IS THAT THERE HAVE BEEN BILLS TO BE SURE THAT THE MINING COMPANIES HAVE TO PAY UP FRONT IN CASE THERE IS AN ENVIRONMENTAL ACCIDENT AND ANOTHER REGULATION TO GOVERN METHANE FLARING.

WE HAD A BILL THIS TIME THAT WE ARE NOW ALLOWED TO HAVE STRICTER REGULATIONS THAN THE FEDS IN TERMS OF ALL THE METHANE YOU CAN SEE FROM SPACE FLARING UP FROM NEW MEXICO.

AND I THINK OF THINGS LIKE THE GOLD KING MINE SPILL, SO WHAT HAVE WE LEARNED AND HOW CAN WE TIDY UP THESE MESSES THAT ARE MADE BY COMPANIES?

>>STEPHANIE: SO CERTAINLY, WE CAN RELY ON THE STATE LEGISLATURE TO PASS LEGISLATION ENSURING ACCOUNTABILITY BUT IN OUR OFFICE WHAT WE HAVE FOUND IS THAT WITHIN OUR OWN RULES, WITHIN OUR OWN LEASES, WE CAN ACTUALLY HOLD COMPANIES ACCOUNTABLE.

SO, BELIEVE IT OR NOT, WE HAVE HAD DOZENS OF WELLS THAT HAVE BEEN CLEANED UP ON STATE LAND JUST FROM OUR OWN ENFORCEMENT PROGRAM, WE DID PARTICIPATE WITH THE FOLKS THAT WERE DOING THE METHANE RULES OF THE OIL CONSERVATION DIVISION AND WE ENSURED THAT FOR STATE LANDS THAT WAS AS STRICT AS WE COULD MAKE IT.

BUT WE HAVE WAYS THAT WE CAN USE OUR LEASES TO ENFORCE ACCOUNTABILITY AROUND USE OF STATE LAND.

WE WANT THAT STATE LAND TO BE PROTECTED, WE WANT IT TO BE RETURNED IN AT LEAST THE SAME STATE OR BETTER THAN IT WAS LEASED OUT AND SO WE ARE WORKING ACTIVELY ON THAT.

>>LORENE: ANOTHER USE FOR OUR STATE LANDS AND I MUST TELL YOU THIS IS PART OF MY AGENDA FOR HAVING YOU HERE TODAY.

SO EVERYBODY HAS BEEN HOLED UP DURING THE PANDEMIC, CAN'T GO OUTSIDE, THEN SUDDENLY THERE WAS THIS RUSH TO GET OUT IN NATURE.

BUT THE NATIONAL PARKS WERE FULL, THE STATE PARKS WERE FULL, YOU COULDN'T CAMP ANYWHERE, YOU COULDN'T FISH ANYWHERE, IT WAS LIKE NEW YORK CITY.

AND SO I THOUGHT, YOU ARE THE CUSTODIAN OF SOME OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL LANDS IN AMERICA, THE NEW MEXICO STATE LANDS AND SO YOU HAVE A PROGRAM, PLEASE TELL US ABOUT IT, BECAUSE I WANT PEOPLE TO REALIZE THAT HERE IN OUR BACKYARD, IS SOME OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL LAND AND OUTDOOR RECREATION OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE HAVE.

THE PROGRAM IS CALLED AND IT IS ON YOUR WEBSITE, OPEN FOR ADVENTURE.

SO TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT THE STATE LANDS AND HOW PEOPLE CAN FIND OUT WHERE TO GO AND I WANT YOU TO TELL US ABOUT SOME VERY SPECIAL PLACES.

>>STEPHANIE: YES, SO YOU ARE CORRECT, WE HAVE GOT SOMEONE AT THE OFFICE THAT OFTEN SAYS, "WE MANAGE LANDS THAT ANYWHERE ELSE COULD BE A STATE PARK OR A NATIONAL PARK."

I MEAN THESE ARE SOME OF THE MOST PRISTINE, GORGEOUS LANDSCAPES, THAT YOU COULD EXPERIENCE AND WE MANAGE THEM UNDER STATE LANDS.

A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND, THERE WAS A PREVIOUS COMMISSIONER WHO INSISTED THAT THESE LANDS WERE NOT PUBLIC AND THAT WAS EVEN PLASTERED ACROSS THE STATE LAND OFFICE WEBSITE.

WE TAKE A DIFFERENT TRACK AT THE LAND OFFICE UNDER MY ADMINISTRATION, WE THINK THAT THESE LANDS SHOULD BE OPEN FOR ADVENTURE AND SO THAT IS OUR TAG LINE LIKE YOU SAID, LORENE, AND WE ARE HIGHLIGHTING A NUMBER OF DESTINATIONS AND LOCATIONS FOR PEOPLE TO COME OUT AND RECREATE.

>>LORENE: WELL, ONE THAT YOU TOLD ME ABOUT, SO AMONG MY MANY FRIENDS AND CERTAINLY AMONG OUR VIEWERS, ARE BIRD WATCHERS AND WHEN YOU TOLD ME ABOUT MELROSE WOODS, WOULD YOU SHOW US A LITTLE ABOUT WHAT A TREASURE THIS IS AND WHERE IT IS AND HOW PEOPLE GET THERE.

BY THE WAY, IS THERE A FEE, YOU GET A PASS FOR ALL THE PUBLIC LANDS?

>>STEPHANIE: THAT'S RIGHT.

SO TO RECREATE ON STATE LAND, YOU BUY A PASS, A RECREATION ACCESS PASS, YOU CAN DO THAT ON OUR WEBSITE, NMSTATELANDS.ORG AND THAT PASS IS $35, IT IS A NOMINAL FEE THAT WE CHARGE.

YOU CAN BRING UP TO 10 OF YOUR FAMILY MEMBERS WITH YOU, WE KNOW THE WAY NEW MEXICANS RECREATE, THEY LIKE TO DO THAT WITH THEIR, THEOS AND THEAS AND ALL THEIR COUSINS AND GRANDMA AND GRANDPA SOMETIMES, SO WE WANT TO MAKE THAT AVAILABLE FOR NEW MEXICAN FAMILIES AND AFFORDABLE.

SO IT IS $35 FOR A YEAR LONG PASS TO RECREATE ON STATE LAND THROUGHOUT THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO WITH YOU AND 10 OF YOUR CLOSEST FAMILY MEMBERS.

AND THIS MELROSE WOODS IS A REMARKABLE PLACE, I HAVE ACTUALLY GONE TO VISIT IT PERSONALLY, MYSELF.

>>LORENE: I WANT TO GO.

>>STEPHANIE: I THINK THAT THAT SHOULD BE YOUR FIRST DESTINATION, LORENE.

>>LORENE: YES.

>>STEPHANIE: SO IT IS IN ROOSEVELT COUNTY, BUT TRULY RIGHT ON THE BORDER OF CURRY AND ROOSEVELT COUNTIES, SO UP NEAR CLOVIS.

IT IS CALLED MELROSE WOOD AND ESSENTIALLY, IT IS A PLACE WHERE YOU CAN SEE SPECIES OF WARBLERS, SONGBIRDS, MIGRATORY BIRDS, THE GREAT HORNED OWL HAS BEEN SPOTTED THERE AND YOU CAN SEE MORE SPECIES OF BIRDS IN THIS LITTLE AREA THAN IN MOST OTHER PLACES IN THE CONTINENTAL UNITED STATES.

SO I DO HAVE A PICTURE.

>>LORENE: YES, PLEASE.

>>STEPHANIE: WE HAVE LEASED THIS LAND IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE AUDUBON SOCIETY.

SO THESE ARE SOME SIGNS THAT THE AUDUBON SOCIETY MADE TO... >>LORENE: IT SAYS, "MELROSE WOODS IS A MIGRANT TRAP," AND IT SHOWS ALL THESE SPECIES OF BIRDS.

>>STEPHANIE: THAT'S RIGHT.

SO, THIS IS A LITTLE INFORMATIONAL KIOSK THAT THE AUDUBON SOCIETY PUT UP TO TALK ABOUT THE SPECIES OF BIRDS THAT ARE FOUND THERE, TO GIVE SOME KIND OF DOS AND DON'TS ABOUT THE SITES SO YOU CAN BE RESPECTFUL.

BUT WE PARTNERED TO IMPROVE THE SITE, WE ACTUALLY PUT UP AND I CAN SHOW YOU ANOTHER ONE HERE, WE PUT UP A WATERING SYSTEM SO THAT THE COTTONWOODS WOULD BE NICE AND FED, THERE IS A NICE LITTLE PATHWAY THERE WITH SIGNAGE, A LOT OF IMPROVEMENTS AND WE DID THIS ACTUALLY IN PARTNERSHIP WITH OUR GRAZING LESSEE.

FOLKS VERY OFTEN DON'T KNOW THAT WE HAVE A LOT OF RANCHERS THAT GRAZE STATE LANDS AND THE INDIVIDUAL WHO GRAZES THIS LAND WAS VERY WELCOMING AND ACCEPTING OF HAVING THIS PROJECT BE ON HIS GRAZING LEASE.

>>LORENE: THAT'S WONDERFUL.

>>STEPHANIE: YEAH.

>>LORENE: WELL, WE ARE SPEAKING TODAY WITH OUR STATE LAND COMMISSIONER, STEPHANIE GARCIA RICHARD.

AND I AM OPEN FOR ADVENTURES SO THAT ONE WILL CERTAINLY BE MY FIRST, BUT THEN THERE IS ANOTHER ONE THAT INTRIGUES ME, THE SAN LORENZO CANYON, WHERE IS THAT?

>>STEPHANIE: SO THIS IS JUST NORTH OF SOCORRO.

THE REASON THAT WE REALLY LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT THIS PARTICULAR AREA, SO HERE IS A LOVELY SHOT THAT ONE OF OUR FOLKS AT THE LAND OFFICE TOOK WHEN SHE WAS VISITING AND ESSENTIALLY, THIS IS A FOUR-MILE HIKE WITH GORGEOUS, PICTURESQUE SLOT CANYONS.

>>LORENE: OH.

>>STEPHANIE: WE HAVE BEEN SEEING A LOT OF FOLKS GO TO THIS DESTINATION FOR ENGAGEMENT PICTURES AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

HERE IS ANOTHER SHOT AT SAN LORENZO CANYON.

>>LORENE: OH, MY GOODNESS.

>>STEPHANIE: BUT IF YOU KNOW THESE KINDS OF HIGH WALLED CANYONS THIS IS KIND OF A NICE HIKING OPPORTUNITY.

NOT VERY FAR FROM THE TOWN OF SOCORRO AND JUST GREAT TO GET OUT AND RECREATE ON STATE LAND.

>>LORENE: I IMAGINE IT IS NOT VERY CROWDED AS OPPOSED TO OUR NATIONAL PARKS AND PEOPLE, CHEEK BY JOWL, JUST TRYING TO BE IN THE GREAT OUTDOORS.

ALSO, WHITE'S PEAK IS A VERY FAMOUS DESTINATION SO TELL ME A LITTLE ABOUT WHAT IS GOING ON AT WHITE'S PEAK.

>>STEPHANIE: RIGHT.

SO WHITE'S PEAK IS A VERY SPECIAL DESTINATION ESPECIALLY FOR FOLKS IN NORTHERN NEW MEXICO WHO HAVE HIKED, CAMPED, HUNTED IN THIS AREA FOR GENERATIONS REALLY.

AND THERE IS A LOT OF WHITE'S PEAK THAT IS STATE TRUST LAND, WE HAVE JUST RECENTLY OPENED IT UP TO CAMPING, PERMIT-LESS OPEN CAMPING DURING HUNTING SEASON.

SO IF YOU ARE SOMEONE WHO GOES UP TO WHITE'S PEAK DURING ELK SEASON, YOU CAN NOW CAMP ON STATE LAND WITHOUT A PERMIT.

>>LORENE: AH, WELL THAT'S GREAT, THAT'S GREAT.

THERE ARE SOME OTHER LESSER KNOWNS, ACTUALLY ALL THESE WERE LESSER KNOWN TO ME.

BUT TELL ABOUT SOME OF YOUR FAVORITES.

>>STEPHANIE: SO FOR ME, GETTING IN THE GILA IS, YOU KNOW LORENE, I AM FROM SOUTHERN NEW MEXICO, I'M FROM SOUTHWEST NEW MEXICO, THE GILA WILDERNESS WAS ONE OF THE FIRST DESIGNATED WILDERNESSES IN THE COUNTRY AND THE GILA BOX, PART OF THAT IS ON STATE LAND AND I HAVE MANY MEMORIES OF FLOATING DOWN THE GILA RIVER, YOU KNOW IN MY TEENS AND TWENTIES WITH FRIENDS AND SO THAT IS ONE OF MY VERY, VERY FAVORITE PLACES TO RECREATE ON STATE LAND.

>>LORENE: ARE THERE ANY CLIFF DWELLINGS ON THE STATE LAND PART, WE HAVE GOT THE GILA CLIFF DWELLINGS THAT ARE SO WONDERFUL.

>>STEPHANIE: RIGHT, SO THERE IS THE NATIONAL PARK THERE.

THERE ARE ACTUAL PETROGLYPHS ON STATE LAND, I AM NOT SURE ABOUT CLIFF DWELLINGS THEMSELVES.

BUT THERE ARE CERTAINLY PETROGLYPHS ON STATE LANDS AROUND THE STATE.

>>LORENE: AND WHAT ARE THE MOST USED OF ALL YOUR STATE LANDS, DO YOU HAVE ANYWAY OF CALIBRATING THAT?

>>STEPHANIE: OH, YES, SO I WAS JUST THINKING ABOUT A PARTNERSHIP THAT WE HAVE WITH THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE TRAIL COALITION.

SO ESSENTIALLY SOME OF THAT 3,000 MILE HIKE GOES THROUGH STATE LAND IN NEW MEXICO.

WE HAVE GOT A LITTLE SECTION OF STATE LAND DOWN IN THE BOOTHILL IN HIDALGO COUNTY NEAR LORDSBURG THAT IS PART OF THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE TRAIL AND THEN WE HAVE GOT SOME UP IN THE CUBA AREA, THE SAN PEDRO MOUNTAINS THERE, THERE IS SOME STATE LAND AND THAT'S CUT THROUGH FOR THE CDT AND SO ALL OF THAT IS WELL RECREATED BY NEW MEXICANS AND OTHERS THAT ARE DOING THE THROUGH HIKING.

>>LORENE: AND AS YOU ARE OPENING FOR ADVENTURE, ARE THERE ANY OTHER GOVERNMENT ENTITIES THAT YOU PARTNERED WITH THAT ARE MAKING THIS MORE SUCCESSFUL?

>>STEPHANIE: ABSOLUTELY, SO WE ARE HAPPY TO SAY THE GOVERNOR'S DIRECTOR OF OUTDOOR RECREATION, WE ARE IN VERY CLOSE PARTNERSHIP WITH HER, AXIE NAVAS IS HER NAME, SHE IS DOING A PHENOMENAL JOB.

SHE ACTUALLY HAS A GRANT POOL, SO SHE HAS GOT $500,000 THAT FOLKS CAN APPLY FOR TO DEVELOP RECREATIONAL AREAS RIGHT IN THEIR TOWN OR COUNTY.

SO IF THERE IS A LOCATION THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO DEVELOP, IT DOESN'T EVEN HAVE TO BE ON STATE LAND AND YOU WOULD LIKE TO SET UP BIKING TRAILS OR ANY KIND OF DEVELOPMENT OF OUTDOOR REC, YOU SHOULD CONTACT THE OFFICE OF OUTDOOR RECREATION AT THE STATE TO APPLY FOR THESE GRANTS.

SO THE NAME OF THE GRANT IS OUTDOOR RECREATION TRAILS PLUS.

>>LORENE: WONDERFUL, WONDERFUL.

AND IS THERE A LINK TO THAT ON YOUR WEBSITE OR WILL THERE BE?

>>STEPHANIE: OH, SURE WE CAN PUT THAT UP, YEAH.

>>LORENE: PUT THAT IN THE OPEN FOR ADVENTURE PART.

WELL, THANK YOU FOR THIS ENTICING PORTRAIT OF OUR STATE LANDS.

YOU KNOW WE HAVE GOT ANOTHER MONTH, MONTH AND A HALF OF SUMMER AND PEOPLE ARE ARE JUST DYING TO GET OUT, SO I HOPE PEOPLE TAKE ADVANTAGE.

I HAD NO IDEA ABOUT MELROSE WOODS, I DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT SAN LORENZO, SO I THANK YOU, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

ONE OTHER HAT THAT I WANTED TO ASK YOU ABOUT, YOU MANAGE A LOT OF MINERALS AND EXTRACTION AND EVERYTHING, BUT WHEN YOU CAME INTO OFFICE YOU WERE TRYING TO PUSH FOR RENEWABLES.

>>STEPHANIE: THAT'S RIGHT.

>>LORENE: SO WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH RENEWAL ENERGY IN STATE LANDS?

>>STEPHANIE: YEAH, SO WE ARE PROUD TO SAY THAT WE ARE VERY STEADILY CLOSING IN ON THE GOAL WE SET FOR OURSELVES TWO AND A HALF YEARS AGO TO TRIPLE THE AMOUNT OF RENEWABLE ENERGY ON YOUR STATE LAND.

WE ARE ALMOST READY TO CLOSE THAT GOAL RIGHT BEFORE THE END OF THE FIRST TERM.

>>LORENE: OH, MY GOODNESS.

>>STEPHANIE: YUP, YUP.

WE SIGNED THE LEASE ON FOUR MAJOR WINDFARMS THROUGHOUT THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO ONE OF WHICH WILL BRING IN $80 MILLION DOLLARS FOR OUR BENEFICIARIES AND SO WE ARE VERY EXCITED TO CONTINUE ON THIS JUST REALLY FAST-PACED DEVELOPMENT OF RENEWABLE ENERGY.

WE OPENED THE FIRST EVER OFFICE OF RENEWABLE ENERGY AT THE STATE LAND OFFICE JUST SO WE WOULD HAVE FOLKS WHOSE PRIMARY MISSION AND GOAL WOULD BE TO DEVELOP THOSE LANDS.

>>LORENE: WELL, THANK YOU, THANK YOU.

SO WHAT DO YOU MOST WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW, FOR ME, I WANTED PEOPLE TO KNOW ABOUT THE PUBLIC LANDS AND I WANTED EVERY TAX PAYER TO KNOW HOW MUCH LESS THEY ARE PAYING IN TAXES BECAUSE OF YOUR WORK.

BUT WHAT ELSE DO PEOPLE NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE LAND OFFICE?

>>STEPHANIE: SO THE NICE THING ABOUT RECREATING ON STATE LAND, SHOPPING AT THE WALMART THAT IS ON STATE TRUST LAND IN SILVER CITY, USING YOUR STATE LANDS, YOU GET KIND OF A TWOFER.

YOU GET TO GO OUT AND ENJOY SOME OF THE MOST PRISTINE LANDSCAPES OUR STATE HAS TO OFFER, BUT YOU KNOW THAT WHILE YOU ARE DOING THAT, THE PROCEEDS FROM YOUR RECREATION GO TO UNM, GO TO PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

>>LORENE: GO TO THE SCHOOL FOR THE DEAF AND THE BLIND.

>>STEPHANIE: IT IS A VERY WORTHY CAUSE, IT IS A VERY WORTHY WAY TO RECREATE BECAUSE YOU GET KIND OF YOU KNOW TWO BANGS FOR YOUR BUCK THERE.

>>LORENE: THAT'S WHY WHEN YOU BUY THE $35 ANNUAL PASS FOR 10 FAMILY MEMBERS, THAT MONEY GOES RIGHT INTO THESE BENEFICIARIES, TOO, SO THAT IS WIN, WIN.

>>STEPHANIE: THAT'S RIGHT.

>>LORENE: WIN ALL AROUND.

SO, YOU HAVE ALREADY ACCOMPLISHED A LOT OF YOUR MAJOR GOALS ESPECIALLY WITH THE RENEWABLES AND WITH OPENING UP STATE LAND AND LETTING PEOPLE KNOW WHAT IS OUT THERE, BUT WHAT DO YOU HAVE AS YOUR MORE MOUNTAINS TO CLIMB, MORE THINGS THAT YOU WOULD LOVE TO ACCOMPLISH SINCE YOU HAVE ALREADY DONE SO MUCH.

>>STEPHANIE: SO WE ARE NOT FINISHED YET, YOU KNOW I TALKED AT THE BEGINNING OF YOUR SHOW ABOUT HOW WE REALLY NEED TO LOOK TO DIVERSIFYING THE MONEY THAT WE MAKE ON STATE LAND AND SO WE HAVE WORKED ON THINGS LIKE SIGNING A DEAL WITH THE CITY OF ALBUQUERQUE THAT WILL ALLOW NETFLIX, THE FILM STUDIO.

>>LORENE: OH YEAH.

>>STEPHANIE: THEIR STUDIO EXPANSION IS ACTUALLY GOING TO HAPPEN AT MESA DEL SOL ON STATE LAND.

SO I WOULD LOVE TO BRING IN EVEN MORE OF THOSE KIND OF HIGH PROFILE, REALLY LUCRATIVE DEALS FOR NEW MEXICO AND USE STATE TRUST LAND TO DO THAT.

THE LEGISLATURE PASSED A COMMUNITY SOLAR BILL THAT ALLOWS SMALL GROUPS OF PEOPLE, SMALL AGGREGATES, NEIGHBORHOODS EVEN SOMETIMES, TO BUILD THEIR OWN SOLAR ARRAYS OFF THE GRID AND BE ABLE TO POWER THEMSELVES.

I THINK STATE LAND IS IDEAL FOR THAT KIND OF DEVELOPMENT, SO I AM REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO, YOU KNOW, I AM GOING TO RUN FOR THIS OFFICE AGAIN, I REALLY HOPE TO COME IN AGAIN AND BE ABLE TO CONTINUE THE WORK THAT WE'VE STARTED.

>>LORENE: WE HAVE THOSE THINGS TO LOOK FORWARD TO AND WHAT ARE, YOU KNOW ABOUT PICKING UP EVERY STITCH, WHAT DO WE STILL NEED, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE ROYALTY RATE GO UP, THAT IS A LEGISLATIVE ISSUE.

I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE MORE ACCOUNTABILITY FOR PERHAPS THE COMPANIES THAT MAY NOT TIDY UP AFTER THEMSELVES.

>>STEPHANIE: WELL, ANY COMPANY THAT USES STATE LAND, RIGHT?

>>LORENE: RIGHT.

>>STEPHANIE: ANY COMPANY THAT USES YOUR PUBLIC LAND SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR IT.

SO YOU KNOW 100 PERCENT BONDING AND INSURANCE COVERAGE ON EVERYTHING THAT OCCURS ON STATE LAND, THAT'S ANOTHER KIND OF STITCH THAT WE HAVE TO MAKE UP.

>>LORENE: SO THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE TO WATCH, I KNOW THAT JEFF STEINBORN, SENATOR STEINBORN, IS IN CHARGE OF THE RADIOACTIVE AND HAZARDOUS MATERIALS COMMITTEE IN THE SENATE AND HE IS HOLDING SOME HEARINGS AND WE WILL PICK THIS UP ANOTHER TIME BECAUSE RIGHT NOW IT IS REALLY UNSETTLED AND WE WILL SEE.

BUT WHAT IS SETTLED IS ALL THE AVAILABILITY OF THIS OPEN FOR ADVENTURE LAND AND THE ROYALTIES THAT YOU ARE GETTING FROM OIL AND GAS AND OTHER ENERGY PRODUCTION.

WE ARE ALMOST RUNNING OUT OF TIME, BUT WHAT IS YOUR LAST MESSAGE FOR NEW MEXICANS TO KNOW, WHAT YOU ARE DOING AND WHAT THEY NEED TO KNOW?

>>STEPHANIE: SO I WOULD JUST WELCOME EVERYONE TO VISIT OUR WEBSITE OBVIOUSLY.

SO YOU CAN GOOGLE NEW MEXICO STATE LANDS BUT IT IS VERY EASY NMSTATELANDS.ORG, NM FOR NEW MEXICO, STATE LANDS DOT ORG AND YOU CAN FIND EVERYTHING YOU COULD POSSIBLY WANT TO KNOW INCLUDING THESE GORGEOUS PHOTOGRAPHS THAT I BROUGHT WITH ME, LORENE.

BUT ALL OF THE INFORMATION ON RECREATING ON STATE LAND, THERE ARE ACTUALLY MANY SITES THAT ARE HIGHLIGHTED THERE, SOME OUTSIDE OF CHURCH ROCKS IN GALLUP, SOME DOWN IN THE ALBUQUERQUE AREA.

ANYWHERE ACROSS THE STATE, YOU WILL FIND A LOCATION ON STATE LAND TO COME OUT AND RECREATE.

SO PLEASE COME OUT, WE ARE OPEN FOR ADVENTURE COME AND JOIN US ON STATE LAND.

>>LORENE: EXCELLENT, EXCELLENT.

YOU HAVE LIVED ALL OVER THE STATE, YOU STARTED OUT IN THE SOUTHWEST CORNER AND THEN YOU WERE A REPRESENTATIVE FROM LOS ALAMOS.

>>STEPHANIE: WELL, MY FAMILY ACTUALLY ORIGINALLY IS FROM THE TUCUMCARI AREA.

>>LORENE: OH MY GOODNESS.

>>STEPHANIE: I WAS BORN IN TUCUMCARI, TRAVELLED DOWN TO SOUTHWEST AND NOW I LIVE IN THE NORTH.

>>LORENE: AND YOU ARE HERE TO STAY, THAT'S WHAT I LOVE ABOUT IT.

SO, I WOULD LIKE TO CALL OUT TO PEOPLE TO GO TO YOUR WEBSITE AND TO LOOK AT THE STATE LANDS WHILE THERE IS SOME SUMMER LEFT TO GO AND ENJOY BEAUTIFUL NEW MEXICO.

YOU DON'T HAVE TO GO FAR, THERE IS SOMETHING NEAR, EVERY RESIDENT IN THE STATE HAS LAND NEARBY.

SO OUR GUEST TODAY IS STEPHANIE GARCIA RICHARD, THE COMMISSIONER FOR PUBLIC LANDS FOR THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR TAKING THE TIME TO BE WITH US TODAY.

>>STEPHANIE: THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

>>LORENE: IT IS A PLEASURE.

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

REPORT FROM SANTA FE IS MADE POSSIBLE, IN PART, BY GRANTS FROM THE NATIONAL EDUCATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF NEW MEXICO, AN ORGANIZATION OF PROFESSIONALS WHO BELIEVE THAT INVESTING IN PUBLIC EDUCATION IS AN INVESTMENT IN OUR STATE'S ECONOMIC FUTURE, FROM THE NEW MEXICO MUNICIPAL LEAGUE, A BETTER NEW MEXICO THROUGH BETTER CITIES AND FROM THE