The House Energy and Natural Resources Committee is scheduled to reconsider on Friday a bill that would give an $85 million tax credit for a coal plant on the Navajo Nation, and Rep. Joni Gutierrez, D-Las Cruces, is under a lot of pressure in the days leading up to the hearing.
Gutierrez voted on Jan. 29 along with other Democrats on the committee to table the bill, which usually kills such a proposal. But on Friday, Gutierrez made a motion to revive the bill and voted along with Republicans to bring it back to life. Following the 7-6 vote, House Bill 178, sponsored by Rep. Tom Taylor, R-Farmington and the minority leader, has new life.
A Senate committee has tabled it version of the bill.
Since changing her vote, Gutierrez has been inundated with calls and e-mails from environmentalists and some Navajos who oppose the plant, though the Navajo Nation’s leadership is partnering with a private company to build the plant.
I know about the calls and e-mails because I’ve also received some of them. Gutierrez, who usually tries to avoid public controversy and makes nice with everyone, is refusing to comment.
One group is running radio advertisements in the Albuquerque/Santa Fe area urging residents to fight the tax credit. You can listen to the ad by clicking here.
The tax credit is controversial because the plant will send an estimated 10.5 million tons of carbon dioxide into the air each year. It’s going to be built by Sithe Global Power of Houston, in partnership with the Navajo Nation.
Gov. Bill Richardson has a goal of reducing such emissions throughout the state by 11 million tons each year and has said in the past that the plant concerns him, now declines to comment.