Gov. Bill Richardson signed today what he called in a news release “two major cornerstones” of his clean energy agenda.
Senate Bill 418 requires that 15 percent of an electric utility’s power comes from renewable energy sources by 2015, which increases to 20 percent in 2020. House Bill 188 creates a state Renewable Energy Transmission Authority to help the state develop clean energy resources and sell clean electricity to other states.
The proposals are a cornerstone of Richardson’s presidential campaign. Richardson’s government staffers and campaign both sent out an announcement of today’s bill signing.
Senate Bill 418 was sponsored by Majority Leader Michael Sanchez, D-Belen. House Bill 188 was sponsored by Rep. Jose Campos, D-Santa Rosa.
“I am proud that both these bills passed with bipartisan support,” Richardson said in a news release. “That is because New Mexico is hungry for clean energy and the good jobs that come with this new industry.”
Richardson said a focus on clean energy “keeps our air clean and it will help New Mexico meet my aggressive greenhouse gas reduction goals.”
Richardson’s goal is to reduce emissions in the state by 11 million tons each year. Many environmentalists I’ve spoken with are happy that he is pushing such an aggressive agenda, but also disappointed because of his lack of a stance on a bill that would give an $85-million tax break for the Desert Rock coal plant on the Navajo Nation.
The proposal has been killed in the House but Senate Bill 431, sponsored by Senate President Pro Tem Ben Altamirano, D-Silver City, is awaiting a hearing in the Senate Finance Committee. The plant is controversial because it would release 10.5 million tons of carbon dioxide into the air each year, almost canceling out Richardson’s emissions reduction goal.
Richardson has said the coal plant concerns him, but has declined to take a stance on the tax-break proposal.
Regardless, Richardson has been working for years on increasing the state’s use of renewable energy. In 2004 he signed into law a bill requiring that 5 percent of New Mexico’s electricity come from renewable energy by 2006, with that number rising to 10 percent by 2011.
In addition to combating greenhouse gas emissions, Richardson says the changes will bring economic benefits, both in the form of new jobs as an industry develops here, and in the opportunity for the sale of clean energy to other states.
“We’ve just positioned our state to become extremely competitive in all aspects of clean energy development and the benefits that come with it,” said Joanna Prukop, cabinet secretary for Energy, Minerals, and Natural Resources.
In the past few weeks, Richardson has signed a five-state climate change agreement and announced a new electric car plant that will be located in Albuquerque and a biodiesel plant that will be located in Clovis.
Gov. Bill Richardson signed today what he called in a news release “two major cornerstones” of his clean energy agenda. 
“I am proud that both these bills passed with bipartisan support,”