top of page
New Energy Economy News
Read the latest updates on our legal actions, just transition initiatives, Sol for ALL! projects, recent media, and more....
click drop-down menu to filter posts by campaign
Search

Produced Water Reuse
The Governor's proposed "Strategic Water Supply," was an outrageous plan to use public money to fund treatment and re-use of fracking waste, a process lacking scientific evidence of safety and necessity. We won, defeating five enabling bills in the 2024 legislative session, and then we won again in May 2025 at the Water Quality Control Commission where the administration tried to pass a rule to enable fracking waste reuse.


You inspire us. Thank you for showing up to speak truth to power.
Yesterday you showed up to defend our water. New Mexican's from across the state made an impassioned plea to the Commission: water is kin, water is sacred, we cannot risk contaminating the water that gives us life. Farmers, acequieros, tribal members, business owners, teachers, parents, medical professionals, scientists and former oil and gas workers from across the state - from Taos to Espanola to Albuquerque to Doña Ana County - each gave their time and spoke passionately i
Apr 15


Errata Compounds WATR Alliance Misrepresentations
On April 7th, 2026 New Energy Economy and the Center for Biological Diversity filed a Joint Motion to Show Cause arguing that the WATR Alliance, in its petition seeking authorization to reuse and discharge produced water, had fabricated multiple quotations supporting their petition by alleging that the quotations were extracts from peer reviewed scientific papers. The quotations misrepresented the state of the science and the conclusions reached by the authors of these studie
Apr 13


Extractive industries are deceptive, voracious and relentless. We must be vigilant and persistent. This is our watch.
This week we learned about a company looking to restart exploration for uranium mining near Canjilon, a project that could poison the entire Chama watershed, we scrambled to participate in the ludicrous seven day public comment period on the Trump administration's bid to re-open fossil fuel extraction near Chaco Canyon, and saw there was a notice that federal agencies are reversing efforts to ban mining in the Upper Pecos, potentially opening up nearly 165,000 acres for miner
Apr 10


We have some big updates on Blackstone, Project Jupiter, and Groundhog Day at the WQCC
The Hearing Examiners have agreed with intervenors that Blackstone's acquisition of $400 million PNM shares without PRC permission warrants its own hearing, which has been set to begin on April 30th. Most importantly, the Hearing Examiners have vacated the prior hearing schedule because they agreed with intervenors that the acquisition cannot move forward until an investigative hearing concludes and a determination is made as to whether Blackstone and PNM violated the law wit
Mar 25


It is possible to feel many things at once - burning rage and a deep sorrow borne of love. Action is sanity.
In Tehran today people are breathing a toxic soup of oil and dangerous particulates. The sky is black, death rains down and there is no water. In the words of Mehnaz, quoted in The Guardian: “The Rey depot, you won’t believe, was still on fire and it’s insane because in the night it looked like day and in the day, it was so dark, it looked like a new moon night. So, so dark, just like our futures.” Aramco is warning of “catastrophic consequences” for the world’s economy if t
Mar 10


The Oil Conservation Commission got it wrong: We filed a Joint Brief at the Appellate Court to Prevent PFAS in All Oil and Gas Downhole Operations
With everything going on, we have been remiss in reporting on an ongoing dispute with the Oil Conservation Commission over the final wording of the PFAS prohibition in Oil and Gas operations that was litigated in November of 2024. The application filed by Wild Earth Guardians and supported by New Energy Economy in 2023 sought to prohibit the use of PFAS compounds in all downhole oil and gas operations and require community notification of chemical disclosures. The final rule
Dec 16, 2025


WE WON! TAINTED VOTE ON "WATR" ALLIANCE PETITION VACATED!
The outcome was not at all certain as water advocates and public health protectors filed into the WQCC meeting yesterday, where Commissioners would decide the outcome of three formal motions to disqualify Commissioners and vacate a prior decision to allow a hearing on a WATR Alliance fracking waste discharge petition. Despite an extraordinary scene in which the people defied the Chair's surprise announcement that public comment on the fracking waste issue would not be heard ,
Nov 14, 2025


An important NM Supreme Court decision on climate, and a pivotal hearing to decide if tainted WQCC Commissioners must be disqualified
We are thrilled to report that the NM Supreme Court has agreed to hear the landmark lawsuit filed in 2023 by a coalition of Indigenous, frontline, youth and environmental organizations and community members over the state’s failure to protect public health and the environment from the harms of oil and gas pollution, as required by the state constitution. The lawsuit, Atencio v. State of New Mexico, is the first to challenge the state for violating the pollution control c
Nov 12, 2025


PRC Commissioner has to point out to a BCP executive that a gas utility is not like a Burger King
First, reporting back from the BCP buyout of New Mexico Gas Company hearing, we wanted to share this important point made by PRC Commissioner Aguilera to BCP Executive Jeffrey Baudier: a gas utility is not like a Burger King. It has captive customers that do not have a choice about where they can purchase their gas, and therefore those ratepayers have more at stake than burger joint customers. That is why the comparative difference between the $200M acquisition premium being
Nov 6, 2025


This morning we filed a Motion to Disqualify Tainted WQCC Commissioners and Dismiss WATR Petition
Photo by Anni Hanna New Energy Economy and Navajo Elder Daniel Tso today jointly filed a sweeping motion with the Water Quality Control...
Sep 25, 2025


Emails show Governor Conspired to Control WQCC Vote on Fracking Waste Discharge. Secretary Kenney lied about it on camera.
New Mexico now has its own WATRgate. Newly disclosed emails reveal what advocates have long suspected: the Governor’s Office is actively...
Sep 16, 2025


We filed a Motion for Science to demand that oil and gas front group share the basis for their fracking waste discharge petition
Last week New Energy Economy filed a motion requesting that the Water Quality Control Commission (WQCC) require the “Water Access...
Sep 10, 2025


THE PEOPLE SHOWED UP WITH POWER AND TRUTH - PUBLIC OUTCRY FELL ON DEAF & CORRUPT EARS
Photo by Anni Hanna Yesterday the people showed up with power and truth to demand the Water Quality Control Commission put people over...
Aug 13, 2025


Today we filed a Motion inviting the WQCC to reject industry's illegal and undemocratic attempt to relitigate fracking waste discharge
Yesterday, New Energy Economy, the Center for Biological Diversity, and Navajo leaders Daniel Tso and Mario Atencio filed a motion ...
Jul 25, 2025


Decisions by regulators at WQCC and PRC put industry and private equity investors above the people
As we reported briefly last week, a coalition of fracking waste reuse proponents hypocritically calling themselves the Water Access...
Jul 9, 2025


Today New Mexico marked SAFE from discharge of fracking waste to our ground and surface waters!
Yesterday we showed up at the Water Quality Control Commission to defend New Mexico water from fracking waste. Our sincere thanks to the...
May 14, 2025


In unusual move WQCC schedules oral argument about discharge of frack waste during public meeting tomorrow
Last week we reported that in separate but complimentary filings New Energy Economy, WildEarth Guardians, Amigos Bravos and the Sierra...
May 12, 2025


Fossil fuel execs caused more than $28 trillion in damages, and their ecocide continues in NM. WQCC don't be complicit!
Sunday, May 4th, action from Indivisible water protectors With the daily pronouncements rolling back environmental incentives and...
May 7, 2025


A Produced Water Reuse VICTORY, but critical changes still needed to protect our groundwater!
The New Mexico Water Quality Control Commission (WQCC) ended deliberations on proposed wastewater reuse rules (WQCC 23-84) to govern the...
Apr 11, 2025


Celebrating three new victories, together we CAN rise against all adversity
Even while the government works hand in hand with polluters—rolling back 31 critical federal environmental protections under new EPA...
Mar 13, 2025
bottom of page
