Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham Urged to ‘walk her talk’ on climate and help unleash a local and renewable energy economy that Community Solar legislation makes possible.
Lawmakers are already gearing up for the 2020 Legislative budget session. The 30-day session, beginning in January is reserved primarily for budget bills, but Governor Lujan Grisham has the power to place any legislation she deems important before lawmakers.
Passing Community Solar is an important step in New Mexico’s efforts to create a path toward Energy Democracy. The Mayors of Albuquerque, Las Cruces, and Santa Fe all agree, a Community Solar law would “supercharge” solar development in our state. The All Pueblo Council of Governors also unanimously resolved to support community solar as well!
Read the March 2019 column written by Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller, Las Cruces Mayor Ken Miyagishima and Santa Fe Mayor Alan Webber where they said, “Let’s give power to the people.”
Take action by calling and emailing Governor Lujan Grisham at 505-476-2200. Urge her to place Community Solar legislation on her 2020 legislative call. Let her know that Community Solar will serve every day New Mexicans by delivering the benefits of solar power at lower costs by aggregating customers into larger projects, which have economies of scale.
Contact us at 505-989-7262 or by email for more ways to help “TAKE Y(Our) Power Back!” We have Community Solar postcards available that you can fill out, share with your friends, and send to the Governor.
The two billboards, posted on Central Avenue near Nob Hill and on Coal Avenue at Broadway, are sponsored by an alliance of community and environmental justice organizations: Physicians for Social Responsibility, Tewa Women United, Retake Our Democracy, Fight for Our Lives - Albuquerque, Youth United for Climate Crisis Action (YUCCA), Earth Care, and New Energy Economy.
Help us keep these billboards up throughout the legislative session with a donation to New Energy Economy!
Our elected officials need to feel the pressure on this issue.
An overwhelming majority of New Mexicans want access to solar generated energy because we know it is the right thing to do for our economy, and our planet.
The trouble is, in New Mexico, investor-owned utilities only generate a tiny percentage of the energy we consume from solar - despite the fact that our state is at the very top in the nation (and the world) for solar capacity. Even under New Mexico’s newly raised renewable portfolio standard, the monopoly utility PNM is proposing to build another gas plant (we’re challenging that scenario!) instead of investing in less expensive, sustainable solar and storage.
Distributed Community Solar will help end our reliance on fossil fuel energy resources.
By passing Community Solar this legislative session, New Mexico leaders will be taking direct and tangible action to stimulate emerging sectors of our local economies, while protecting public health and our clean air and water.
New Mexico can be a leader in solar energy deployment. Read about how New Mexico’s proposed Community Solar legislation “raises the bar” in this piece from the Institute for Local Self-Reliance.
Check out these solar success stories from Illinois, one of the nineteen states with Community Solar laws already on the books: Illinois Solar for All spreads the wealth to underserved communities.
Community Solar generates local wealth through the creation of new green jobs and enables people to repurpose energy dollar savings, further stimulating our local economies. Alternative energy jobs are the fastest growing job sector in New Mexico.
We want legislators to deliver on policies that build a vibrant and robust green energy economy and create local jobs. Community Solar legislation presents a tremendous opportunity to deliver something meaningful for their constituents that acts as a source of local economic development.