New Mexico Senate Rejects Bill to Codify Emissions Goals
– The New Mexico Senate on Wednesday rejected legislation that would have codified the state’s greenhouse gas emissions reduction goals into law, dealing a blow to Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham’s climate agenda. The vote was 19-23, with seven Democratic senators joining Republicans in opposition to the bill.
Senate Bill 18, known as the Clear Horizons Act, sought to enshrine in state law emissions reduction targets initially established by a 2019 executive order from Governor Lujan Grisham. Those targets call for reducing greenhouse gas emissions to at least 45% below 2005 levels by 2030, at least 75% below 2005 levels by 2035, and 100% below 2005 levels by 2050.
This was not the first attempt to pass the Clear Horizons Act. Lead sponsor Senate President Pro Tempore Mimi Stewart (D-Albuquerque) had revised the legislation in response to criticism received during last year’s session, but ultimately failed to garner enough support this year.
Opponents, including Republican lawmakers and lobbyists representing industries such as oil and gas, agriculture, construction, and chambers of commerce, argued that the bill would negatively impact the state’s economy and increase the costs of essential goods and services. The Senate Republican Caucus released a statement following the vote, calling the defeat of the Clear Horizons Act a “massive victory” and praising their unified opposition to what they described as “radical and damaging policies.”
The failure of SB18 comes after a 30-day legislative session that concluded on . Governor Lujan Grisham, while expressing disappointment over the outcome of some crime and gun-related measures, generally struck an upbeat tone regarding the session’s accomplishments. She indicated that a special session was not currently planned.
Concerns about the economic impact of stringent emissions standards were also raised last year by Ernie C’de Baca, president and CEO of the Albuquerque Hispano Chamber of Commerce. In an opinion piece published in March 2025, C’de Baca warned that Senate Bill 4 – the Clear Horizons and Greenhouse Gas Emissions Act – posed “significant threats to economic diversification, job growth and the well-being of our most vulnerable communities, including small businesses.” He argued that the bill’s timelines were unrealistic and could drive economic development to neighboring states like Texas and Oklahoma.
C’de Baca also pointed out that New Mexico businesses were already taking steps to address climate change, and that the goals of the existing Energy Transition Act were already challenging given the state’s limited electric capacity and the need for grid modernization. He suggested that full electrification of many industries within the proposed timelines was unachievable.
The debate over emissions standards comes as the global economic landscape faces new uncertainties. Recent actions by former President Donald Trump, including the imposition of reciprocal tariffs on every nation, have sent shockwaves through financial markets, according to reports from Yahoo News. The impact of these tariffs on New Mexico’s economy remains to be seen.
Albuquerque Business First, a local business news publication, continues to report on the evolving economic conditions in the region. The outcome of the emissions bill is likely to be a key topic of discussion among business leaders in the coming weeks.
The rejection of SB18 highlights the ongoing tension between environmental goals and economic concerns in New Mexico, and raises questions about the future of the state’s climate policy.
