Conservation Scorecard 2015-2016
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CONSERVATION SCORECARD 2015-2016 1 DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE t Conservation Voters habits, and letting the results flow New Mexico, we consider from that. the work that we do in Athe State Capitol a point of pride. The scores that you see in this We consider every bill introduced 2015-2016 Scorecard are the result that has an environmental of what we believe to be excellent impact to be our business, and process in the identification and an opportunity to make sure that analysis of the bill introduced in legislators understand what the this legislature. We hope that you’ll Scorecard Contents environmental priorities of their use this Scorecard to hold your constituents are. But that’s only elected officials accountable – look one metric that we use to define at how they voted and acted and 3 CVNM Staff and Board “success” for ourselves during the note the actions that you don’t 4 Know the Score, Take Action legislative session. understand or disagree with. Ask 5 Issue Spotlight yourself why they might have 6 Stories and Themes In the past we’ve used different cast that vote, and then (just as 7 NM State Land Office legislative outcomes to define importantly) look up their contact 8 Conservation Vote Descriptions the effectiveness of our work in info at the back of this Scorecard, 11 About the Scorecard the session, such as our “defense and ask them. 12 2015-2016 Senate Scorecard record” – our record of stopping 14 2015-2016 House Scorecard legislation slated for opposition. The overarching theme of the 2015 18 Legislative Contacts Metrics like the defense record are and 2016 sessions was a simple important to use when evaluating one: defense. The State House success. However, these metrics of Representatives became an often rely on factors out of our incubator for extractive industry control, and don’t really tell the think-tank generated bills whole story of what we do. In designed to weaken environmental the 2016 session, we made the protections, give away public decision to measure our success land and water, sacrifice public in different ways - How well did health for corporate interests and we connect community with their generally threaten the wild places lawmakers to tell their story in of New Mexico. We’ve gotten their own voices? How effectively good at stopping bad bills, but did we support the lawmakers who be assured that we’re still looking stand up for our issues? How well for ways to continue to move did we carry messages in to the proactive conservation legislation Capitol that haven’t been heard through the Capitol. there before? Thank you for being a These measurements represent a Conservation Voter! subtle but significant shift in our organizational approach to our Demis Foster advocacy work in the legislature. Executive Director We can’t simply hope to replicate identical results year over year. Rather, it’s better to focus on honing excellent practices and 2 Staff and Board Conservation Voters New Mexico Family of Organizations CVNM Staff Demis Foster, Executive Director Roberto Aponte, Operations Director Ben Shelton, Political & Legislative Director Allison Fabara, Development Director Aviva Crichton, Development Associate Demis Foster Roberto Aponte Liliana Castillo, Communications Director CVNM Board of Directors Noah Long, President Steve Fischmann, Vice President David Cantor, Treasurer Larry McDaniel, Secretary Leslie Barclay, Director Ben Shelton Allison Fabara Charles de Saillan, Director Kent Salazar, Director CVNM Education Fund Staff Demis Foster, Executive Director Roberto Aponte, Operations Director Allison Fabara, Development Director Liliana Castillo Aviva Crichton Molly Sanders, Program Director Talia Boyd, Western New Mexico Organizer Liliana Castillo, Communications Director Christopher Ramirez, Juntos Director CVNM Education Fund Board of Directors Bernard Ewell, President & Treasurer Oriana Sandoval, Vice President Talia Boyd Christopher Ramirez Charles de Saillan, Treasurer Theresa Pasqual, Secretary Molly Sanders 3 Know the Score Take Action It’s never too late to say ‘thanks’! Join Conservation Voters The most important part of your (or ‘no thanks’…) New Mexico today! communication is letting them Tell your legislators that you know that you are paying close ‘Know the Score’ We take on tough fights to protect attention to how they vote or, in New Mexico, but these efforts in the case of the Governor, what One of the best ways to the Roundhouse and around the actions she takes on legislation that influence the voting records state require financial resources. affects our air, land, and water. of your elected officials is to We can only win when we work communicate regularly with them. together. Please join other Calling your legislator directly If your legislators scored well, New Mexicans in becoming and sending letters through it’s important to thank them and a Conservation Voter today! regular mail remain by far to support them. If you feel you Membership is easy: just submit the most effective ways to weren’t well-represented by your the enclosed envelope with your communicate with your legislators’ votes, it’s important to membership contribution or join legislators. Due to mass volume, hold them accountable by letting online at www.CVNM.org and e-mail is generally a less effective them know what you think about click “Donate.” method to communicate your their votes. views — but it depends on the Communicate with the individual legislator. If you don’t know who your Governor and your legislators are, visit www.CVNM.org The Governor and Lieutenant and click on the “Find your Legislators Governor can always be contacted at Legislator” link under the Whether you’re congratulating the Roundhouse. Except during the “Legislation” drop-down menu. your legislators on their score or legislative session, state legislators expressing your disappointment, should be contacted in their home be direct, courteous and polite. districts, as listed on pages 18 and 19. Conservation Goals Conservation Lobbying and for the Legislature policy goals are Grassroots are Evaluated and communicated to Mobilization CVNM Prioritized legislators Cycle of Accountability ELECTION LEGISLATIVE SESSION Public elects Legislature or rejects enacts or rejects candidates conservation agenda Campaign Assistance Legislative Results and Grassroots Endorsement of Communicated to Mobilization Pro-Conservation the Public through Candidates the Scorecard 4 ISSUE SPOTLIGHT ince their inception in 2008, rooftop solar tax credit extension In addition to presenting excellent the solar tax credits have all the way to the Governor’s opportunities for homeowners, the played a key role in creating desk. Despite broad bi-partisan growth of solar capacity is good Sabout 2,000 new jobs in the state of support for the bill, Gov. Susana for the overall price of electricity. New Mexico, spread across nearly Martinez chose to completely The simple explanation for this is 100 firms. As one of the sunniest ignore the measure – ignoring the that generation from solar panels states in the country, New Mexico benefits of solar to New Mexico’s peaks at the same time as demand: possesses outstanding potential economy, communities, health during the hottest, sunniest for generation of solar energy. By and environment. Increasing solar parts of the day. Generally, when establishing the first national limits energy will decrease the demand demand peaks above what the on carbon pollution from coal-fired and production of energy sources utility generates from baseload power plants, the Clean Power that pollute our air and have power sources like coal-fired power Plan (CPP) will spark exponential negative impacts on public health. plants, the additional power must growth and demand for renewable be generated or purchased at a energy nationwide. At the federal In the 2016 session, the bill much higher price, a cost which level, tax credits for producing introduced by Sen. Mimi Stewart, is incorporated into your power and investing in renewable energy SB 13 (and its House companion, bill. By lowering or eliminating production have recently been introduced by Rep. Sarah Maestas- the amount of additional power extended until 2020. We can expect Barnes, HB 26) would have done that needs to be purchased at the to see a nationwide uptick in two simple things: raised the cap of premium peaking rates, the price of investments in renewable energy available credits to $5 million per electricity goes down for everyone that should correspond with the year and extended the credit until on the grid whether they have solar increased demand as states begin 2021. Sadly for New Mexicans, the panels on their home or not. to reduce their carbon pollution as measure to extend the tax credit required by the CPP. That means was a casualty of a decimated state The way that the residential tax the window of opportunity for budget in 2016. credit works in New Mexico is by New Mexico to position itself as a allowing homeowners to apply for nationwide leader in clean energy Consumer-based credits such as the tax credit up to a certain overall technology development and the Solar Market Development Tax monetary cap (generally a few generation is upon us. Credit give homeowners a break million dollars). Once the available when they put solar panels on the funds have been hit, the cap is The residential and agricultural roof of their home. It’s a relatively exhausted and the tax credit isn’t solar tax credits have been an simple tax mechanism that makes available any more for that