Hotter Temperatures, Higher Costs: Experts Warn Lawmakers of the Rising Price of a Warming New Mexico

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 17, 2025

Hotter Temperatures, Higher Costs: Experts Warn Lawmakers of the Rising Price of a Warming New Mexico

Presenters tell legislators that climate change is already driving up the cost of living for New Mexico families

SANTA FE, N.M. — Today, with the average cost of living rising for New Mexicans, new data presented to lawmakers today shows that hotter temperatures are already adding up for families and communities across the state.

At the Water and Natural Resources Interim Committee hearing in Santa Fe, scientists, economists, and policy leaders told lawmakers that New Mexico is paying a steep price for rising temperatures from higher insurance premiums and shrinking water supplies to the mounting costs of rebuilding after fires and floods.

“In just the last year, New Mexico has had to spend more than $256 million through executive orders alone to respond to fires, floods, and other climate-driven disasters — and the fiscal year isn’t even over,” said Adrian Avila, Principal Fiscal Analyst, New Mexico Senate Majority Office. “The frequency of disasters is increasing — it’s not going away — and our emergency spending reflects that reality.”

Findings from state data show that climate-related losses could reach one-third of New Mexico’s annual budget by 2040 if the state fails to act.
“New Mexico has spent nearly a decade in severe to exceptional drought. That kind of long-term stress supercharges wildfires, dries out soils, and turns routine rainfall into catastrophic flooding,” said Ali Rye, Secretary, Homeland Security and Emergency Management Department during the presentation. “Before 2022, New Mexico hadn’t had a federally declared disaster since 2012. But in the last three years alone, we’ve had four — a dramatic shift that shows how severe and widespread these events have become.”

During the hearing, Senate President Pro Tempore Mimi Stewart outlined her proposal — the Clear Horizons Act — which codifies New Mexico’s 2050 climate pollution emissions goals and establishes a framework for long-term investment in clean energy, resilience, and community preparedness.

“New Mexico families are already feeling the rising costs of wildfires, flooding, and extreme weather — in higher insurance bills, utility costs, and the everyday expenses that shape our way of life,” Senator Stewart said. “The Clear Horizons Act puts the Governor’s executive order into statute and gives our agencies the tools and certainty they need to guide industry, safeguard family budgets, and secure a healthier, more resilient future for our state.”

The Clear Horizons Act works in tandem with the Community Benefit Fund, which invests directly in community-led projects that create jobs and strengthen local resilience from wildfire recovery in Mora County to renewable energy storage in Eddy County and water infrastructure in Curry County. Together, these initiatives lay the groundwork for a cleaner, more stable future that rewards hard work and keeps opportunity in New Mexico.

“Things are only going to get worse if we don’t take action – and it’s going to take all of us working together,” said Representative Tara Lujan, House District 48. “This legislation matters because it gives New Mexico a real plan, one that brings state agencies, local governments, and communities onto the same page so we can finally tackle greenhouse gas emissions and build a safer future for our families.”

The Clear Horizons New Mexico Coalition is a partnership of New Mexicans across the state from 35 climate, equity, social justice, and conservation organizations and businesses that are raising their voice in unison for climate action in the Land of Enchantment. At Clear Horizons, we celebrate our promise and commitment to keeping New Mexico beautiful and prosperous for everyone, now and in the future.

Learn more from coalition partners about why New Mexico needs the Clear Horizons Act:

“The New Mexico patients I see as a family physician are suffering from a widespread but preventable threat; a peril to their health which our legislature can and should help prevent. Climate change heightens the risk of cardiovascular and lung disease among New Mexicans. It contributes to adverse pregnancy outcomes; it disrupts the endocrine and immune systems; it worsens mental illness and distress and negatively impacts our brain and nervous system; it causes premature death. We have the ability to halt this preventable cause of disease. The Clear Horizons Act significantly lowers greenhouse gas emissions – the driver of climate change, extreme heat, catastrophic wildfires, drought, and flooding – harms that New Mexicans all over the state already suffer. The families I’ve cared for are resilient and determined. They want fairness and opportunity and a livable New Mexico for their children. They care about traditions, water and the land. Clear Horizons offers us hope for improved health and environmental justice. Let’s do this for our families, neighbors, and communities. Let’s do this for a better, healthier future for all of us.”
—- Kristin L. Graziano, DO, MPH, FAAFP. Family Physician, Healthy Climate New Mexico Board Member

“Parents across New Mexico want clean air, healthy communities, and a stable climate for their kids. We urge lawmakers to advance and ensure strong, enforceable standards that meet the scale of the climate crisis while supporting a thriving, resilient economy.”
—- Giovanna Rossi of Moms Clean Air Force

“The Clear Horizons Act provides the critical framework and tools New Mexico needs to hold polluters accountable and protect communities from the worst impacts of climate change. New Mexicans are looking to state leaders to drive local solutions that put community needs first, protect natural resources and deliver clean air and good-paying jobs that they can rely on. Passing the Clear Horizons Act next session is a critical next step in the state’s climate leadership, one that will promote a thriving, transformative economy that protects New Mexicans for generations to come. We thank Senate Pro Tem Stewart for her leadership.”
—- Michael Bueno, Senior Manager, State Climate Policy and Strategy at EDF Action

“New Mexicans live every day in the only state in the country where direct-source emissions are the number one cause of pollution and have direct impacts on all of our lives across our air, land, and water. It’s beyond time for the legislature to take action to address those emissions headon.”
—- Lucas Herndon is the Energy Policy Director at ProgressNow New Mexico

“With the Trump administration, Congress, and the Supreme Court soaked in fossil fuel money and ideas, there is an immense need and opportunity for New Mexico to exercise climate leadership. The Clear Horizons Act would put people and the state’s land, water, and can-do spirit at the heart of a thriving, abundant future for all New Mexicans.”
—- Erik Schlenker-Goodrich, Executive Director, Western Environmental Law Center

“The Trump Administration’s energy policies have forced higher costs on families and defunded programs that create jobs and revenue for our communities, including wind and solar manufacturing. This is destabilizing our economy at a time when New Mexicans desperately want economic relief. The time has come to address this head on by passing the Clear Horizons Act. It solidifies the path the state is already on to diversify our economy, invest in renewable energy industries, and create long-term solutions that reduce the cost of our energy bills. We urge the legislature to stand with working families by supporting this important legislation.”
—- Demis Foster, Chief Executive Officer at Conservation Voters New Mexico

“The Clear Horizons Act will help New Mexico secure a future where our children can breathe clean air, and our state can transition into a clean energy economy that bolsters job growth and provides stable funding for the programs our families and children rely on. We need our state lawmakers to invest in the next generation of New Mexicans, and mitigate the negative impacts of climate change in our communities.”
—- Maya Anthony, Climate Policy Analyst for New Mexico Voices for Children

“Clear goals and consistent rules pave a roadmap of possibility for clean energy workers, industries, and investors all throughout the state. The Clear Horizons Act creates a secure environment for business development and long-term investment that keeps the engine of New Mexico’s economy – the growth of the clean energy jobs continues to outpace the state’s overall employment for the second year in a row – humming smoothly for decades to come.”
—- Susan Nedell said, E2’s Senior Western Advocate

“Clear rules and long-term targets are essential for building an energy system that is resilient, cost-effective, and efficient. The Clear Horizons Act establishes durable benchmarks and accountability so utilities, agencies, and businesses can modernize infrastructure, invest in proven efficiency solutions, upgrade systems wisely, and plan with confidence. With consistent expectations and real transparency, this legislation keeps New Mexico competitive in the clean-energy economy while strengthening stability and opportunity for families and communities across the state.”
—- Alex Eubanks, New Mexico representative for the Southwest Energy Efficiency Project

“New Mexicans deserve strong investments in our future. We cannot afford to be left behind in the clean energy transition. This legislation will allow New Mexico to attract private investment with clear expectations and consistency. We can diversify our economy, create safe, clean jobs, and prioritize our health.”
—- Alexis Mena, New Mexico Policy Director, Natural Resources Defense Council

“This bill is about using the gifts that mother nature gave us – the free energy from the sun, the wind and the heat of the earth and really meaning it when we say we love our children – by leaving them a world where they can thrive.”
—Tom Solomon 350 New Mexico

“The planet is like a hot car in the sun, our communities are strapped into the carseat in the back. There’s no way to get out. Legislators are in the driver’s seat and can give us some relief. We’re so grateful to Senate Pro Temp Mimi Stewart and Rep. Kristina Ortez for bringing the legislation we need to continue reducing our climate emissions, protecting our New Mexico communities and the place we love.”
— Camilla Feibelman, Sierra Club Rio Grande Chapter Director

“A decade of investigations of pollution in New Mexico’s oil and gas fields with our optical gas imaging cameras proves harmful air toxics still slip through the cracks, often right next to schools, playgrounds and homes. Frontline communities deserve better. Even with recent improvements in state regulations, there is more work to do. A strong Clear Horizons Act gives New Mexico a clear vision for better air quality and enforceable targets for meeting our climate goals.”
— Mandy Sackett, New Mexico Lead Campaigner for Earthworks

“The climate crisis is a moral crisis. We may not have all the answers to how we find our way out of the complexities of fossil fuel dependence, but it is the duty of us all to commit to creating and passing legislation that helps transform our energy use away from those that are compromising the very integrity of life on this planet. The urgency of this moment requires clear rules and structures of accountability for industry as well as vision for the economic diversification we need for all communities of life to thrive in New Mexico.”
— Rev. Clara Sims, Assistant Executive Director, New Mexico & El Paso Interfaith Power and Light###

Clear Horizons New Mexico is a coalition committed to fostering sustainable growth and environmental resilience throughout the State of New Mexico. Through the advocacy and implementation of groundbreaking legislation like the Clear Horizons Act, we aim to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions, promote energy development and innovation, and enhance community welfare. Our mission is to transform New Mexico into a leader in energy & sustainability by harnessing the state’s unique environmental assets and cultural heritage, ensuring a thriving, sustainable future for all residents. Clear Horizons New Mexico collaborates with local communities, policymakers, and environmental experts to drive meaningful change and innovation.