I voted against advancing the permitting reform bill today after hearing serious concerns from New Mexicans across the state, especially our Pueblo and environmental leaders.
Making it easier to build clean energy and critical infrastructure projects is important, but we must address these concerns before moving forward. I remain committed to working with my colleagues to make meaningful improvements and get this right.
Last Tuesday, Americans resoundingly voted against a Trump administration that has bullied, dictated, and destroyed American history and treasure for Trump's own vanity. The American people demanded transparency, accountability, and a voice. This secretive, backroom permitting deal is the exact opposite. It ignores and silences the voices of so many and only empowers Trump to continue to trample on the American people who are fed up.
America’s greatness lies not just in innovation and technological advancement, but also in our deep commitment to protecting the places that make our country truly beautiful – our historical, cultural, and sacred places. In New Mexico, we celebrate our Tribal communities, our Hispano heritage, and our diversity. This legislation would hand over more authority to Trump to destroy what New Mexicans have protected and cherished for centuries. Across New Mexico, it is opposed by so many, including tribal leaders, acequias, and environmentalists.
The proposed manager’s amendment does not resolve the fatal flaws in the bill’s changes to our historic preservation process. The legislation would still give “sole discretion” to the Trump administration to determine whether a sacred or historic site deserves protection. It would even restrict federal courts from overturning destructive projects – including data centers, mining, and fossil fuel projects. As we have seen time and time again, Trump will certainly corrupt and abuse this unprecedented power.
Our nation’s growth and development in the future can move forward while honoring its past. We can reform and expedite permitting for major renewable energy projects while protecting historical places and upholding our trust and treaty obligations with Tribal governments. The reality is that our historic preservation laws don’t stop projects, they just require that consultation and communication occur before bringing in the bulldozers. Americans don’t want to be kept in the dark about what is being built, they want to have transparency and input.
Democrats have just won control of both the House and the Senate. This rush to pass something in the lame-duck session ignores Tuesday’s great victory. We should be united around a democratic process that includes those most impacted by legislation in the process of developing that legislation. We can develop reforms that allow renewable energy projects to be built, without giving such extraordinary power to a President and an administration that has proven it cannot be trusted.
I look forward to working with my colleagues to pass permitting reform legislation that includes the voices of the American people.
@RedactedJohn This is what I say when someone says that to me. “Some people are part of the problem and some are part of the solution, I choose to be part of the solution.”
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