New Mexico Supreme Court agrees to take up oil and gas pollution lawsuit (Enviro radicals trying to shut down industry)

The Albuquerque Journal ^ | November 11, 2025 | Dan Boyd

[CedarDave]

SANTA FE — The New Mexico Supreme Court has agreed to hear an appeal of a 2023 lawsuit aimed at dramatically curtailing oil and natural gas production in the state.

The state’s Court of Appeals in June dismissed the lawsuit, which was filed by a coalition of Native American activists and environmental groups.

But the plaintiffs subsequently appealed that ruling, and New Mexico’s highest court issued an order this week accepting the case.

“We have a strong Constitution in New Mexico, and I’m confident the Supreme Court will uphold New Mexicans’ right to protection of our health and our environment,” said Gail Evans, an attorney for the Center for Biological Diversity, which is one of the groups involved in the lawsuit.

The suit claims state officials’ failure to enact strict pollution control measures has led to damaging health issues around New Mexico.

Specifically, it focuses on a provision in the New Mexico Constitution that declares protection of the state’s “beautiful and healthful environment” to be of fundamental public interest to state residents.

However, the Court of Appeals ruled that provision does not compel action from the legislative and executive branches.

Meanwhile, the outcome of the case could have a significant impact on New Mexico’s state budget.

Oil production has surged in New Mexico in recent years, driving state revenue collections to record-high levels. Oil and gas revenue makes up more than one-third of the state’s $13.7 billion [budget].

Oil industry backers have also said technological advances have led to reduced emissions and other environmental impacts.

That has not assuaged concerns of some New Mexicans, however, who say the oil production boom has led to an increase in health issues in the Permian Basin and Four Corners regions, where much of the oil and natural gas activity occurs.

[CedarDave]

New Mexico production accounts for 17% of domestic production in the continental US. Lea county alone produces over a million barrels per day of crude.

Far left Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham and her legislative cronies blame oil and gas operations as a cause of climate change and generally hate the industry. However, they just love the revenue it produces and last fiscal year had a budget surplus of several billion dollars. Instead of giving it back to the residents, they created more left-wing programs such as child care for all and increase in eligibility for SNAP payments. But no money for vouchers for school children - just more money for unionized teachers who don't teach basics.

[CedarDave]

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[oldbrowser]

The holdup is waiting for certain political palms to be greased. It’s always been that way.

[Ex-Con777]

I’m surprised a tribe can sue the state. Dont they have their own legal system?

EC

[CondoleezzaProtege]

Are they holding out on USA to go full socialist and expect the Feds to fund New Mexico exclusively? 🫤

[TexasGator]

“I’m surprised a tribe can sue the state. “

Not a tribe. Activists and environmental groups.

[RightOnTheBorder]

I would love to see SE New Mexico become part of Texas. Culturally they are there already. Leave those thieving leftist pigs in Santa Fe and Albuquerque to eat dust and beg for federal scraps.

[LegendHasIt]

I don't even know what to say about this idiocy that hasn't been said a thousand times before.

My favorite bumper sticker of all time:

BAN MINING AND OIL!!!
Let the bastards freeze and starve in the dark

[fruser1]

protection of the state’s “beautiful and healthful environment

Fine. Flatten all the homes and buildings and make them fight for cave-space.

[CedarDave]

Another good one:

[LegendHasIt]

Yep.

And : "SPave the Earth!

[butlerweave]

Green Energy Pollutes 1000 times more ,destroying trees , land and then it doesn’t last very long

[Texas resident]

Far left Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham and her legislative cronies haven’t a clue about how much revenue the nat gas companies create in New Mexico. If they are successful in driving them out, the state will see a huge drop in their tax revenue. Then they will tax the snot out of the companies that are left behind.

[cpdiii]

“Oil and gas revenue accounts for about
one-third to one-half of New Mexico’s state budget, specifically the General Fund. For Fiscal Year 2024, oil and gas revenues were estimated to be approximately $7 billion, which was about 50% of the state’s General Fund revenue. This revenue stream is crucial for funding state services like education and infrastructure.”

If they shut down the oilfields in New Mexico it will be financial collapse.

[packrat35]

Isn’t interstate business a federal thing?

Also, if they get their way, the state will be broke.

[packrat35]

I thought that tribes issues were federal in nature.

[BiteYourSelf]

Hey! That’s my tagline.😜

[AZJeep]

Ping

[desertsolitaire]

I have read (here) that New Mexico is a relatively poor state and could do much better for itself and its citizens if it supported the oil and gas industry there rather than holding it back. Anyone here know if its true that they only have a couple decent size cities and rhe rest is poorer small towns and rural?

[CedarDave]

It is a poor state that only supports itself with the O&G revenue plus income from the two national labs and three Air Force Bases. Other than Intel in Rio Rancho no big manufacturing plant is present. The state likes to brag about big tech coming but most, if it comes, are big green scams. Business taxes are high (gross receipt taxes on services).

The education system is governed by teacher’s unions so no support of private schools or vouchers; NM is #50 in education so families don’t come and kids leave for better opportunities. Recent SNAP figures have NM at 21.5% of the population on food stamps, higher even than any other state and including DC. Trial lawyers control the Democratic legislature and there is no cap on medical lawsuits so doctors leave because the cost of medical insurance is unaffordable. Rural health care is sparse and waits for a doctor, especially specialists, are months.

“Nuff said?”