Climate Group's Ideas 'Bold'; Plans Would Boost Economy, Cut Emissions

Dec 04 - Albuquerque Journal

Cars with dramatically better gas mileage. More energy-efficient houses and offices. Doubling the renewable energy flowing through New Mexico's grid. Those are among the 69 recommendations announced Friday by a special climate advisory group created by Gov. Bill Richardson last year to find ways to cut greenhouse gas emissions. If all of the ideas were put into practice, greenhouse gas emissions in the state would drop to pre-1990 levels by 2020 -- or half of what is projected if no changes are made -- and the economy would get a $2 billion boost over the next decade. "This is a really bold and exciting proposal that will help New Mexico do its share to reduce greenhouse gases," said Jim Norton of the New Mexico Environment Department. Climate change threatens to reduce snowpack, deepen droughts and cause other negative effects in New Mexico and other Western states. New Mexico can't stop global warming on its own but "can help show the way," Norton said. State Environment Secretary Ron Curry said New Mexico is "well ahead of other states on addressing these issues." "The integration here between environmental and economic benefit is key to making this work in the long run," he added.

The 40-member advisory group, which included government, industry and environmental representatives, reached unanimous agreement on all but two of the recommendations.

Gregory Green of the National Environmental Trust said that in itself was "pretty amazing."

The major recommendations include:

Clean car standards that would require new cars sold in New Mexico to have 30 percent better gas mileage by 2016, something 11 states have already adopted.

Doubling or tripling the state renewable portfolio standard to require utilities to get 20 percent or 30 percent of their electricity from renewable sources, such as wind by 2021.

The group was unanimous on a 20 percent target but not on the 30 percent. (There was also majority but not unanimous support to require new power plants to be as clean as current technology allows.)

Changing building codes to make new and renovated buildings twice as efficient. That would mean they would cause half the carbon dioxide emissions as buildings today.

Reducing emissions from oil and gas production, the second- largest contributor of greenhouse gases in New Mexico. Measures would include stopping natural gas leaks. As greenhouse gases go, natural gas, or methane, is 22 times worse than carbon dioxide.

Capturing and sequestering carbon dioxide that is mixed with natural gas rather than venting it to the atmosphere would also make a big difference, Norton said.

The advisory group also came up with some smaller, but potentially significant ideas, Green said.

One proposal is to make low resistance tires, which provide better gas mileage, widely available. New cars come with them but replacements are hard to find.

"That's one of the little things people don't know," Green said.

Ben Luce, chairman of the Coalition for Clean Affordable Energy, said the recommendations represent the most comprehensive energy policy ever for New Mexico and could make a huge difference.

"One concern we have is that the Desert Rock power plant might cancel out a significant fraction of these reductions," he added.

Houston-based Sithe Global Power wants to build a 1,500-megawatt coal-fired plant on Navajo Nation land near Farmington. It would be regulated by the federal and Navajo governments.

Richardson has already embraced some of the ideas recommended by the panel. For example, he said in October that he will ask the Legislature to increase the renewable portfolio standard and fund energy efficiency projects.

Other proposals could be enacted by the Public Regulation Commission, the state Regulation and Licensing Department and the Environmental Improvement Board, Norton said.

Last year, Richardson set goals of cutting the state's greenhouse gas emissions to year 2000 levels by 2012, 10 percent below 2000 levels by 2020 and 75 percent below 2000 levels by 2050.