YUCCA'S 2026 LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES

YUCCA's Policy Platform is based on our belief that we must quickly move forward policies that:

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• Just Transition Planning & Investment: End dependence on fossil fuel extraction and create actionable plans to transition our economy by modeling alternative revenue sources & community-driven economic development plans, assessing damage done by fossil fuels extraction & pollution, creating cleanup plans, and investing deeply in impacted communities' visions 

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• Keep fossil fuels in the ground

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• Protect against and clean up pollution​

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• Promote & invest in renewable energy

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• Expand democracy and justice

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SPECIFIC PRIORITY POLICIES FOR THE 2026 SESSION INCLUDE:​​

Hold Polluters Accountable

• S.B. 235 – The Microgrid Oversight Act: YUCCA stands in support of the critical S.B. 235, which would require that microgrids meet the same standards as regular utilities and fall under the oversight of the Public Regulation Commission, helping to fight mega-emissions from AI data centers like Project Jupiter, ensuring that future microgrids operating in New Mexico comply with Renewable Portfolio Standards, and requiring microgrids to achieve 100% electricity generation from zero-carbon resources by 2045. (Died in the House Judiciary Committee)

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• S.B. 136 – Unlawful Use of Unmanned Aircraft: YUCCA is firmly opposed to S.B. 136, a bill that would ban the use of drones over “critical infrastructure facilities”, including oil and gas operations, severely limiting advocates’ ability to act as watchdogs, find evidence of illegal dumping, and measure pollution. (Tabled in the Senate Judiciary Committee)​

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Community Clean-Up Legislation

• S.B. 66 – Abandoned Uranium Mine Cleanup: S.B. 66 would help to fund cleanup for abandoned uranium mining sites that have been left unremediated, detrimentally impacting the health and wellbeing of our communities and environment. (Died in the Senate Finance Committee)

 

Emissions Reductions Legislation

• S.B. 18 – The Clear Horizons Act: Since our founding in 2019, YUCCA has consistently called for bold, science-based emissions reduction standards to address the climate crisis – S.B. 18 represents a critical step forward for meaningful climate action by setting statewide greenhouse gas emissions limits that comply with the Paris Climate Agreements. However, emissions targets alone don’t guarantee meaningful change. YUCCA supports S.B. 18 only with amendments that reject net-zero language and include critical microgrid regulation. (Failed to pass on the Senate Floor)​​​​

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Advance Energy Justice​​

• S.M. 9 – Study State Purchase of Utilities: S.M. 9 calls for a moratorium on Blackstone and Bernhard Capital Partners’ proposed buyouts of PNM and the New Mexico Gas Company while the state studies potential opportunities for the state’s purchase of utilities, helping to keep New Mexico’s energy future in the hands of the people who live here – not out-of-state billionaires, private equity firms, and their wealthy investors. (Tabled in the Senate Rules Committee)

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• H.M. 6 – Private Equity Infrastructure Ownership: H.M. 6 calls for the study of the impacts of public ownership vs private equity and control of essential utilities and critical infrastructure in New Mexico, a critical measure at a time when our state is facing proposed buyouts of essential utilities from out-of-state private equity firms including Blackstone Infrastructure and Bernhard Capital Partners. (Tabled in the House Commerce & Economic Development Committee)

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Oppose False Solutions​​

• H.B. 207 – Water Quality Control Commission Produced Water Rules: H.B. 207 is a dangerous bill that would require the Water Quality Control Commission to adopt rules allowing for toxic fracking waste (otherwise known as "produced water") to be discharged, transported, stored, recycled, and applied off the oilfield. This bill is contrary to science, contrary to the Produced Water Act, and contrary to with the strong rule that advocates won at the Water Quality Control Commission last summer, making an attempt to normalize the use of toxic fracking waste generated by extraction and override the strong environmental protections that advocates have spent the past 2 years fighting for. (Tabled in the House Agriculture, Acequias, and Natural Resources Committee)

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• S.B. 78 – Nuclear As Renewable Energy: YUCCA opposes S.B. 78. New Mexico’s long standing history of nuclear disaster, shows us that nuclear energy is a false solution to the climate crisis. Industry will tell us nuclear is safe, but it’s not – nuclear energy is not renewable, it is not safe, and it is not sustainable. (Tabled in the Senate Conservation Committee)

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• H.M. 45 – “Importance of Water in Taos”: "Importance of Water in Taos", an Orwellian name for a produced water bill, threatens the strong rule that advocates won at the Water Quality Control Commission this summer by asking legislators to affirm that scientific evidence proves that toxic fracking waste (“produced water”) is safe to discharge – even though science states the opposite – and requests that the Water Quality Control Commission hold a hearing about produced water re-use within 90 days upon receiving a petition, which would open a dangerous door for industry to push for the discharge of toxic fracking waste in rural communities across the state. (Tabled in the House Agriculture, Acequias, and Natural Resources Committee)​​​​​​

 

Expand Democracy and Justice ​​

• H.B. 9 – The Immigrant Safety Act: H.B. 9 prohibits New Mexico state and local governments from participating in federal civil immigration detention, banning public bodies from entering agreements with ICE, terminating existing contracts, and drawing a clear line: New Mexico will not use public land, money, or authority to cage our immigrant neighbors for federal civil violations.​ (Chaptered)​​

Onward to keep our elected officials accountable!