The Rio Grande Foundation (and many others) were in Carlsbad, NM recently for the Mayor’s Energy Summit. The event was well-attended with perhaps 500 to 700 participating. Many of those were oil and gas workers, but political leaders of both parties were there including Gov. Lujan-Grisham who spoke and Former Gov. Susana Martinez who did not.
The industry folks are attempting to collaborate on issues that address challenging the region. This comes in the form of the Permian Strategic Partnership which involves 19 of the region’s largest producers and is focused on issues like roads, workforce, and housing. This is a welcome development that illustrates how non-governmental actors can do what governments often cannot or will not.
As mentioned, Gov. Lujan-Grisham spoke. She showed no signs of hostility to the industry (and even received a “standing O” from many of them. Instead she thanked the industry and talked in glowing terms about its productivity and all of the initiatives that she wants to put in place with the money generated by New Mexico oil and gas producers. She also took credit for efforts during the 2019 session to improve infrastructure in the area.
Overall, it was an interesting event and one that clearly illustrates the long-term potential of the Permian Basin oil and gas production to keep growing for several decades. We’ll see if the Gov. remains a friend to the Industry as radical environmentalists move from shutting down San Juan Generating Station to other objectives in the years ahead.
Grisham is a 2 faced liar who wants it both ways. She is a coward who buddies up to the fossil fuel industry when confronted and when talking to her socialist party says she will do away with the same fuels. When are people going to wise up.