The Fight Isn't Over: Take Action With Us to Protect Our Future
- zoeyyucraft
- Apr 4
- 4 min read
The 2025 Legislative Session came to a close on March 22nd – and once again, it was clear who our lawmakers are really listening to. Despite months of advocacy, organizing, and showing up day after day to demand meaningful action on climate and environmental justice, far too many of our lawmakers chose to protect fossil fuel profits instead of our futures.
But we're not backing down. We won't stop fighting for a just transition to renewable energy, bold action to address the climate crisis, clean air and water, and a future that prioritizes our communities – not corporate polluters.
Today, we're asking you to take action with us – from urging the Governor to sign the few climate and energy justice bills we collectively helped get through the Legislature into law, to showing up in the streets tomorrow to make your voice heard on this national day of action and resistance.
STANDING UP TO INDUSTRY INFLUENCE: OIL AND GAS WON'T PROTECT OUR COMMUNITIES
Last month, YUCCA Policy Campaign Manager Ennedith López's op-ed was published in the Santa Fe New Mexican on the last day of the 2025 Legislative Session – a session marked by industry influence and political inaction.
After witnessing our lawmakers block critical bills that would have advanced environmental justice, protected young people and communities across the state from the harmful impacts of continued pollution, and helped our state to transition away from fossil fuels, we're reminded yet again of who our lawmakers are listening to – and whose voices have been systemically excluded from the conversation.
Ennedith writes, "When it comes to oil and gas production, there are no environmental victories – only harm to New Mexicans' lives and environment. The industry pollutes our land, air and water. This pollution degrades our bodies, our ecosystems and our climate. This is a matter of fact, not opinion."
In a state where extractive industry has long held outsized influence, Ennedith's op-ed is a clear and urgent call for people in positions of power to listen to the science, follow the leadership of our most impacted communities, and step up to put our lives, futures, and communities before corporate profits.
TAKE ACTION TODAY: URGE THE GOVERNOR TO SIGN CRITICAL BILLS!
During the 2025 Legislative Session, YUCCA supported over 2 dozen bills – contacting and engaging with our legislators, making our voices heard to committee members during public comment, participating in advocacy days, and mobilizing our members and supporters to push for the passage of critical legislation.
While we're disappointed that our legislators largely failed to take meaningful action to address the climate crisis, hold polluters accountable, and advance environmental justice, we celebrated the passage of 5 of our priority bills in the final days of the Legislative Session, which on the Governor's desk for her signature.
☎️ Take action today by contacting Governor Michelle Luján Grisham via email or phone (505-476-2200) and urging her to sign these 5 critical bills into law to advance energy justice, support a just transition to renewable energy, protect our waters, and invest in the resources our communities need to thrive:
H.B. 91, Public Utility Rate Structures: This bill takes an important step toward energy justice by allowing for the creation of additional utility rate structures that reduce the burden of high energy costs on low-income customers, prevent utility debt from becoming a permanent crisis, and promote affordability and continuity of service.
H.B. 128, The NMFA Local Solar Access Fund: This bill would establish a grant fund at the New Mexico Finance Authority, which will issue both planning and implementation grants to Tribes, Counties, Municipalities, School Districts, and Land Grants for solar and storage projects to power public buildings like community centers, libraries, schools, and fire stations, and infrastructure like water, wastewater, and street lighting. Take action by contacting the Governor with our friends at Public Power NM here!
S.B. 21, The Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Act: This bill would give the state authority to take over permitting from the EPA for waters that remain federally protected, helping to safeguard our waters from pollution, and invest in long-term water protection by creating a permitting program to protect state waters that are not currently federally protected.
S.B. 23, Oil and Gas Royalty Rate Changes: This bill would generate billions of additional dollars for our public schools, hospitals, and universities by setting a new royalty rate for “premium” parcels of state land trust leased in the most productive oil and gas area in the broader Permian Basin, allowing the State Land Office to charge a top royalty rate of between 20-25%, a rate already demanded by Texas and private landowners.
S.B. 48, The Community Benefit Fund: This bill is a reflection of our call to establish a just transition fund to support planning and investment in alternatives to our dependence on extractive processes – it would mark a good first step in making critical investments in renewable energy projects, energy efficiency initiatives, and worker training programs while helping to bring our communities the resources to prioritize climate resilience, impact mitigation, and infrastructure upgrades.
TOMORROW: HANDS OFF! RALLIES ACROSS THE STATE
Tomorrow, April 5th, people across the state, country, and world are mobilizing and taking to the streets.
We're done watching the federal government strip away our rights, sell out our communities, and endanger our futures. Over 600 protests are planned tomorrow on this national day of action to send a clear message to the federal administration: hands off our government, our communities, and our rights.
YUCCA is proud to stand in solidarity with the youth, elders, families, and community members making their voices heard across the country. Local actions are happening right here in New Mexico – including actions organized by Indivisible in Santa Fe, Albuquerque, and beyond.
Today, we're calling on you to show up with our allies and take action to defend our future, protect our people, and demand real accountability.
👉 Click here to find more information about Hands Off! Santa Fe Fights Back.
👉 Click here for more information about Hands Off! Albuquerque Fights Back.
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