b'2024 State ReportPost WPMAEXPOtreatment of fracking wastewater. We put a ton of money into In-N-Out Burger:In-N-Out Burger, the famed chain knownfunds, Lujan Grisham said from the U.N. climate conference infor its simplistic menu and consistent service announcedthe United Arab Emirates, where calls to phase out the use of fos- finallythat it plans to bring its burger joints to New Mexico, sil fuels have been on prominent display. starting with Albuquerque. Ongoing PNM-Avangrid Merger:The public ServiceNews Around New Mexico: Co. of New Mexico wants to merge with Avangrid, an energy company based in Connecticut, and a subsidiary of the energyState Legislature Passes a Statewide Clean Fuelsgiant Iberdrola. The proposed deal started in 2020, and now, forStandard:HB 41 Authorizes the Environmental Improvementthe second time, the merger has been called off.Board (EIB) to adopt rules to establish and assess fees for a Presbyterian Merger:Presbyterian Healthcare Services, one clean transportation fuels standard.of the states largest health systems, announced it planned toState and Local Boards Adopt Advanced Clean Carmerge with Iowa-based UnityPoint Health for the consolidationRules:State and local air quality boards (The Albuquerque- of administrative services. The $11 billion deal fell through, but Bernalillo Air Quality Control Board and the States Envi- Presbyterian announced they would continue to explore options.ronmental Improvement Board (EIB) adopted a handful of SunZia Breaks Ground:The SunZia transmission and clean car rules intended to up the percentage of zero-emission vehicles, or ZEVs, delivered to the state. The rules broadlywind project broke ground kicking off a three-year construction target new cars, and the required percentage for ZEVs. Theprocess to bring the massive renewable-energy system online advanced clean cars II rule says starting with model year 2027,by 2026. It is billed as the largest single clean-energy develop-auto manufacturers will need to deliver 43% ZEVs to dealers inment effort in U.S. history, and possibly the largest ever in the the state. And by model year 2032, that percentage will increaseWestern Hemisphere.to 82%. The advanced clean truck rule will set similar rules for New Mexico to get millions for EV charging stations: delivery of new vehicles.New Mexico will get almost $68 million to build an EV electricState Supreme Court Upholds Redistricting Plan:vehicle charging network. The Federal Highway Administra-tion has awarded three grants in New Mexico: $63.8 million The New Mexico Supreme Court upheld the lower courts deci- for charging centers in Hidalgo and Dona Ana counties, $3.3 sion rejecting Republicans challenge to redistricting, writingmillion for an electric vehicle charging network and station in that they did not find that vote dilution in Congressional DistrictSanta Fe County, and $500,000 for EV chargers in Taos.2 rises to the level of egregious gerrymandering.Is Carbon Capture, Hydrogen the future of NewSome of the biggest Mexico Energy?Building an Advanced Energy Ecosystem in New Mexico conference, led by New Mexico Representa-New Mexico stories for 2023: tive Merideth Dixon, D- Albuquerque provided a glimpse into Virgin Galactic:For the first time from southern what its going to take to ensure New Mexico can transition to a New Mexico, the company launched five commercial sustainable future. The conference was widely attended by a di-flights to sub orbit. verse group of New Mexico stakeholders, including federal and state lawmakers, NGOs business and community leaders, andMaxeon Solor Technologies:In one of the biggest expan- environmental organizations. Two key technologies discussedsion announcements in the states history-Singapore-basedwere Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS), and Hydrogen. Maxeon Solor Technologies announced it will build a roughly 1.9 million square-foot facility at Mesa del Sol, where it will More than $40 Million Dollars Coming to New Mexicoopen the nations first new domestic factory in over a decadefor Carbon Sequestration:The Petroleum Recovery to build both solar cells and panels. Maxeon announced theResearch Center at New Mexico Tech has been putting carbon company will bring approximately 1800 jobs, with the companyin the ground for 20 years and researching carbon capture for investing more than $1 billion. decades. This year the center was awarded $41.1 million in federal funding for a Four Corners carbon storage project.SWPMA News / Spring 202447'