skip to main content
skip to newscasts

Tuesday, March 4, 2025

Public News Service Logo
facebook instagram linkedin reddit youtube twitter
view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

China and Canada Retaliate Against New Trump Tariffs; EU chief proposes plan to 'urgently' increase defense spending by mobilizing around $840 billion; NY's first grid-scale solar project comes online; MS workers face retirement gap as state considers savings plan; MI scientist: Humans, not climate change, to blame for toxic lakes.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Trump administration puts 25% tariffs on Mexico and Canada. New York wants newly fired federal workers for state service, and the GAO's High Risk report finds ways to make the government more efficient.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

U.S. farmers are left twisting in the wind over farm projects the federal funding freeze has stalled, parks and public lands could be a mess for visiting tourists this summer, while money to fight rural wildfires is in jeopardy.

NM "Local Choice Energy Act" Seen as 21st-Century Model

play audio
Play

Wednesday, March 3, 2021   

SANTA FE, N.M. - Supporters of a bill in the New Mexico Legislature say it would transform power and control of the state's electric supply, creating a 21st-century renewable-energy policy for the state.

Senate Bill 83, known as the "Local Choice Energy Act," would give local governments the ability to purchase electricity from a provider of their choosing, rather than utility companies that often are beholden to Wall Street investors.

Santa Fe Mayor Alan Webber, who testified in favor of the bill, said that by increasing competition, consumers would benefit from lower utility bills.

"I think a combination of technology, climate-change issues, economics and different political environment are all combining to begin to put into place the building blocks of a comprehensive energy policy for New Mexico."

Nine states - including California, Illinois, and Ohio - already have passed similar legislation known as "community choice aggregation," allowing tribal and other local governments to take advantage of competitive bids for municipal electricity supply.

Sen. Jeff Steinborn, D-Doña Ana County, the bill's lead sponsor, said the legislation is needed because it addresses economic inequality and climate change, while offering customers what he called more stable and resilient energy-efficiency options that help create a clean-energy economy.

"New Mexico, it felt like we were on the Stone Age side of unleashing renewables and clean energy, and competition in the state," he said, "so this legislation is something that I think has been long overdue."

Supporters of the Local Choice Energy Act point to the success of water conservation in Santa Fe after the city purchased the water utility from Public Service Company of New Mexico in 1995. Since then, said Jesse Roach, who heads Santa Fe's water division, the overuse of water has been sharply curtailed.

"It looks like we peaked at about 13,000 acre-feet in '95 and now, we're down as of last year to closer to 8,000 acre-feet," he said, "and we've been adding customers that whole time."

Investor-owned utilities have said they're concerned local-choice energy won't be as reliable for customers, despite local-choice becoming more popular nationwide.


get more stories like this via email

more stories
A 2023 study by the Pew Charitable Trusts found states with retirement savings programs for private-sector workers saw increased participation rates and higher savings balances among low- and moderate-income workers. (Adobe Stock)

Social Issues

play sound

For many Mississippians, saving for retirement feels out of reach. Nearly 48% of private-sector workers in the state lack access to employer-…


Environment

play sound

New legislation would help build more wildlife crossings across Oregon highways to make roads safer for people and animals. Research shows that …

Social Issues

play sound

The American Federation of Teachers and the American Sociological Association are suing the Trump administration over a threat of funding cuts and inv…


Lake algae blooms can release toxins posing serious risks to humans, pets and wildlife, potentially causing illness or even death. (Pete Niesen Photo/Adobe Stock)

Environment

play sound

Each summer, more lake beaches shut down as toxic algae blooms spread across the water and while climate change is often blamed, new research …

Health and Wellness

play sound

The U.S. had more than 500 mass shootings last year, and a new program launched in Denver hopes to prevent targeted violence before it happens…

According to a new national report, businesses are responding to a patchwork of abortion bans across the country, with some offering relocation assistance and expanded benefits amid a backlash against tighter restrictions. (Adobe Stock)

Health and Wellness

play sound

The 2022 U.S. Supreme Court decision to overturn federal abortion protections continues to be felt. New research now suggests states where bans have …

Health and Wellness

play sound

Advocates are urging Maryland lawmakers to support a bill that would approve medical aid in dying for people who are terminally ill. A poll last …

Health and Wellness

play sound

Open enrollment for health insurance from the online marketplace is over, but Wyoming experts are reminding tribal members that they qualify to …

 

Phone: 303.448.9105 Toll Free: 888.891.9416 Fax: 208.247.1830 Your trusted member- and audience-supported news source since 1996 Copyright © 2021