in the news

Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) hopes that Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) sees the "opportunity" to build a more "prosperous West Virginia" by supporting an infrastructure bill that would only require 51 votes for passage, Heinrich told Axios at a virtual event on Wednesday. Why it matters: Manchin, a moderate, is opposed to passing an...

WASHINGTON (AP) — A new federal intelligence report warns that adherents of QAnon, the conspiracy theory embraced by some in the mob that stormed the U.S. Capitol, could target Democrats and other political opponents for more violence as the movement’s false prophecies increasingly fail to come true. Many QAnon...

U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich is urging the New Mexico State Game Commission to reject five landowners’ requests to certify waterways crossing their properties as nonnavigable and closed to the public, arguing it would be unlawful. The commission should reject the applications when they review them at a June 18 hearing, Heinrich wrote in a...

Hikers, anglers and other outdoor enthusiasts will have a larger playground near Jemez Springs when the U.S. Forest Service buys a historic, 2,000-acre ranch. The federal government is purchasing the Valley of the Spirit Ranch, two sprawling parcels that surround the village of Jemez Springs in Santa Fe National Forest. About $2.2 million has...

U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich toured Chispas Farm on Friday afternoon as part of an effort to empower farmers to reach net-zero emissions by 2040. Chispas Farms is a shining example of the successful use of regenerative farming practices in soil rehabilitation and creating a symbiotic relationship with the local environment. Heinrich was joined by...

There’s always something growing at Chispas Farm in the South Valley. Farm manager Casey Holland rotates crops to build healthy soil, uses flowers as pest management and makes fertilizer with chicken manure. “We’re continually trying to improve the land,” Holland said. Federal programs should scale up local solutions to help...

Ralph Vigil's farm in Pecos, New Mexico depends on the Pecos River as it has for 13 years, the same river that runs across almost the entire eastern side of the state, crossing its southern border with Texas in the southeast corner.  What happens in the headwaters of the Pecos where Vigil grows vegetables like lettuce and tomatoes has a direct...

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — The check won’t arrive until mid-July, but Katrina Peters already knows what she’ll do with her federal child tax credit payments come. The 20-year-old mother of three has applied to work as a driver with a food delivery app, and she has earmarked the extra cash for repairing, registering and insuring...

New Mexico’s economic foundations are rumbling with change as the state and nation embark on an accelerated path to a non-carbon economy, inspiring local leaders to seize the moment in collaborative efforts to embrace the forthcoming transformation. Dan Arvizu, New Mexico State University chancellor and former director of the U.S. Department...

I am grateful to all of the New Mexico health care heroes and other essential workers who have stepped up to help our communities weather the challenges of this past year. I am increasingly optimistic that with the widespread distribution of vaccines--and particularly with our strong rollout in New Mexico--we are finally nearing the end of this...

Sen. Martin Heinrich sent a letter to Interior Secretary Deb Haaland requesting an area surrounding Chaco Culture National Historical Park be protected from future oil and gas development. Heinrich, a New Mexico Democrat, asked Haaland to administratively withdraw the federal minerals within a 10-mile radius of the park from leasing. This would...

Oil and gas have greased the wheels of New Mexico’s economy for several decades, but U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich is planning for the day when the industry is not a central player in the state’s budget. In a move designed to provide governments with a path away from their reliance on federal mineral revenues, Heinrich plans to introduce a...

Sen. Martin Heinrich will today unveil a long-anticipated legislative framework to allow states to recoup revenue losses caused by the transition away from fossil fuels. The bill comes as the Biden administration continues to review the fate of the federal oil and gas leasing program amid intense anxiety in affected states — including...

Sen. Martin Heinrich said this week reinstating methane regulations that former President Donald Trump rolled back will buy time to take the next steps to addressing the climate crisis.  The Senate approved revoking the rollback of the methane regulations about a week ago and the House of Representatives, where the Democrats have the majority,...

FARMINGTON — One of New Mexico’s senators took time this week to recognize the efforts of San Juan County Emergency Manager Mike Mestas as he helped steer San Juan County’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Democratic U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich presented an American flag to Mestas during a ceremony on the morning of...

The Sabinoso Wilderness near Las Vegas, N.M., would grow by 50 percent if the federal government accepts a 9,855-acre donation from a land conservation group. The Bureau of Land Management recommends accepting the acreage known as Cañon Ciruela that the Trust for Public Land is offering. It would be the largest addition to a designated...

The Senate passed (52-42) a resolution on Wednesday that would reinstate the Environmental Protection Agency’s 2016 methane pollution regulations for the oil and gas industry. The measure was introduced by Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), New Mexico Senator Martin Heinrich, and Senators Angus King (I-ME) and Ed Markey (D-MA). Rep....

America abandoned its position of leadership on climate change under Donald Trump, and it cost us. It cost us the very international standing he swore he so valued, and, more importantly, it cost us precious time to battle the climate crisis. President Joe Biden and the entire U.S. government now have a pivotal opportunity to reclaim our leadership...

TAOS — Legislation introduced in Congress by two New Mexico delegates would extend federal support for the Northern Rio Grande National Heritage Area and continue the conservation of local cultural and historic resources through 2036. Introduced by U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich and U.S. Rep. Teresa Leger Fernández, both Democrats, the...

LAS CRUCES - On a visit to Doña Ana County Wednesday, U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich, D-N.M., went for a hike on the Achenbach Canyon Trail, which leads into the Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monument.  The access point off of Ladera Canyon Road has been crossed by hikers visiting public lands for years, despite it sitting...