Newly elected State Land Commissioner Aubrey Dunn is proving himself not only an enemy of renewable energy, but also an enemy of the future. He is delaying, after five years of negotiations between all parties, the SUNZIA renewable energy transmission line across New Mexico. The Federal government in cooperation with the Defense Department approved the line last week, as did former State Land Commissioner Ray Powell. Dunn's rightwing stalling of a project that will benefit our state's economy is the result of his closeness to the fossil fuel industry and livestock operators. Would he have stalled an oil pipeline across the same right of way? Doubtful. The line will invest Billions in the state's economy through construction and additional jobs for maintenance and further renewable development.
If Dunn is serious about using state lands as something more than subsidy providers for the extractive industries, then he better get this approval back on track, and quickly. I am hopeful that some brave career whistle blower at the Land Office will let us know exactly what is happening here.
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