in the news

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...

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...

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 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...

LAS CRUCES - A church-based shelter in Las Cruces is making preparations in case it needs to care for migrant families who have crossed the border. On Wednesday, leaders at El Calvario United Methodist Church on Campo Street welcomed U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich and members of the media to show how the center is preparing in case it receives...

The Air Force’s newest, state-of-the-art combat search-and-rescue helicopter has been putting in some serious miles in New Mexico skies in recent months. The HH-60W – which bears two names, the “Jolly Green II” and the “Whiskey” – arrived at Kirtland Air Force Base late last year. And it quickly become part...

A shot of COVID-19 vaccine was plunged into Kristina Zilm’s left arm inside a New Mexico National Guard gym Tuesday afternoon. Just over her right shoulder, Sen. Martin Heinrich, D-N.M., talked with Guard members about their efforts in distributing vaccines across the state. The senator, during a visit to New Mexico, made his first public...

Scientists at Sandia National Laboratory were poised to develop technology that could lower the cost of solar energy as the industry continued its growth in New Mexico. Sandia was awarded a $25 million grant last week, per a news release from the U.S. Department of Energy, to build a facility for researchers and manufacturers to develop and test...

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.- Child advocates believe the American Rescue plan will help children, especially minorities, who suffered during the pandemic. "When we invest in our kids, when we put in the time and the effort and the resources, we're making an investment in their future but also in the future of the entire country," said Sen. Martin Heinrich...

Senate Democrats plan to deploy an obscure but powerful legislative weapon in the coming weeks to try to quickly reinstate a major Obama-era climate change rule that the Trump administration had effectively eliminated. Senator Chuck Schumer of New York, the Democratic leader, is expected next month to invoke the 1996 Congressional Review...

As the son of an immigrant, I know firsthand the promise that America represents for those seeking to build a better life. For our country’s entire history, immigrants have overcome incredible adversity and discrimination to play a vital role in this nation’s success. The way we treat immigrants, refugees, and those seeking asylum shows...

NEW MEXICO (KRQE) – The Office of Senator Martin Heinrich is offering a free virtual policy workshop for students. The four-part Policy Workshop Series will teach college students how to come up with, formulate, and propose federal policy. The workshops end with student presentations of their own federal policy proposal on immigration,...

Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) is aiming to help shape the Biden administration's climate change agenda, and he's pressing the White House to live up to its promise to not leave fossil fuel producing communities behind as it rolls out its clean energy plans.  Heinrich teamed up with fellow New Mexican Sen. Ben Ray...

NEW MEXICO (KRQE) – U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), Congresswoman Teresa Leger Fernández (D-N.M), and New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham hosted a virtual news conference Wednesday to discuss the American Rescue Plan. During the conference, they talked about how...