New Mexico Democrat Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham slammed Biden during a virtual event this week over his energy agenda, saying that it “hurts New Mexico.”
Grisham made the remarks during a webinar event on Wednesday that was hosted by the Greater Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce. During her remarks, she claimed that she was really “defend[ing]” the Biden administration because she thought the administration was countering what she claimed was “reckless decisions” made by the Trump administration.
However, Grisham criticized the Biden administration’s energy agenda, saying that it didn’t make sense and that it was hurting the state.
“Now, with all that said, I’m clearly concerned that right out of the gate, with very little guidance, we have an announcement to stall, right, a moratorium on lease applications, and the reality is a lot of oil and gas, right, in the Permian, is on private land in Texas,” she said. “So, wherever you are, wherever you are in the country or on the chamber, however you feel about that, you can simply just move and that just hurts New Mexico, and there are no environmental standards there.”
“You know, we’ve got partners who are really helping us curb emissions,” she said. “We have the strongest methane rules right now in the country and one of the most robust investments and transitions into renewable energy in the country. I mean, we’re doing all the things that they aspire to do at the federal level, including the clean fuel standards, which you all are supporting.”
“So here’s what we’ve done: We initiated both conversations and a pretty strongly-worded letter that this doesn’t make any sense, and the last issue is it’s an economic problem for the state, but rather, it’s also a message to states to not do anything and wait for you to do it, and you’re not going to get as far as fast,” she continued. “If you’re looking for innovation [in] environmental policy, you’re going to stall that.
WATCH:
New Mexico’s Democratic governor unleashes on President Biden’s order to halt new federal oil & gas leases:
It “doesn’t make any sense”
“hurts New Mexico”
“I’m clearly concerned”
Biden did this “right out of the gate with very little guidance” pic.twitter.com/bOtmthUUBo
— Scott Parker (@Scottty_P) March 11, 2021
Earlier this week, a dozen Republican states filed a lawsuit against the Biden administration for Biden’s executive order that “aimed at rolling back a number of Trump-era priorities on energy and climate,” The Daily Wire noted. “The Republican attorneys general who signed on to the lawsuit argue that the order is an unconstitutional expansion of climate regulations that could cripple energy production and other sectors of the economy.”
Biden has already faced considerable backlash over his energy agenda, including from Canada, after he signed an executive order during his first week in office that canceled the Keystone XL pipeline.
The Daily Wire reported:
Multiple unions that endorsed Biden during his presidential campaign — including the Laborers’ International Union of North America (LIUNA) and the United Association of Union Plumbers and Pipefitters — have since slammed Biden for canceling the pipeline.
LIUNA said that the decision would “kill thousands of good-paying UNION jobs!”
“In revoking this permit, the Biden Administration has chosen to listen to the voices of fringe activists instead of union members and the American consumer on Day 1,” said Mark McManus, General President of the United Association of Union Plumbers and Pipefitters. “Let me be very clear: When built with union labor by the men and women of the United Association, pipelines like Keystone XL remain the safest and most efficient modes of energy transportation in the world. Sadly, the Biden Administration has now put thousands of union workers out of work. For the average American family, it means energy costs will go up and communities will no longer see the local investments that come with pipeline construction.”
#Pipeline construction has been a lifeline for many #LIUNA members across the country. The anticipated decision to cancel the #KeystonePipeline will kill thousands of good-paying #UNION jobs! #pipelinesarelifelines #energy pic.twitter.com/p0BxD1vPHV
— LIUNA (@LIUNA) January 20, 2021
Laid-off Keystone XL worker: Biden's canceling of the Keystone pipeline “is going to hurt a lot of people, a lot of families, a lot of communities”https://t.co/eeVPPjuRZA pic.twitter.com/gZ1Hde1vnD
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) January 26, 2021
Fox 39 in Rockford, IL reports that Biden's executive action to halt construction of the Keystone pipeline is already eliminating "more than 1000 construction jobs”https://t.co/JyTVSeNEAK pic.twitter.com/Wiy5HADd36
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) January 25, 2021
“…Washington doesn’t value the Texas energy economy and southeast Texas jobs.”
From CBS-Beaumont in Texas pic.twitter.com/c9kFw7ASgF
— America Rising (@AmericaRising) January 22, 2021
“…the people that are still in the business will be challenged.”
From NBC-Corpus Christi in Texas pic.twitter.com/qWMLoy6pUa
— America Rising (@AmericaRising) January 22, 2021
“Mr. Biden just cost the country 10,000 jobs and $2.2 billion in workers wages.”
From FOX-El Paso in Texas pic.twitter.com/4DMUfpw45M
— America Rising (@AmericaRising) January 22, 2021
“…guaranteed higher energy costs for all Americans…”
From KX4-Fargo in North Dakota pic.twitter.com/Wi4nXNcfz3
— America Rising (@AmericaRising) January 22, 2021
“…will impact thousands of Texas jobs.”
From NBC-Brownsville in Texas pic.twitter.com/N4LEO7SIC4
— America Rising (@AmericaRising) January 22, 2021
“…sends a chilling message to pipeline and infrastructure projects across the country…”
From NBC-Superior in Wisconsin pic.twitter.com/7hSccZs8Mt
— America Rising (@AmericaRising) January 22, 2021