In August, the NMOGA team and I visited southern New Mexico for an event in partnership with the New Mexico Chile Association. Legislators, industry leaders, and community partners joined us to see first-hand the collaboration between New Mexico’s agriculture and energy industries. School is in full swing across New Mexico and it’s a perfect time to highlight the exceptional partnership between the energy industry and the state’s public education system. Oil and gas is used in many school supplies, including erasers, glue, and crayons, and it provides power for transportation, heating, and lighting. The industry also generates billions in tax revenue that funds public schools and is a supportive partner in STEM education. Finally, I would like to invite interested stakeholders to complete the New Mexico Rulemaking Process Survey – 2026 by September 14, 2026. The results of this survey will be used to better understand the role of public participation in New Mexico’s rulemaking process. New Mexicans for Opportunity and New Mexico Society of Association Executives are seeking responses from individual businesses, trades, associations, and chambers. Please contact NMSAE's Jason Espinoza with any questions. Thank you, Missi Currier

SEPTEMBER HIGHLIGHTS

📚 New Mexico's oil and gas industry provided $2.4B in taxes for education funding that supports teacher pay, high-quality educational programs, and scholarships.

🚨 TAKE ACTION: Share your support for New Mexico's oil and gas industry

🏈 Oil and gas by-products are a key component of Friday night lights, including footballs, turf, helmets, and pads. 

The oil and gas industry provides $13.1 billion in state and local revenue, and over $2.4 billion of this funding is allocated to K-12 and higher education. This money supports teacher pay, early childhood programs, school construction, scholarships, and more.

Since New Mexico public education is funded mostly through state tax revenue rather than local property taxes, every county in New Mexico benefits from industry tax revenue even if they don't produce oil and gas.

By providing high-quality education to New Mexico's children, the state is training our future workforce, investing in communities, and improving quality of life. Find out how much you benefit from oil and gas at ForEveryNewMexican.com.

August in New Mexico means students are back in the classroom and getting ready for another exciting year of learning. We extend a huge thank you to all the dedicated teachers, administrators, and support staff who set students up for success in school and their future careers. For the students in your life, I hope you'll encourage them to sign up for Pathways to Success to learn more about exciting STEM opportunities and future career paths. In addition to receiving resources on oil and gas-related careers and colleges, students will be entered to win the Ultimate Backpack Giveaway including an iPad, AirPods, and keyboard (Deadline to enter: August 15th). I'm also excited to highlight our recent backpack giveaway with Representative Joshua Hernandez and the Rancho Rio Kiwanis Club. Make sure you’re following our NMOGA and Energizing Our Future NM social media channels to see all of the events we’re supporting this fall. Thank you, Missi Currier

AUGUST HIGHLIGHTS

🎒 NMOGA was proud to partner with Representative Joshua Hernandez and the Rio Rancho Kiwanis Club to provide backpacks to students in the community. 

📰 Check out Senator Pete Campos' recent op-ed on the positive impact New Mexico's oil and gas industry has on communities across the state. 

💰 Oil and gas industry taxes continue to support essential programs, including $3.1B to permanent funds and $2.4B to education in 2025.

The oil and gas industry provides $13.1 billion in state and local revenue, and over $3.1 billion of this funding goes directly to NM permanent funds. The state invests these funds and uses the interest earned to fund essential state programs. 

In 2025, New Mexico used $1.6 billion of this investment revenue to support education, healthcare, and public safety services. Over time, the permanent fund continues to grow as interest builds and additional funds are added, creating a long-term stable revenue source to support every New Mexican. 

Although not every county in New Mexico produces oil and gas, every county benefits from the funding generated by the industry. Find out how much you benefit from oil and gas at ForEveryNewMexican.com. 

Chevron works alongside Tribal Nations in New Mexico to support environmental restoration, education and community investment.

From historic underground caverns to sweeping dunes of white sand and the fertile Rio Grande Valley, New Mexico is truly a “Land of Enchantment.” But look past the state’s magnificent landscapes, and you’ll see that it’s the people and culture of New Mexico that make it a place like no other.

New Mexico is home to 23 federally recognized Tribal Nations. These Indigenous communities are part of the New Mexico way of life. In the state, Chevron works alongside these communities, supporting efforts focused on land preservation and long-term community investment.

We hope you had a wonderful and safe 4th of July! This has been another hot summer in New Mexico with many parts of the state hitting 100+ degrees. A huge thank you to all workers braving the heat to keep our state running and to everyone working to keep our power on and air conditioners cooling. This month, I had the privilege of talking to Inez Russell Gomez with the Santa Fe New Mexican on their Conversations Different Podcast. You can listen here to our conversation on how New Mexico's energy production affects all aspects of our economy and daily lives. I'm also excited to share a new resource from NMOGA that highlights the importance of New Mexico's oil and gas industry as well as the steps these companies take to produce responsibly. You can view this fact sheet in both English and Spanish.  Thank you, Missi Currier

JULY HIGHLIGHTS

🇺🇸 In celebration of America's 250th birthday, NMOGA and Energizing our Future NM helped honor 250 everyday heroes who make New Mexico a better place for all. 

🥵 As we reach the hottest part of the year, we encourage everyone to brush up on your knowledge of heat illness to keep friends, family, and colleagues safe. 

📚 NMOGA has new resources for you to check out on the fiscal impact of oil and gas taxes, responsible energy generation, and how oil and gas powers communities in both English and Spanish.

In 2025, New Mexico's oil and gas industry generated over $13 billion in state and local revenue. $3.1 billion of these funds went directly into state permanent funds that generate investment income to support state spending on education, healthcare, public safety, and more. 

This investment of oil and gas tax revenue has helped build a permanent fund of over $50 billion that will support New Mexicans for generations to come, even in counties that don't produce oil and gas.

Every county in the state has benefitted from the revenue generated by these oil and gas-funded savings accounts through distributions to the state's general fund and reinvestment into the state's reserves. Find out how much you benefit from oil and gas at ForEveryNewMexican.com. 

As temperatures rise across New Mexico, now is a good time to reinforce heat safety with your coworkers, friends, and family. A few simple precautions can help prevent heat-related illness and keep colleagues safe on the job and loved ones healthy while spending time outside. 

Op-Ed: The Sounds Of Summer And The Promise Of New Mexico’s Future

By Missi Currier, NMOGA President and CEO

Summer has a soundtrack.

It’s the splash of a cannonball into a pool. The laughter of kids chasing each other through a park. The crack of a bat at a Little League game. The pages of a favorite book turning on a warm afternoon.

Across New Mexico, summer is a season of memories in the making.

This opinion article first ran in the Los Alamos Daily Post on June 13th.

One Million Metric Tons—What It Took And Why It Matters

By Amanda Hehr, Kathairos Solutions

New Mexico's oil and gas industry is redefining responsible energy production. Through advanced innovation, methane emissions in the Permian Basin have dropped more than 50% in just four years.

Producing energy responsibly isn't just the right thing to do, it's our standard.

The oil and gas industry provides $13.1 billion in state and local revenue, and over $1.9 bllion of this funding goes directly to capital outlay projects. These local projects include roads, playgrounds, public schools, libraries, fire stations, health clinics, and more. 

This economic impact is felt in all corners of the state, even in counties that don't produce oil and gas. Every county in New Mexico has received capital outlay funding generated by the oil and gas industry.

This investment of oil and gas tax revenue has powered more than 1,500 projects in the last year alone, improving the quality of life for all New Mexicans. Find out how much you benefit from oil and gas at ForEveryNewMexican.com. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ll30AHkL8lQ

The oil and gas industry provides $13.1 billion in state and local revenue and supports over 100,000 jobs across New Mexico. This economic impact is felt in all corners of the state, even in counties that don't produce oil and gas.

Revenues from the industry support public education and higher education, healthcare, public safety, and infrastructure. In 2025, 1,500 new construction projects were funded primarily by oil and gas.

New Mexicans everywhere benefit from oil and gas-funded schools, hospitals, roads, and public safety programs. Find out how much you benefit from oil and gas at ForEveryNewMexican.com.

As summer officially begins in New Mexico, the positive contributions of the oil and gas industry are on full display, making summer magic happen and providing relief from the warm temperatures. Propane fuels outdoor grilling and natural gas creates electricity that keeps the air conditioners working on the hottest days. Beyond direct energy use, the industry's byproducts, including the plastics in sunscreen bottles, flip flops, pool toys, and coolers, make summer recreation safer, more convenient, and more enjoyable for everyone.

The industry also provides essential tax revenue that supports public projects across the state. Oil and gas generate $1.8 billion in state revenue for capital outlay funding that supports the construction of public infrastructure that improves communities across the state, even those that don't produce.

Finally, we want to highlight the amazing work Energizing Our Future NM, NMOGA's non-profit organization, is doing across the state. In May, the team celebrated teachers' hard work with a gift card giveaway for five NM teachers. We also attended the 2026 Four Corners Energy Conference, hosted a virtual roundtable discussion ahead of the Great Minds in STEM fall conference, and attended the Native American Mining and Energy Sovereignty Symposium. 

This opinion article first ran in the Las Cruces Sun News on May 23rd.

Voting shapes New Mexico's Future. Your Voice Matters.

By Missi Currier

Last week was Teacher Appreciation Week, and NMOGA had the best time celebrating the teachers who positively impact New Mexico's students. Nancy Orta, the 2026 New Mexico Teacher of the Year, joined us in Santa Fe to thank teachers for their hard work and dedication, and our team travelled around the state to celebrate with the winners of our Teacher Appreciation Week gift card giveaway. Educators are the backbone of our state, and we are grateful for the knowledge, patience, and love New Mexico teachers give to our students.

NMOGA and our members are supporting teachers, students, and schools year-round through contributions to state and local governments. The industry contributed a total of $2.4 billion to education funding in 2025, including $680 million for public schools, $638 million for higher education, and $200 million for early childhood programs. We're proud to support the teachers and staff who make learning possible and to ensure New Mexico's students receive a high-quality education that prepares them for adulthood.

This month, we encourage all eligible voters to make their voice heard and vote in the 2026 Primary Election. This election cycle is crucial to New Mexico's economic future, and every vote counts! Early voting is open now through May 30th, and Election Day is June 2nd. Go to NMVote.org for more information about this election, voter registration, and where to vote.

New Mexico's oil and gas industry generated $7.5 billion in state general fund revenue last year, equal to 48% of total state general fund revenue.

This money is used to support necessary funding for healthcare programs, including Medicaid, and public education at K-12 and higher education institutions. Residents across the state rely on these programs to stay healthy, educate their children, and gain new skills and knowledge to find high-paying jobs in New Mexico.

Revenues generated by the oil and gas industry benefit all New Mexicans, even those in counties that do not produce. Find out how much you benefit from oil and gas at ForEveryNewMexican.com. 

New Mexico's oil and gas industry plays a large role in the everyday life of New Mexicans by funding essential programs and government spending. This month, Tom Clifford, co-author of NMTRI's Annual Revenue Report on the oil and gas industry, discussed how the industry contributes to the state general fund. And, Missi Currier, President and CEO of NMOGA, authored an op-ed asking state legislators to support the industry and appreciate their significant economic contributions. 

NMOGA and our member companies continue to invest in our community. NMOGA recently connected with middle and high school students at Dulce ISD's Career Expo and presented to Leadership Roswell on the industry as a whole and how to participate in our advocacy efforts. Additionally, through Pathways to Success, we're giving away five gift cards for Teacher Appreciation Week in May—teachers, make sure to enter the giveaway before April 27th.

If you don't already follow NMOGA's non-profit, Energizing Our Future NM (EOF), on social media, make sure to check out our pages on Facebook and Instagram. We highlight EOF's non-profit grantee recipients, our partnership with local organizations, and member companies' support for community events and organizations.

This opinion article first ran in the Santa Fe New Mexican on April 3rd.

Proud to be New Mexican: Now show some respect

By Missi Currier