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
I grew up in Carlsbad. I went away for college, but I came back as quickly as I could. Coming home was always the goal, and I’m proud to be back. I love this state. I love its people, its landscape and its stubborn independence. The oil and gas industry I represent is made up of people just like me: New Mexicans who were born here, who raised families here, who chose to build their lives and livelihoods here.
So, I’ll confess that reading about Texas House Speaker Dustin Burrows entertaining the idea of expanding Texas by annexing some New Mexico counties contiguous with the states’ border was surprising. On one hand, I’ll take the compliment. When the speaker of the Texas House looks at southeastern New Mexico counties and says he’d “gladly welcome” them, what he’s really saying is that what we have here is extraordinary.
The Permian Basin is one of the most productive energy regions on the planet. Not to mention the rich agricultural land, dairies and military bases in the region. The work being done in southeastern New Mexico — by New Mexicans, on New Mexican land under New Mexican regulations — matters enormously not just for our state, but for our nation’s energy independence and beyond.
So, thank you, Speaker Burrows, for recognizing the people, strength and potential of rural New Mexico.
New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham and Speaker Javier Martínez both acknowledged the importance of southeastern New Mexico by summarily dismissing Speaker Burrows’ idea. I also appreciate their acknowledgments of the importance of rural New Mexico. The truth is, southeastern New Mexico is not a consolation prize — it is an extraordinary asset, and it belongs to all New Mexicans.
But here’s what I can’t stop thinking about: Why does it take a Texas politician to make a grab for our region to generate this kind of acknowledgment?
The communities of southeastern New Mexico have been sounding this alarm for years — not because they want to leave New Mexico, but because they feel unseen by many in Santa Fe. For years, southeastern New Mexico legislators have filed a similar bill calling for seccession. The bills have not moved in the Roundhouse, but they still make a point that acknowledgment and even appreciation would be welcomed and deserved.
Lea and Eddy counties generate more than half of New Mexico’s general fund revenues, and they receive very little recognition for it. When those communities feel that frustration, we should listen — not dismiss it as partisan posturing.
The oil and gas industry is proud to be here. So are the thousands of New Mexicans who live and work in those counties. Because the industry is here, New Mexico does remarkable things.
This industry funds 49% of state revenue — including $2.4 billion a year for our public schools. Oil and gas production has allowed for billions in long-term investments, funds college and career technical institutions and scholarships, and universal childcare — programs that will change the lives of working families across New Mexico for generations. The industry supports infrastructure improvements, keeps hospitals and schools staffed and allows for state services running in communities throughout the state that often feel left behind.
Oil and gas companies are cutting methane emissions in the Permian Basin while continuing to produce the energy the state and the nation depend on — balancing the economy and the environment.
What we are asking for is something simpler than a change to our statehood: A policy environment that reflects that we are valued partners in New Mexico’s future, not an industry to be managed into obsolescence.
Because here’s the thing about other states noticing what we have: They’re not just noticing energy dominance and economic potential. They’re noticing the regulatory uncertainty. When regulations shift unpredictably, when permits get tied up indefinitely, when the message from policymakers is ambivalent at best, other states are watching and even welcoming.
We don’t want to be in that conversation. We want to be in New Mexico, producing energy responsibly, funding our schools and so much more, employing our neighbors and supporting additional energy systems. That’s the future we’re investing in. That’s the New Mexico we believe in.
I am proud to be a New Mexican, and I know many from southeastern New Mexico who feel the same. The oil and gas industry is proud to operate here. The rest of the country is taking notice of what this region contributes.
We hope New Mexico will do the same.
Missi Currier is the president and CEO of the New Mexico Oil and Gas Association.
