Senator Pat Woods and Senator Steven McCutcheon Introduce Legislation to Restrict Land Acquisition by the Executive

SANTA FE—This week, Senator Pat Woods (R-Broadview) and Senator Steven McCutcheon II (R-Carlsbad) introduced legislation to restrict the New Mexico Game and Fish Department and the New Mexico Energy and Natural Resources Department from acquiring land for the purpose of “preservation.” In 2021, Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham announced her intention to use her administration to acquire 30% of all land types by the year 2030 as part of her radical climate change agenda. 

“We have a fundamental disagreement about what conservation means,” said Senator McCutcheon. “To the progressives, conservation means you put a fence around land and let it rot or burn. To the farmer, the rancher, and anyone who wants to see our beautiful state preserved for our children it means responsible stewardship. No bureaucrat will ever understand how to better use the land than those whose legacy is dedicated to managing it”

“These bills are the first step in ensuring accountability in state land acquisition. The voters deserve to have a say when the state plans to buy vast swaths of land. One politician should not be able to use taxpayer dollars to bolster a political agenda,” added Senator Woods.