Denish on Energy

    Given the catastrophic difficulties presented by thousands of barrels of oil leaking into the gulf and the enormous importance of the State Severance Tax Fund to New Mexico voters, News New Mexico conducted a thorough review of the Diane Denish (left) positions on the topic of energy.

    Upon reflection of the Denish approach to energy several thoughts come to mind. In the first paragraph of her energy paper on her website (click here) she says she supports a “comprehensive” approach to energy production. We applaud this concept. Comprehensive approaches are almost always best practices.

    A "comprehensive" approach to New Mexico’s position in the energy question should recognize first and foremost that New Mexico electrical power suppliers are already using Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station (photo right) which is located just outside of Phoenix, Arizona, to supply a large percentage of the electrical power consumption in our state.
    Of the 604 words used in the Denish energy position paper to describe her “comprehensive” approach, neither the word “nuclear” nor “battery” is used.
    For the foreseeable future, land-based production of traditional energy will be required, even if a transition to nuclear energy started today. And if encouraged by state government, this production can continue to supply the State Severance Tax Fund with sorely needed dollars. It seems that Denish gives merely the obligatory lip service to the importance of severance tax revenue by leaving New Mexico's existing oil and gas industries unmentioned until the final three lines of her lengthy position paper.

   What is mentioned in the body of the piece is all the ways that New Mexico state government should be involved as trusted steward of more and more taxpayer dollars. The idea seems to be to steer ever more precious state resources towards energy industries that are sure to require an endless stream of taxpayer subsidies due to gross inefficiencies and limited capabilities.

Denish on Energy