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New Mexico Business Leaders Urge Secretary Salazar to Support Responsible Clean Energy Development on Public Lands  

 

 

Albuquerque, NM (October 23, 2011) - On the heels of a successful statewide renewable energy conference, the New Mexico Green Chamber of Commerce today announced that 31 New Mexico business leaders have sent a letter to U.S. Interior Secretary Ken Salazar, encouraging him to support the development of clean-energy projects on New Mexico's public, private, and Tribal lands for the benefit of the state's economy and environment.

 

"These New Mexico businesses believe responsible clean-energy development on our state's abundant public lands will help spur economic growth and job creation, and urge Secretary Salazar to push on this transition to a new clean-energy economy," said Allan Oliver, CEO of the New Mexico Green Chamber of Commerce.

 

The New Mexico Green Chamber of Commerce's September conference in Las Cruces attracted 200 business leaders, representatives of industry, government, higher education, and research laboratories, as well as policy-makers from across the state and region.

 

Interior Department Adviser Alan Gilbert was a keynote speaker, and carried a message from the Secretary: "Encouraging new sources of renewable energy for our country on our public lands is a high priority for President Obama and Secretary Salazar, both for the energy people will be able to use and for the jobs these new and important businesses will bring."

 

To encourage a continued conversation with Secretary Salazar, New Mexico business leaders this month sent a letter to him asking that he work with them to "create local jobs while protecting our national treasures," adding that "New Mexico has some of the best clean energy resources in the nation but we are behind other states in harnessing new energy development... We would welcome the opportunity to work with you to develop additional new projects in New Mexico that meet your goals to both build America's new energy future and protect our treasured landscapes."

 

"This letter to the Secretary underscores the commitment of New Mexico's business leaders to clean energy," Oliver added, "and reflects our ambition for New Mexico to be a leader in the responsible transition to job-creating renewable energy sources like solar, wind, and biofuels."

 

According to the Brookings Institution, New Mexico has over 17,000 clean economy jobs, with each job producing approximately $10,000 in exports on average, but ranks 36th in the nation in the overall size of its green economy industry.

 

The full text of the October letter to the Secretary appears below.


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The New Mexico Green Chamber of Commerce is a non-partisan association with over 1,200 business members dedicated to advocating on behalf of clean energy, seizing the green business advantage, and supporting local economies. The NM Green Chamber of Commerce members believe that responsible business invests in people, protects air, land and water, and creates long-term sustainable profits.

 

October 23, 2011

 

Honorable Ken Salazar

Secretary of the Interior

U.S. Department of the Interior

1849 C Street, NW

Washington, DC 20240

 

Dear Secretary Salazar:

 

As business leaders and entrepreneurs in the clean-energy economy, we seek your active support of our efforts to spur new economic growth and job creation in New Mexico. The clean energy sector represents our greatest opportunity to restore a robust economy and regain prosperity. With your leadership, and in collaboration with other Tribal, federal, state, and private partners, we can identify solutions that both create local jobs while protecting our national treasures.

 

New Mexico has some of the best clean energy resources in the nation but we are behind other states in harnessing new energy development. By providing policy guidance to show that we are ready to transition to clean energy, you can help send the right market signals to attract new opportunities for investment in our industry.

 

Already, your department has given the green light to beneficial new investments in solar and wind projects -- wisely done "right from the start" and without significant environmental conflicts -- on public lands in New Mexico. We would welcome the opportunity to work with you to develop additional new projects in New Mexico that meet your goals to both build America's new energy future and protect our treasured landscapes.

 

We are ready to deploy our workforce, encourage business innovation, and promote U.S. leadership in 21st century clean technologies. We look forward to working with you to find solutions that will build the clean energy economy -and jobs of tomorrow-- here in New Mexico.

 

Sincerely,

 

 

David Melton, CEO

Odes Armijo-Caster, COO

Sacred Power Corporation

Albuquerque, NM

 

Craig Cox, Executive Director

Interwest Energy Alliance

Denver, CO
 

Thomas Volek

SolConcepts LLC
Albuquerque, NM

 

Greg Mechels

Select Solar LLC

Los Alamos, NM

 

Jim O'Brien

1A Solar Design

Rio Rancho, NM

 

Allan Oliver

NM Green Chamber of Commerce

Albuquerque, NM

 

Cary Lane

Energy Concepts Corporation

Sapello, NM

 

Adi Pieper

ADI Solar Electric

Santa Fe, NM

 

Jim Graham

Sun & Earth Inc

Las Cruces, NM

 

Richard Chacon

Independent Energy Center

Farmington, NM

 

Rob Stout

Southwest Solar Design

Embudo, NM

 

Brian Schmidly, COO

Rio Grande Solar

Albuquerque, NM

 

Russell Schmidt, CEO

Clean Switch

Albuquerque, NM

 

Theresa Westbrock

Positive Energy Solar

Las Cruces, NM

 

Lloyd Covens, GM

LT10 Com

Las Cruces, NM

 

Larry Perea, President

Solar Smart Living

Las Cruces, NM

 

Rafal Mistrzak

Consolidated Solar Technology

Las Cruces, NM

 

Lila Garza, President

Alma Energy Group

Las Cruces, NM

 

Hale Huber, President

Sun-Tech Services

Las Cruces, NM

 

Douglas Campion, CEO

Greenworks

Las Cruces, NM

 

William Lawson, Branch Manager

RoofCARE

Albuquerque, NM

 

Paul Hufziger, Partner

Energy Pro Solar

Las Cruces, NM

 

Gayle Simmons, Business Manager

Wentz Electric Company

Silver City, NM

 

Joe Riley, Owner

EcoEnergy & Auditing

Silver City, NM

 

Sara Jane Gendron

Energy Ideal LLC

Silver City, NM

 

Bryan Eichelberger, Vice-President

L-E Electric

Las Cruces, NM

 

Peter Daynes, Owner

Daynes Electric

Silver City, NM

 

Larissa Weinman

PPC Solar

Taos, NM

 

Eric Olricksen

Samson Energy

Taos, NM

 

David Anderson

Enchanted Trails Plumbing

Silver City, NM

 

 

 

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