A Visit to the Land of Enchantment

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The Permitting Council's Executive Director recently explored New Mexico, visiting key FAST-41 project sites and engaging with congressional offices, state leaders, and broadband project leaders in Tribal communities. As we look to launch our new blog, The Infrastructure Insider, check out highlights from the trip and see how we're bringing transformative infrastructure to the Land of Enchantment.

Congressional Office Visits

We kicked off our trip with strategic meetings at the offices of Senator Martin Heinrich, Senator Ben Ray Lujan, and Congresswoman Melanie Stansbury, to brief staff on the work of the Permitting Council and opportunities for New Mexico projects to leverage FAST-41. These discussions aimed to increase awareness and support for New Mexico's FAST-41 projects, enhancing our collaboration with federal permit processes. 

SunZia Site Visit

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Our visit to New Mexico was the perfect opportunity to tour SunZia, a FAST-41 covered project site. This $1 billion venture involves 550 miles of transmission lines running from Central New Mexico to Central Arizona that could impact two national wildlife refuge systems (NWR), the National Sevilleta and the Bosque del Apache. The team, led by Department of the Interior experts, toured the National Wildlife Refuges and gained firsthand knowledge of the potential impacts that infrastructure construction could have on local wildlife.

Briefings with Governor Lujan Grisham’s Office and Cabinet Secretaries

Next up was a visit to the Office of the Governor for meetings with Governor Lujan Grisham's team. We emphasized the potential of FAST-41 and how the Permitting Council can support the state in achieving its infrastructure goals, particularly in light of the $3.5 billion in federal funds and ambitious goals set by the 2019 Energy Transition Act for renewable energy, which sets a statewide renewable energy standard of 50 percent by 2030.

New Mexico Renewable Energy Transmission Authority (RETA) Workshop

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Our team made it a priority to attend the RETA Energy Storage Workshop while in Santa Fe, as New Mexico has historically been a major player in the Southwest as it relates to energy production. At the RETA workshop, we delved into strategies for boosting utility-scale energy storage, and Permitting Council Executive Director Christine Harada presented on bringing transparency and predictability to Federal permitting, highlighting how FAST-41 coverage could be a game changer for renewable energy projects in New Mexico.

Supporting Tribal Broadband Projects through FAST-41

The final stop was a visit to the Santa Fe Indian School (SFIS) to discuss FAST-41 coverage for two multi-million dollar Tribal broadband projects that will increase connectivity to Tribal communities in rural areas.

The first project, managed by the Santa Fe Indian School (SFIS), received over $57 million from the NTIA’s Tribal Broadband Connecting Program for a 300-mile broadband project. This project will enhance connectivity by installing broadband fiber across rural and Tribal lands in New Mexico, targeting students in grades 7-12 and other community groups, and requires multiple federal permits. The second project, with Santo Domingo Pueblo, also funded by NTIA, aims to connect 680 unserved households through fiber and tower installations. The Permitting Council is eager to support both initiatives under FAST-41 coverage. 

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We hope you enjoyed this glimpse into the Permitting Council's activities. Continue to follow us as we strive to make the #InfrastructureDecade a reality.