Adrian Hedden
Carlsbad Current-Argus
achedden@currentargus.com

Donald Trump was officially sworn in as president of the United States during a Monday ceremony at the U.S. Capitol Rotunda, igniting the passions of New Mexico politicians on both sides of the aisle.

Democrats worried that Trump, inaugurated for a second term after defeating former Vice President Kamala Harris in last November’s election, could roll back progress they believe was made by Democratic President Joe Biden during Trump’s four-year absence from the White House.

Trump was first elected president in 2016, defeating former-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, but then lost to Biden in the 2020 election. Trump’s comeback began as he secured the GOP nomination in early 2024 but a rematch with Biden failed to materialize when the incumbent president dropped out of the race weeks before Election Day and Democrats nominated Harris as their standard-bearer.

Republicans, emboldened by the win in November, hailed Trump as a president they said would usher in a new era of American prosperity, energy production, and security at the U.S.-Mexico border.

Amy Barela, chair of the Republican Party of New Mexico, said Trump’s policies would mean “higher take-home pay, safer streets and lower grocery bills” for New Mexicans, along with cheaper gas prices paid at the pump.

“President Trump’s policies are focused on putting Americans first, and we are witnessing promises made and promises kept once again,” Barela said in a statement. “The sense of unity and purpose at this inauguration is a testament to the American spirit. Together, we are turning the page to a chapter filled with renewed hope and prosperity.”

That optimism was shared by Sen. Bill Sharer (R-1), Republican leader in the New Mexico Senate, who pointed to Trump’s campaign promises to support domestic oil and gas production. New Mexico is the No. 2 oil-producing state in the U.S. after Texas.

The two states share the Permian Basin in southeast New Mexico and West Texas, while Sharer’s district represents parts of San Juan County in northwest New Mexico – the state’s other key fossil fuel region.

“A majority of Americans made their voices heard when they elected President Trump and his vision to secure our southern border, restore economic stability, and unleash our country’s full ability to produce natural resources domestically,” Sharer said. “These top priorities will be especially beneficial to all New Mexicans.”

U.S. Sen. Ben Ray Lujan, D-N.M., who attended the inaugural ceremony, voiced reservations about what a Trump presidency could mean for New Mexico, and said he would work in Congress to hold the president and his administration accountable for “injustice.”

“As the new administration takes office, my work for New Mexico remains the same, and I will hold the administration accountable when I see injustice,” Lujan said. “These next four years will undoubtedly present challenges for the American people, but New Mexicans can rest assured that I’ll always be a strong voice for our state.”

The New Mexico Democratic Party issued a statement arguing Trump’s policies would be chosen by “billionaires” and special interest groups and violate human rights in favor of a conservative agenda.

That means cuts to healthcare and social security and eliminating the right to U.S. citizenship for children born in America to immigrant parents, along with tariffs that will raise costs for consumers and national policy that could alienate U.S. allies abroad, read the statement.

“Throughout the Trump presidency, New Mexico Democrats will be here to speak out when he puts corporate interests first, abuses his presidential powers, and makes disastrous economic choices,” the statement read.

Adrian Hedden
El Rito Media
achedden@currentargus.com

Less than a month into his new job as undersheriff, former Eddy County Sheriff Mark Cage was awarded a 47% pay raise by the County Board of County Commissioners.

All five commissioners voted in favor of the increase at their Tuesday, Jan. 21, meeting, hiking the undersheriff’s annual salary nearly $55,000 from $114,254 to $168,850.

The raise was proposed by Sheriff Matt Hutchinson, who assumed the office earlier this month after being elected in the November 2024 general election. Cage, who was ineligible to run for re-election as sheriff due to term limits, and Hutchinson swapped jobs when the new sheriff was sworn in Jan. 7. Hutchinson was undersheriff when Cage had the top job.

During his presentation before the commission ahead of the vote, Hutchinson, whose salary is $153,500, said that Cage’s experience as sheriff should justify higher pay.

The proposal came about a month after county commissioners voted to increase pay for the sheriff, commissioners and county treasurer. The commission was empowered to do so by New Mexico Constitutional Amendment 4, which the state’s voters approved in the general election last year.

Passage of the amendment transferred authority for setting salaries for the county’s elected officials from the state Legislature to county commissioners.

Under the new pay scale, the county sheriff’s annual salary almost doubled from $78,000 to $153,500; the country treasurer’s salary jumped from $75,000 to $129,000; and commissioners granted themselves an $18,500 a year increase from $26,000 to $44,500.

Hutchinson argued that Cage, who served two four-year terms as Eddy County sheriff, brought with him to the post knowledge of the inner workings of the sheriff’s office. He said the undersheriff manages day-to-day operation of the agency, all personnel issues and can sign any documents the sheriff can sign.

The Eddy County Sheriff’s Office has 78 sworn officers and about 14 to 15 civilian employees, Hutchinson said. When fully staffed, the agency would have 100 personnel. District 5 Commissioner and commission chair Sarah Cordova said this made the sheriff’s office the county’s largest department.

Hutchinson also pointed to salary ranges from area “executive” law enforcement agents such as the Carlsbad chief of police – about $150,000 to $164,000 – and the Lea County undersheriff, set at $144,000 with annual increases.

“I’m wanting to show that Eddy County currently has an undersheriff with a vast amount of experience, coming in from sheriff,” Hutchinson said. “This (pay increase) is market value for our area.”

Eddy County Manager Mike Gallagher said the county should reevaluate all its staff positions, potentially offering additional raises to department heads and employees in the future.

“What you’re seeing here is the need to have competitive salaries for the sheriff’s office, and I believe that extends to all county employees,” Gallagher said. “This comes on the tail of the adjustment for elected officials. I believe what the sheriff presented hits the mark.”

District 1 Commissioner Ernie Carlson said that under Cage’s leadership, the sheriff’s office saw improvement and expansion in efforts to combat crime in Eddy County. He said this justified the pay bump. Carlson made the motion to approve the proposal, seconded by District 3 Commissioner Philip Troost.

“I think under Sheriff Cage we moved our sheriff’s office so far forward,” Carlson said. “That is all because of all the things our current sheriff and the undersheriff did while he was in office. I think to get somebody with his knowledge of how our sheriff’s office works, it’s a small price to pay.”

Although he seconded Carlson’s motion and voted in favor of Cage’s raise, Troost voiced some reservation that future undersheriffs could be underqualified for the higher salary.

“What I’m afraid of is doing this and allowing the next undersheriff to walk into something that he is not qualified for,” Troost said.

Adrian Hedden
El Rito Media
achedden@currentargus.com

An oil and gas company operating in southeast New Mexico’s Permian Basin oilfields agreed to take steps at three facilities in Lea County to reduce artificial light impacting the wilderness in the region.

Colorado-based Franklin Mountain Energy was certified Jan. 9 by Tucson, Arizona-based nonprofit DarkSky International at the National Cave and Karst Research Institute in Carlsbad for its efforts to improve the viewshed at Carlsbad Caverns National Park by limiting excessive outdoor lighting.

The effort was part of a broader joint initiative by the park service and the New Mexico Oil and Gas Association to help oilfield operators to reduce manmade impacts to the night sky.

The Dark for the Park Alliance, formed last year by the park service and New Mexico industry groups, began work to draft a series of steps oilfield operators could take to limit “light pollution” caused by lighting used to illuminate round-the-clock oilfield work. DarkSky International defines light pollution as “human-made alteration of outdoor light levels from those occurring naturally.” The New Oxford American Dictionary calls it “brightening of the night sky caused by street lights and other man-made sources, which has a disruptive effect on natural cycles and inhibits the observation of stars and planets.”

The lighting certifications for Franklin Mountain Energy were the first ever given to a fossil fuel company.

A report on the recommendations published Jan. 8 included measures such as pointing floodlights down on works sites, rather than allowing the light to spread upward or away from the facility. The alliance also suggested limiting use of lighting to times when it was actually needed to illuminate work areas and using “warmer” amber-colored lights. Amber lights don’t scatter into the sky the same way the more traditionally used blue lights do, the alliance said in its recommendations.

The alliance said such practices would not only reduce night-sky impact but also cut companies’ energy costs and make work sites safer.

The recommended changes were applied to the three sites owned by Franklin Mountain Energy, and will be used in new builds, the company said.

“Safety for our workers is always our first priority,” said Audrey Robertson, Franklin Mountain Energy co-founder. “We also prioritize the environment and support night-sky friendly lighting practices. I am proud of our team for working on this project with DarkSky International and the alliance to ensure the continued beauty found throughout the Permian Basin’s skies.”

Carlsbad Caverns Superintendent Carmen Chapin said the lighting changes will protect views of the night skies, which are important to maintain as part of the park service’s conservation mission.

The park service was working to limit light pollution at Carlsbad Caverns, Chapin, said, and also at Chaco Culture National Historic Park in northwest New Mexico’s San Juan Basin – the state’s other main oil and gas region.

“Part of the night sky, for us, is entrenched in cultural traditions and backyard wonder,” Chapin said. “This is a challenge. We’re the park service. We’re in the business of forever.”

From 2008 to 2023, a 15-year period punctuated by dramatic increases in fossil fuel production in the Permian Basin, there was a 700% increase in brightness in the area, Chapin said,.

“This is a huge change in our ability to see the night sky,” she said.

Chapin said the increased light was impacting the ability to stargaze from the park and negatively affecting native nocturnal wildlife. Reducing the impact is a fix oil companies can accomplish affordably without interrupting operations, she said.

Stephen Hummel at the McDonald Observatory, operated in far-west Texas just south of Van Horn by the University of Texas, said the light from oil and gas operations in the remote region near Carlsbad Caverns rivals that of an urban area.

He said about 95 percent of the light seen at night from the park is from oil and gas operations.

“It looks like a city. In fact, it’s all oil and gas,” Hummel said.

The observatory in 2018 released its list of recommendations for oil and gas operators on the Texas side of the Permian Basin in response to light that was impacting McDonald’s ability to measure the stars and other planetary bodies, Hummel said.

The observatory was founded in 1939, he said, long before fossil fuels boomed in the region and such impacts could be predicted.

“In order to study space and the stars, we need dark skies,” Hummel said. “In the 1930s, we thought we were far enough out that we would never see artificial light. We underestimated the pace of human expansion. We went from having the darkest skies on the globe to pretty significant glow from the Permian Basin.”

Alexandra Fleming, DarkSky Alliance coordinator with the oil and gas association and a scientist at Chevron U.S.A., said the industry operates 24 hours a day but can take steps to limit its impacts when the sun sets on the oilfields.

“It’s not the absence of light. It’s better lighting,” she said. “It’s not rocket science.”