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CULINARY CONFIDENTIAL: Crispy Zucchini Rings with Garlic Aioli & Hatch Chile capture the smell and flavor of spring

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CULINARY CONFIDENTIAL: Crispy Zucchini Rings with Garlic Aioli & Hatch Chile capture the smell and flavor of spring

Bruce Lesman

Spring quietly delivers one of the kitchen’s most versatile gifts—fresh, ripe zucchini. At their peak, these tender green squash are sweet, delicate, and endlessly adaptable. From light sautés to elegant gratins, zucchini shines in countless preparations, but there’s something undeniably irresistible about transforming them into crisp, golden rings.

These Crispy Zucchini Rings capture the essence of the season—simple ingredients elevated through technique. Paired with a creamy garlic aioli infused with the unmistakable warmth of Hatch chile, this dish becomes both comforting and distinctly Southwestern.

Zucchini in spring invites creativity, and this preparation is a natural choice for entertaining or casual gatherings.

Ingredients

Zucchini Rings

4–5 zucchini, sliced

1 cup flour

2 eggs, beaten

1½ cups breadcrumbs or panko

½ cup Parmesan

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp smoked paprika

Salt and pepper

Oil for frying

Garlic Hatch Chile Aioli

1 cup mayonnaise

2 cloves garlic

2 tbsp Hatch chile

1 tbsp lemon juice

Salt to taste

Preparation

Salt zucchini lightly and rest 10–15 minutes. Pat dry.

Dredge in flour, dip in egg, coat in breadcrumb mixture.

Fry at 350°F until golden and crisp.

Mix aioli ingredients and chill before serving.

Presentation

Stack zucchini rings high on a platter and serve with Hatch chile garlic aioli.

Bruce Lesman is a culinary professional and food columnist known for elevating approachable dishes with refined technique and bold flavor. With extensive experience across top hospitality brands and cruise lines, he brings a global perspective and a passion for seasonal ingredients to every Culinary Confidential column.

Artesia basketball player Clay Kincaid will continue his career at Southwestern Oklahoma State University

JT Keith
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Artesia basketball player Clay Kincaid will continue his career at Southwestern Oklahoma State University

JT KEITH

 Artesia basketball center Clay Kincaid had to take a phone call before he could sit down to talk about his future. He was on the line with a college coach, letting him know he would not be acquiring his services.

Kincaid was breaking the news to Bulldog Nation: He is going to continue his education and basketball career at Southwestern Oklahoma State University.

Never heard of it? Not many people have. It is located in Weatherford, Oklahoma, which is 70 miles west of Oklahoma City.

But you have probably heard of Rex and Rob Ryan. Rex was the head coach of the New York Jets, and Rob was the defensive coordinator of the New Orleans Saints and currently coaches linebackers at USC. They both played their college football there.

Kincaid will trade in the orange and black for the blue and white, where he will play for Brett Weiberg, who just completed his second season. The Bulldogs finished 11-18 overall and 8-14 in the Great American Conference, an NCAA Division II league.

“Academics were a big part of my decision,” Kincaid said. “It is a good school and solid academically. As far as basketball fit is concerned, the coaches have been interested in me for a long time. I felt at home; it felt like Artesia.”

Kincaid said he attended a camp there eight years ago, and that was the start of the relationship.

He has been on varsity since his sophomore year, coming up through the ranks with Charlie Campbell IV, Jack Byers and Trent Egeland. He started his fifth game into the season, losing to Hope Christian in the quarterfinals at The Pit.

Kincaid said being on varsity helped set the tone for his development because the older players were very physical with him. He said playing against Ricky Armendariz in practice every day helped him immensely because he knew he would not face anyone that big and physical in his high school career.

Playing football since the eighth grade, including as a tackle, which also helped his footwork and physicality.

JT Keith

Artesia center Clay Kincaid takes a shot against Gallup during the state playoff run at the state championships in Albuquerque.

Kincaid said it meant a lot to him to win the state title because it had been 30 years (1995) since the Bulldogs had last won one.

“I think winning a state title breathed life back into the program,” Kincaid said. “I felt like the stands were fuller and the town was excited about basketball after we won the state title.”

Kincaid said he realized it is harder to go back-to-back and win state titles. But what he realized after winning and losing a state title was the experience—that he was surrounded by great people, not only great players.

He said people remain excited about basketball, even after the team lost the state championship game this year. The other players have already started coming to the open gym to get better and work on their game.

Kincaid said he received his work ethic from his mother. He said she would wake up at 5 a.m. and drive into town to work. Wanting to match that dedication, Kincaid partnered with Nic Sanchez, showing up at 6 a.m. to practice before school.

What made this basketball season so much fun for him was that the team was a tight-knit group. He had more fun and felt closer to this squad than to any other team he had been on. Everyone had a sense of humor, and they could relax and have fun.

What has made the ultimate difference in his life? For Kincaid, it is his faith in Jesus Christ.

“It definitely keeps me grounded knowing that Jesus is bigger than basketball,” Kincaid said. “There is a quote that said, ‘If you want to be happy for a week, win a state basketball championship. If you want to be happy forever, put your faith in Jesus as your Lord and Savior.’ I think that is something that keeps me levelheaded and keeps me from getting caught up in the imperfections of basketball and life, and that everything is going to be OK.”

He added, “There was no drama on our team; we just loved each other and played hard.”

As he prepares to move to Oklahoma, Kincaid said he will miss the people most about high school. It is not the biggest high school, nor does it have a Chick-fil-A in the cafeteria, but the people are so special that you feel at home.

“I will miss the culture of Artesia,” Kincaid said. “It is a classy town.”

Small dinosaurs’ part of Artesia Museum Scavenger Hunt

Michael Smith
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Small dinosaurs’ part of Artesia Museum Scavenger Hunt

Photos by Mike Smith, Artesia Daily Press

Kids in Artesia this summer are encouraged to find tiny dinosaurs and learn about Artesia’s history.

The small dinos can be found near a dollhouse lounge chair and two paintings at the museum along with other exhibits.

The snail fossil at the Artesia Museum could tell children a story about dinosaurs roaming around Artesia eons ago.

More details coming next week to this website and in next Wednesday’s newspaper.

A district judge ordered Amy Barela to step down as Republican Party of New Mexico chair amid June 2 Primary Race

Adrian Hedden
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A district judge ordered Amy Barela to step down as Republican Party of New Mexico chair amid June 2 Primary Race

A district judge ordered Otero County Commissioner Amy Barela to cease in her role as chair of the New Mexico Republican Party.

Thirteenth District Judge Cindy Mercer of Valencia County issued a preliminary injunction on Wednesday, May 27, blocking Barela from serving as chair amid her primary campaign for reelection.

The lawsuit was filed April 30 against Barela by her opponent in the June 2 Primary Election, Otero County Sherrif Deputy Jonathan Emery, who argued Barela’s role as New Mexico Republican Party chair gave her an unfair advantage in the primary and violated the party’s bylaws.

Mercer presided over the case in the state’s 12th District, which covers Otero and Lincoln counties, after all local judges recused themselves.

Emery is seeking the GOP’s nomination to the District 2 seat on the Otero County Commission, which Barela was first elected to in 2022 and to which she is seeking reelection.

No Democrat signed on to run for the seat, meaning the winner of the Republican Primary will likely run uncontested in the Nov. 3 General Election.

Commissioners are compensated with a $30,000 salary along with health and life insurance. The job of state chair is an unpaid position.

Barela declined to comment on the ruling when reached by the Alamogordo News.

The case, which held oral arguments May 21 before Mercer, centers on a section of the Republican Party of New Mexico’s bylaws which reads:

“In the event the state chairman or any other state officer of the Republican State Central Committee files as a candidate for public office and there is another Republican who has filed for the same office, the state officer shall immediately vacate the party office.”

Mercer found that this provision was violated by Barela when she sought reelection to the post while also serving as chairperson of the state party.

The judge issued a preliminary injunction, after a motion from Emery to do so, blocking Barela from serving as chairperson in any capacity or publicly endorsing any candidate in the upcoming election while the case proceeds in 12th District Court.

The injunction also blocked New Mexico Sen. Jim Townsend (R-Artesia), who was also listed as a defendant, from public endorsements as he supported Barela throughout her campaign and for the months-long conflict between Barela and party chairs in Bernalillo, Sadoval and multiple other counties.

Townsend also declined to comment on the ruling but said his attorneys were reviewing the ruling.

“We’re going to let our legal counsel walk us through the process going forward,” Townsend said. “I’m absolutely confident that justice will be served.”

In her ruling, Mercer brushed aside arguments that Barela registered for her reelection bid at 9:06 a.m. on March 10, candidate filing day, while Emery signed up at 9:08 a.m. Barela argued this meant when she registered as a candidate, she had no opponent and could thus maintain her post as party chairperson.

“Rule 1-4-4 is intended to avoid conflicts of interest by preventing a party officer from remaining in office while running a contested primary,” read the injunction.

“For conflict-of-interest purposes, it makes no difference whether the party officer was first or last to file her candidacy for public office; the conflict arises because she is a public officer, holding authority and making decisions on behalf of the party, while at the same time running for public office against another party member.”

Chairs Beth Dowling of Sandoval County and Daphne Orner of Bernalillo County were joined as plaintiffs in a separate May 1 lawsuit by county chairs from Chaves, Los Alamos, Valencia and Torrance counties.

Emery filed his case in the 12th Judicial District, covering Otero and Lincoln Counties, while the party chairs filed in the Second District, which covers Bernalillo County.

A ruling was yet to be announced in the Bernalillo County case.

The 12th District case included Republican gubernatorial primary candidate Duke Rodriguez and GOP lieutenant governor primary candidate Blair Dunn as plaintiffs along with Emery.

Dunn and Rodriguez argued their opponents in the Republican primary – Gregg Hull and Doug Turner for Rodriguez and State Sen. David Gallegos for Dunn – were unfairly promoted by Barela and her supporters.

In a Wednesday campaign release, Rodriguez applauded the court’s ruling.

“This was never about one person. It was about whether the rules apply to everyone or just to the people inside the room making the rules,” Rodriguez said. “Party insiders and leaders, like Ms. Barela and Mr. Townsend, have tried to use their positions to distort the election.”

Executive Director of the New Mexico Republican Party Leticia Muñoz said the ruling violated Barela’s free speech rights, and that the statewide organization planned to appeal the injunction to a higher court.

“The Republican Party of New Mexico strongly contends that this order is a prior restraint on free speech, in violation of the First Amendment,” Muñoz said. “However, the Party will comply fully with what it understands the order to require, for as long as it remains in effect, and we are in the process of appealing to a higher court.”

Managing Editor Adrian Hedden can be reached at 575-628-5516, or @AdrianHedden on the social media platform X.

David Grousnick: Jesus is the answer as America resembles 18th Century England

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David Grousnick: Jesus is the answer as America resembles 18th Century England

David Grousnick

Thomas Troeger, a Presbyterian pastor and gifted preacher, tells a story of an experience he had once. He wrote:

“One day several years ago I was in a department store buying myself a new shirt when a complete stranger walked up to me and said, ‘You must be Henry Troeger’s son.’

“I looked at this person and I said, ‘I don’t believe I have ever seen you.’

“He said, ‘Oh, no, you have never met me at all, but a long time ago I worked with your father. I was a close colleague of his and when I saw you across the aisle of the store, I said to myself, `I’d know that face anywhere. ‘You are the very image of your father.’

“For several weeks after that, I would sometimes be going down the street, and maybe come around a corner, and catch my reflection in a store window. I started to see myself with the eyes of someone else. It is not like looking into the mirror in the morning. I would come around the corner, catch that reflection and I would think, ‘That’s Henry Troeger.’ All of a sudden I would be seeing how I bore the image of my father.”

And so it is with us.

Each one of us is created with the image of God indelibly imprinted on our souls, so that, in some miraculous and inexplicable way, the diverse expressions of God that are you and you and you and me all come together to illustrate the mystery, to live together in community as we do our best to display for the world all the possibilities that the divine imprint on all of us could mean.

And to this end, we have each been given a great commission as recorded in Matthew 28:16-20.

The United States today is very similar to what 18th century England was like.

Morals were all but gone on the part of the common people. The slave trade was at its height. A godless prison system entertained the people with public hangings. Gambling was a national obsession – one historian said that England was a vast casino. Drinking dominated the pastime of men and boys. False rumors were regularly used to manipulate the financial markets.

Also, the Anglican church was in decay. Zeal for Christ was considered professionally dangerous. 20% of the clergy had been removed or dismissed because of moral and ethical failures. Bishop George Berkeley wrote at the time, “It is to be feared that the age of monsters is not far off.”

On to that scene came some young men known as the Holy Club of Oxford. John and Charles Wesley, George Whitefield, and others made a mission statement together. It said, “We want to reform the nation, particularly the church, and to spread scriptural holiness over the land.”

From that small group of college students, the face of England was completely changed. Even to the point where most historians agree that the revival that happened under those young men in England saved the English people from the bloody revolution that France went through.

I really don’t know what is going to happen to America in the future. But I do know that the only answer to the spirit of despondency, the spirit of separatism, the spirit of impurity, the spirit of guilt… is the message of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

The United States of America needs the message that God loves people. And offers them the chance to start over, have their sins forgiven, and experience reconciliation.

May it be so, and soon!

Robert Busch: How a small agency powers transmission across New Mexico

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Robert Busch: How a small agency powers transmission across New Mexico

Robert Busch

I’d like to tell you about a state authority probably never heard of. It started almost 20 years ago, and it’s got a funny little acronym—RETA. It stands for the New Mexico Renewable Energy Transmission Authority, and I’ve had the privilege of serving as its chair for most of its life.

New Mexico has always had three things in abundance: wide-open space, gusty winds, and powerful sunshine. For decades, folks looked at those resources and saw potential. But potential doesn’t power homes or businesses unless you can move that energy to where it’s needed. That’s where RETA comes in.

Back in 2007, when RETA was created, the problem was straightforward: we could generate renewable energy, but we didn’t have enough transmission lines to carry it across long distances. Without those lines, many projects just sat on the drawing board. RETA was designed to solve that problem and give transmission projects tools to get built.

Let me take a step back for a moment, because this part doesn’t always get explained. In the United States, for many years power plants were built close to cities where electricity demand is high. That made sense at the time. It also meant we didn’t build many big transmission lines connecting different regions. Fast forward to today, and the picture is far more complicated. The best wind and solar resources aren’t sitting next to our biggest cities. Rather, they’re often far away, out in places like rural New Mexico. If we want to use that clean energy, we need high-voltage transmission lines to carry it long distances. Right now, there’s a real and growing need for more of that infrastructure.

Over the past two decades, RETA has quietly helped make that happen. We’ve worked to bring together public and private partners, reduce financial and regulatory risk, and move big ideas into reality. In doing so, we’ve helped unlock billions in investment, create jobs — especially in rural communities — and position New Mexico as a major exporter of renewable energy.

One project we’re proud of is Western Spirit. It’s part of the PNM grid and marked the first major high-voltage transmission project in New Mexico in decades. Quite simply, it wouldn’t have happened without RETA’s involvement.

And we’re not slowing down. Our SunZia Transmission Project, now coming online, is the largest renewable transmission project in the Western Hemisphere. SunZia will carry

thousands of megawatts of wind energy from central New Mexico to markets across the West. That means more clean energy on the grid, stability in the system, and economic opportunity for our state.

At the same time, we’ve been working on the Crossroads–Hobbs–Roadrunner Transmission Project in southeastern New Mexico. That region is growing fast, both in terms of energy production and demand. This project strengthens the grid, improves reliability, and makes room for even more renewable energy while supporting the industries that are already there.

After more than 40 years in the energy business, I can tell you this: transitions like the one we’re in don’t happen by accident. They take planning, persistence, and a willingness to invest in things that may not grab headlines but make all the difference.

RETA has played its part. It’s not flashy, and most people won’t ever hear about it. But its impact is real, and it’s growing.

As demand for clean energy keeps rising, the work we’ve started is only going to become more important. I believe New Mexico has a chance to lead, not just because of our natural resources, but because we’ve been willing to build the infrastructure to use them.

Sometimes, it all starts with something as simple and as overlooked as a little agency with a funny name.

Busch serves as chair of the Board of Directors of the New Mexico Renewable Energy Transmission Authority.

Artesia softball coach ranks in the top five all-time for state titles

JT Keith
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Artesia softball coach ranks in the top five all-time for state titles

JT Keith

Just like the way she lives her life, Artesia’s head softball coach is quietly building a Hall of Fame career.

Sandra Pulido is already No. 1 in career victories at Artesia, boasting a dominant 236-70 overall record and a blistering 95-16 mark in district play. Under her leadership, the Lady Bulldogs have advanced to the state championship game six times in her 11 years at the helm, capturing the blue trophy four times. That staggering run of success includes the 2020 season, which was canceled due to COVID-19.

With an 8-3 victory over Aztec to close out the tournament, Pulido officially cemented her place at No. 5 all-time in New Mexico high school softball history for state titles.

“A lot, it is a lot,” Pulido said after winning the championship. “Four titles in general is a lot. It is amazing to see what these girls did, coming together and fighting and playing for one another.”

In her 11 years leading the Lady ’Dogs, she has put Artesia softball back on top with state heavyweights like Silver, Gallup, and Aztec. Prior to her tenure, Artesia last played in the state championship game in 2008, when it lost 9-0 to Piedra Vista. The program last won a blue trophy in 2001 under head coach Clendon Kirkpatrick, who defeated Silver 1-0.

Pulido now sits directly behind New Mexico’s elite historical coaches. Tom Powers, former coach of Carlsbad, leads with 10 titles, followed by Duane Werth of Cobre with nine, Ann Salazar of Volcano Vista with six, and Apolonio “Moe” Cordova of Silver with five. Pulido’s four titles place her firmly in fifth.

During her tenure at Artesia, Pulido has been a model of quiet strength and dignity. She does not yell at umpires and never questions balls and strikes. Very rarely does she argue a call on the field, and she has never embarrassed a player in front of fans or in public. Stoic in her demeanor, she focuses entirely on teaching and helping her team improve.

Her teams may go through a lull during a long season, but in the end, they are always right there fighting for a state title.

This season, the team got off to a hot start, winning its first five games against Farmington, Piedra Vista, Belen, St. Pius X, and Deming, and also defeating heavyweights Silver and Cleveland in tournament play.

However, the team stumbled on its home turf, losing three games in a row and dropping its own softball tournament. Pulido did not panic.

“I saw some things in our team that I did not like,” Pulido said. “We were not very good at playing situational softball, and we were not in good shape physically to play the kind of softball I wanted to play. I wanted us to be ready come tournament time.”

Pulido used a 10-day break in the schedule to drill situational softball and push her team back into top physical conditioning.

The strategy paid off, sparking a fierce 18-game winning streak that carried the Lady ‘Dogs all the way to the state championship series against Aztec. But the road to the blue trophy required one final test of resilience.

Aztec snapped Artesia’s 18-game winning streak with a tough 6-3 victory in the first game of the championship series, forcing a winner-take-all finale.

“It was hard to have our winning streak snapped,” Pulido said. “It was not an easy loss to take. We had a lot of adjustments to make to our lineup and how we were going to approach the next game. We knew we were not out of it.”

With one game left to decide the championship, Pulido kept her team relaxed and adapted on the fly. With ace pitcher Kayden Apodaca struggling and standout Katrin Marquez sidelined by an injury, Pulido made a bold tactical shift, sending shortstop Danyela Munoz into the circle.

Backed by several spectacular defensive efforts in the field, Munoz pitched a gem, lifting Artesia to the definitive 8-3 victory and securing Pulido’s historic fourth state championship.

Don’t look now, but Pulido might have one of the deepest rosters of her tenure coming back next year with 11 players returning. However, she will have to replace the offensive production of “big bopper” Kayden Apodaca, the high energy of Jenna Whitmire, and the veteran leadership of seniors Miranda Perez, Leslie Molina, and Michelle Loya.

JT Keith can be reached at 575-420-0061, at jtkeith@elritomedia.com, or on X @JTKEITH1.

Artesia police are looking for suspects in ‘violent home invasion.’ Here’s how to help

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Artesia police are looking for suspects in ‘violent home invasion.’ Here’s how to help

Adrian Hedden
Artesia Daily Press
achedden@elritomedia.com

Three men were being sought after police said they violently robbed a home in the early morning of Tuesday, May 19.

Police were called at 3:30 a.m., to the 900 block of Bullock Court for a report of a home invasion, according to a May 20 news release by the Artesia Police Department.

Police said the homeowner “sustained significant injuries” and was taken to a local hospital for treatment.

Investigators said the three unidentified men donned ski masks and forced their way into the home using a pry tool.

They were all armed with handguns, with at least one using a green laser sight, the release read. The men allegedly demanded property under threat and fled the home on foot.

The suspects were described as younger, possibly juvenile, and Hispanic with light skin tones. Their heights ranged from 5 feet, 5 inches to 5 feet, 9 inches.

One of the men had a distinct “N” tattoo on his cheek, the release read.

Police did not immediately identify what was stolen from the home or the nature of the homeowner’s injuries.

Signs of a violent struggle in the home were noted by investigators, and multiple items were left behind for processing as forensic evidence.

“Investigators are still working to determine motive and identify all individuals involved,” read a statement from Artesia police.

Police asked anyone who saw suspicious activity near Bullock Court and Dallas Street between 2 and 3 a.m. on May 19 to report to the police department, along with anyone in the area with surveillance footage.

Residents with information related to the incident were asked to call the Artesia Police Department at 575-746-5000. Anonymous tips can be made to Eddy County Crime Stoppers at 844-786-7227 or eddycountycrimestoppers.com.

District 66 candidate Trinidad Malone exceeds anonymous donation limits, says he’ll amend disclosure report 

Adrian Hedden
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District 66 candidate Trinidad Malone exceeds anonymous donation limits, says he’ll amend disclosure report 

Azure Mitchell | New Mexico In Depth

This story first appeared in New Mexico In Depth at nmindepth.com.

Trinidad Malone, a local Artesia businessman running to represent District 66 as state representative, exceeded the amount of money he can accept from anonymous donors to run his campaign. 

New Mexico’s Campaign Reporting Act allows anonymous donations if the candidate does not know who the donor is, but places limits on them. A non-statewide candidate, like Malone, may only accept up to $500 in total from anonymous donors and none of the contributions may exceed $100. It also does not allow contributions to be recorded as anonymous if the candidate knows who the contributor is. 

Malone’s second disclosure report, filed May 11, shows a total of $1,500 of the total $2,000 raised coming from seven anonymous donors. Five exceed $100. His report reflects just one named donor, Bowlin Travel Centers for $500. 

In an interview, Malone said friends, family, and local businesses contributed, in addition to Bowlin, but in the interest of time he filed them as anonymous because he lacked the information he needed before the reporting deadline. 

“We’ll go ahead and amend it once we get all their credentials,” he said of the report. 

Pearce sworn in to lead BLM amid $4B oil and gas lease sale in New Mexico

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Pearce sworn in to lead BLM amid $4B oil and gas lease sale in New Mexico

Adrian Hedden
Artesia Daily Press
achedden@currentargus.com

Steve Pearce came to Carlsbad May 20 and it was a productive visit.

The former Republican congressman from Hobbs took the oath of office as newly confirmed director of the federal Bureau of Land Management while he was in the Cavern City and celebrated the bureau’s record-breaking, $4 billion sale of oil leases on federal public land.

The sale included 74 parcels in southeast New Mexico and West Texas, centered in the Permian Basin oilfield.

Pearce’s nomination by President Donald Trump to lead the agency that oversees 247 million acres of federal land in 12 states, including New Mexico, was confirmed Monday, May 18, by the U.S. Senate.

After being sworn in as head of the Bureau of Land Management during a private ceremony, Pearce joined other federal officials and employees of the bureau’s Carlsbad Field Office to announce the lease sale.

Pearce said the sale would bring wealth to communities such as Carlsbad as the United States strives to become energy independent.

“We want jobs. We want wealth to come into our communities,” Pearce told the Current-Argus after the announcement event at the National Cave and Karst Research Institute in Carlsbad.

Leases to portions of federal public land managed by the Bureau of Land Management are sold via auction to oil and gas companies for 10 years or as long as oil or gas are produced. Operators must obtain approval from the agency for a separate permit to commence drilling.

Proceeds from the sales are split between the federal government and the host state, meaning New Mexico would receive a check for about $2 billion as a result of the second quarter lease sale announced Wednesday, said Kate MacGregor, deputy secretary of the U.S. Department of the Interior. The Bureau of Land Management is an agency within the Interior Department.

The sale included 35 parcels on 14,289 acres in Eddy County – about 42% of the total lands offered in the sale. Another 24 parcels were offered in Lea County on 16,015 acres, or 47% of the sale.

The sale also included three parcels on 360 acres in Quay County, and a single, 320-acre parcel in Roosevelt County, along New Mexico’s eastern border with Texas.

In the northwest corner of New Mexico, 11 parcels were offered on 2,168 acres spread among Sandoval, Rio Arriba and San Juan counties.

The lone Texas parcel was on 156 acres in McMullen County.

MacGregor said the previous record in Carlsbad was a $972 million lease sale held in 2018, and that the previous national record was $3.7 billion in leases sold by the bureau in 2008 on public land in the Gulf Coast.

She said large sales such as Wednesday’s were a testament to the strength of the U.S. oil and gas industry and highlighted the necessity of domestic drilling.

“We have restored the goal of American energy dominance as something we support at the Department of the Interior,” MacGregor said, invoking a January 2025 executive order by President Donald Trump titled “Unleashing American Energy.” The order called for more drilling throughout the U.S., especially on public land.

In addition to the $4 billion in proceeds from the sale, MacGregor said, the leases would generate another $7 billion in royalties over the next 10 years.

“If we keep those wells productive, we’re talking real money,” she said.

Royalty rates are paid by operators to the government as a percentage of the proceeds from wells on federal land. The current rate of 12.5% has prevailed for all but three years since it was adopted by the federal government in 1920. It was raised to 16.67% during the administration of former President Joe Biden but was cut back to 12.5% through legislation passed by Congress and signed by Trump last July.

Pearce said the large lease sale was a sign that southeast New Mexico is critical to the U.S. becoming independent of other countries for energy and unfettered by global conflicts such as Iran closing the Strait of Hormuz amid military attacks by the U.S. and Israel starting on Feb. 28.

The strait is an essential trade route moving oil and gas from the Middle East to Europe and other global markets.

“The whole world is hanging onto the Strait of Hormuz, and we’re supplying the oil to the world in the interim,” Pearce said. “We want to be energy independent. It’s good for the American people.”

Pearce also addressed concerns about the environmental effects of expanded drilling. Oil and gas companies, he said, have “bought into the idea” of producing energy while mitigating pollution.

“I’m reassured that we’re paying attention to everything we can to keep our environment clean,” Peirce said, noting his plans to address abandoned wells throughout bureau-managed lands and balance other uses such as outdoor recreation. “I’m willing to talk to industry about the problem. We’re going to take care of people who want to recreate on public lands. I want to protect that.”

Pearce offered similar assurances during his Senate confirmation hearing, but environmental groups remain skeptical.

Demis Foster with Santa Fe-based nonprofit Conservation Voters New Mexico said Pearce’s record while he served as U.S. representative for New Mexico’s 2nd Congressional District from 2003 to 2009 and again from 2011 to 2019 was marred by heavy support for the use of public land for industrial development.

“Pearce also has a long history of climate denial and putting polluter profits over the well-being of our people,” Foster said. “Here in New Mexico, our communities are suffering the consequences of the Trump administration’s disregard of climate science, with record heat, drought, and wildfire devastating our rural communities.”

Managing Editor Adrian Hedden can be reached at 575-628-5516, or @AdrianHedden on the social media platform X.

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