HOUSE MEMORIAL 72

51st legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - second session, 2014

INTRODUCED BY

Nathan "Nate" Cote

A MEMORIAL

REQUESTING THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT TO ASSURE THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE THAT A HIGH-POWER TRANSMISSION LINE TO BE BUILT IN NEW MEXICO NEAR WHITE SANDS MISSILE RANGE WILL BE LOCATED ALONG EXISTING TRANSMISSION AND UTILITY CORRIDORS.

     WHEREAS, the United States department of defense and the military services have renewable energy mandates similar to those in many western states and are supportive of renewable and alternative energy initiatives and efforts to strengthen the national grid; and

     WHEREAS, White Sands missile range is also extremely supportive of these initiatives and is home to a four and four-tenths megawatt solar array, the largest renewable energy project in the United States army to date; and

     WHEREAS, the missile range's primary mission is to test the weapons systems that protect America's soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines who defend our nation at points around the world; and

     WHEREAS, White Sands is the largest overland defense test range in the United States and provides unique testing environments that cannot be replicated elsewhere; and

     WHEREAS, White Sands is the only range capable of testing unique overland requirements of the joint air and missile defense architecture, specifically against the cruise missile threat; and

     WHEREAS, White Sands provides about nine thousand jobs in New Mexico and contributes two million three hundred thousand dollars ($2,300,000) a day to the south central New Mexico economy; and

     WHEREAS, while the SunZia transmission power lines pose numerous technical challenges, the department of the army believes there is still a win-win to be had in the state of New Mexico and that there are alternative potential routes along United States highway 60 that have not yet been fully analyzed;

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the United States department of the interior bureau of land management be requested to assure the department of defense that a high-power transmission line to be built in New Mexico near White Sands missile range will be located along existing transmission and utility corridors so as not to affect our nation's security; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be transmitted to the United States secretary of the interior, the director of the bureau of land management and the New Mexico congressional delegation.

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