NM Land Commish issues suspension to SunZia

State Land Commissioner Aubrey Dunn issued a 60-day Right-of-Entry suspension to SunZia, following a meeting with company representatives Wednesday at the State Land Office in Santa Fe. The suspension will allow the Commissioner Dunn 60 days to review the SunZia transmission line project prior to any further development within areas impacting state trust lands. "Eighty-nine miles — nearly 30 percent — of the proposed transmission line will cross state trust land. The suspension will allow our office time to ensure all necessary agreements are in place to protect state trust land and ensure state beneficiaries are receiving fair consideration by SunZia," Dunn said. "The fact that the State Land Office and its representatives were not invited to Saturday's announcement by Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell in Albuquerque is one example that the State Land Office and state trust land beneficiaries have not yet had a voice." Commissioner Dunn announced Wednesday that the State Land Office will hold two public meetings for stakeholders and county officials — March 10 in Deming and March 11 in Socorro — to discuss the SunZia project...more