Land commissioner unhappy with governor's veto

State Land Commissioner Ray Powell is objecting that Republican Gov. Susana Martinez vetoed money for a feasibility study about New Mexico buying some federal land. Martinez eliminated $250,000 for the study from a budget bill this week using her line-item veto powers. Powell contends that New Mexico could generate more money for education if the Land Office acquired "disposal land" from the Bureau of Land Management. He says the land could be used for grazing leases, commercial development and energy production. Powell said Thursday that "politics as usual in Santa Fe must end." A Martinez spokesman said the governor understands the importance of the land acquisition issue, but thought the study was too expensive and the Land Office could pay for it rather than using the state's main budget account. AP

State eyes BLM land set for sale

State Land Commissioner Ray Powell thinks some federal land identified for sale could be a valuable addition to New Mexico’s trust lands, which help generate revenue for public schools and other institutions. The Bureau of Land Management is looking to sell thousands of acres that no longer meet the agency’s mission or are landlocked. Powell hopes to acquire some of the land, especially parcels along the interstates around Las Cruces and in the oil- and gas-rich Permian Basin of southeastern New Mexico. “We’re interested in high-value property that could be used for commercial purposes and would earn money for our beneficiaries,” Powell said. Sen. Michael S. Sanchez, D-Belen, is sponsoring legislation, Senate Bill 1, to give the State Land Office $250,000 over the next two years to study the feasibility of BLM land acquisitions. The bill will be considered in the Legislature’s 30-day session, which focuses on budgetary matters and begins Jan. 21. Donna Hummel, public information officer with the BLM-New Mexico office, said federal laws may limit which parcels the State Land Office can acquire. “We’re a little unsure whether we can do what Ray is proposing,” Hummel said. “That doesn’t mean it isn’t worth exploring.” Powell said State Land Office staff have spent the last two years gathering information from the five BLM districts in the state and putting together a map of the land parcels the federal agency is planning to sell...more

New rule extends life of state lands recreation permits

Outdoor adventurers are receiving an early Christmas gift. The New Mexico State Land Office announced on Friday all newly-purchased recreational and educational access permits on state trust lands are valid for a full year, effective immediately. The revision to Rule 19 repairs a flaw in the permitting system in which prior permits expired at the end of the calendar year, regardless of the date of purchase. "That just didn't make any sense, it wasn't fair," said land commissioner Ray Powell. "These rule revisions will make some of our state trust lands more readily available to the public for hiking, photographing and other recreational activities, as well as outdoor education. We encourage people to take advantage of these opportunities to enjoy and learn in New Mexico's great outdoors." Additional rule changes include the expanding of educational permits. Now those group permits allow for up to 50 people to visit state trust lands for up to three days, as opposed to 25 people for a one-day trip...more

Powell favors land transfer alternative

State Land Commissioner Ray Powell said he is trying to find ways to generate more money for early childhood education in New Mexico while balancing concerns about the long-term health of the Land Grant Permanent Fund. Powell said he’s considering a request to the federal government to transfer about 1 million acres of federal lands designated as “disposal lands” to state management. Those new lands would be added to 9 million acres of state lands already supporting New Mexico’s Land Grant Permanent Fund to generate new revenue through grazing leases, oil and gas royalties or other sources designated to benefit early childhood programs, Powell said. The State Land Office has estimated the disposal lands designated by the federal government could generate as much as $50 million in annual revenue if transferred to the state, Powell said. “I think anything that erodes the fund potentially is the wrong track in terms of meeting our responsibilities to the public,” Powell said. “So what I’m trying to figure out is, how do we grow it, because if it just stays static, we go behind too, because we’ve got a growing population and we’ve got all these other factors that chip away at it.”...more