NMiF discusses oil & gas lease fight and a new-look legislature

This week on New Mexico in Focus, State Land Commissioner Stephanie Garcia Richard stops by the studio and tells Senior Producer Lou DiVizio why she chose to hold off on selling the state's most valuable oil and gas leases until officials lock in a higher royalty rate than the office is charging now. Reactions to her decision have been mixed and Lou asks the commissioner to respond to remarks from her critics and from the governor.

The Legislature is in for a big shakeup after the November election. There are currently 19 open legislative seats - 12 held by Republicans, and the other seven by Democrats. Former state senator Dede Feldman sits down with DiVizio to discuss just how competitive these races will be this fall.

NMiF airs on NMPBS 5.1 (KNME HD) on Friday, March 29 at 7 p.m. and Sunday, March 31 at 7 a.m., and streaming on the PBS video app.

NMiF Segments

State Land Commissioner on Decision to Halt Lease Sales on Oil-Rich Land
Correspondent
Lou DiVizio

Guest
Stephanie Garcia Richard, NM State Land Commissioner

Analyzing the State Legislature Seats Up for Grabs this Fall
Correspondent
Lou DiVizio

Guest
Dede Feldman, Democratic Former NM State Senator

Host
Lou DiVizio

New Mexico in Focus is the New Mexico PBS prime-time news magazine show covering the events, issues, and people shaping life in New Mexico and the Southwest. NMiF takes a multi-layered look at social, political, economic health, education, and art issues and explores them in-depth with a critical eye to give them context beyond the "news of the moment.

NMPBS Executive Producer, Public Affairs, is Jeff Proctor. New Mexico in Focus's senior producer for public affairs is Lou DiVizio. "Our Land" Senior Producer is Laura Paskus. The producer of New Mexico in Focus is Antonio Sanchez, and co-producer is Kathy Wimmer.

Funding for New Mexico in Focus is provided by the McCune Charitable Foundation and Viewers Like You.

Funding for the Your New Mexico Government Project comes from the Thornburg Foundation and New Mexico Local News Fund.

The Neeper Natural History Programming Fund for KNME-TV provides funding for Our Land: New Mexico's Environmental Past, Present & Future.