VOTER'S GUIDE

lukefornm.com

Climate Science-Based Policy

1. Do you agree with climate scientists that we are facing a climate emergency?

   1. Yes

2. Do you agree with climate scientists that the brunt of the impacts we face due to climate change will be put on those who contributed the least emissions? (The global South, Indigenous, and low-income communities)

   1. Yes

3. Do you agree with climate scientists that greenhouse gas emissions must be reversed within 6 years in order to achieve carbon neutrality in time to keep global temperature rise below 1.5 degrees and to avoid catastrophic runaway climate disruption? https://www.ipcc.ch/sr15/ - IPCC Report

   1. Yes

4. If elected, what specific policies will you initiate in your first year of service to begin transitioning our state economy from an extractive economy to a regenerative economy within the timeframe set by the world's leading scientist?

   1. I'd like to use the profits from our oil to rapidly build our energy production and storage infrastructure and transition from oil as quickly as possible. Further, I'd like to implement public transit in high-volume areas to further cut back on the need for cars and fossil fuel usage, and to relieve the traffic of our cities. I'd also like to offer incentives to modernize the insulation of homes and building throughout the state, to further offset energy wastage.

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

Community Engagement Questions

1. What are the current needs or issues you see across the state, city, or county and how do you plan on addressing those issues if you are elected?

   1. Healthcare is incredibly important, and I want to work with our healthcare professionals to improve both the quality of healthcare and lower the costs on our citizens. I'd also like to address the housing crisis, potentially by having the state produce state-managed rentals at a lower cost to stabilize the market and by increasing land and property taxes on out-of-state massive landowners who sit on undeveloped land or empty homes.

2. What is your vision of the ideal relationship between communities and environmental/climate justice?

   1. I would love to see a future where people spend far less time in cars and instead out walking, biking, and taking public transit. This will not only build a stronger community but will also dramatically reduce our carbon footprint. The more people are aware of each other and the struggles other face, the easier it is for us to make change that can benefit ourselves and our world.

3. What role do you believe communities actively play in policy development? Especially when addressing issues that have been inherited and faced for generations?

   1. Communities pass knowledge and history that individuals might not be aware of, and allow society to be continually aware of issues, like the effects of radiation on the Downwinders. The more awareness there is, the more opportunities people in that community have to make effective change in government and in the larger society.

4. What changes will you propose so that community driven solutions have equitable influence over policy-making, and are valued as much if not more than private profit driven solutions?

   1. I will nearly always prioritize the greater society of our state over private interests, and will work to get money out of politics. As well, I intend to take a look at private industries like our healthcare to determine if profits are being focused over the health and livelihoods of our citizens and healthcare workers.

5. How do you plan on engaging communities and youth in policy development or proposals?

   1. I'd love to get out to local events and popular locations like our game shops and parks, and engage with people to see what their opinions on general policy ideas or feedback on specific policies would be.

6. Describe your previous experience working on social/health/environmental justice issues, do you have experience working with impacted communities to co-develop solutions?  How will you use this experience to tackle the climate crisis?

   1. I don't have significant history in those, my background is in engineering and I want to take my knowledge and skills to the field, particularly in the climate. Science has shown for decades that climate change exists, and I'd like to see significant investments to reduce our impact on it, and to address how the changes will impact New Mexico. In particular, we are looking to see increases in temperature year-round and a loss in water from rain, so we should invest in water protection and retention, trees and local wildlife, and to ensure our citizens can survive temperature extremes with home modernization and improved heating/cooling like heat pumps.

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

A Just Transition

1. What connections do you believe exist between our state/local economy and budget and environmental and climate impacts? How will you work to ensure that the state/local budget fosters economic, environmental, and climate justice?

   1. Our state heavily relies on oil and cars in nearly all aspects, and I believe we should transition off of those two as smoothly and quickly as possible. I will work to ensure our budget always uses profits from those two and any other carbon-creating fields to fund carbon-offsetting measures, in particular renewable energies and storage.

2. How do you see the role of oil and gas corporations in New Mexico’s future as a result of the climate crisis?

   1. I see those corporations transitioning into renewables as we leave fossil fuels behind in the next decade.

3. Define environmental racism in your own words and provide an example in NM.

   1. Environmental racism is when the impacts of environmental policies cause the harshest (or only) effects directly on people of color. I mentioned before the Downwinders, where the fallout from nuclear weapons testing in New Mexico (in particular the Trinity bomb) caused cancer and other issues, and the people affected were overwhelmingly Native American and Hispanic.

4. How will you be playing a role in a just transition away from fossil fuels for NM?

   1. I will invest as much money as possible from our oil and gas industries to transition towards renewables and into energy storage.

5. Do you believe climate action is an issue of intergenerational justice? What is the responsibility of your generation to the youth and future generations if elected? Explain.

   1. I'm 28, so I believe I fit in the definition of "the youth", but I believe we should only leave a better world for future generations, and as such should do everything in our power to save the environment for those future generations.

6. How can pollution and contamination impact our youth and communities?

   1. Locally grown produce and pumped water can be effected by pollution, and dramatically impact any peoples living in that area. In particular, poorer peoples would be impacted the hardest due to lack of access to advanced water filtration and who don't have access to municipal water. As well, people can be forced to move if the contamination is bad enough, further hurting them.

7. How will you include Traditional Land Based Knowledge when developing policy?

   1. I will do everything in my power to limit our expansion into existing land, and prioritize policies that save our natural plants and ecosystem over invasive species or simply grass green such as golf courses.

8. If elected, will you support investing some of the money from oil and gas revenues to fund A) dedicated resources for a Just Transition Study to model alternative economic pathways for our state including oil and gas revenue replacement and phase-down B) create a just transition fund to invest in community-driven climate planning for local economies to divest from harmful industries and build alternative economic visions and investments that effectively contribute to climate mitigation and community health?  Explain.

   1. Absolutely, all of these ideas are exactly in-line with my plans mentioned above.

9. Name specific alternative sources for state/local revenue that you'd pursue and propose if elected

   1. New Mexico can sell excess energy to nearby states, focus on exports to Mexico and nearby states such as semiconductors from Intel, and invest in tourism and local small business.

10. Do you support the development of Hydrogen energy, nuclear energy, and/or carbon capture and sequestration in NM? Why or Why Not?

    1. I haven't seen incredible promise with hydrogen just yet, but nuclear energy has been proven to be incredibly safe when built properly, and with limited waste so I would gladly support it. Carbon capture and sequestration are band-aids on bigger issues, in my opinion, and I'd much rather spend the funds on planting and maintaining trees and forests.

11. Do you support community ownership of energy where Cities/Counties/Indigenous Nations are able to own, produce, and sell electricity to residents and keep energy dollars local?

    1. I am unsure.

12. What do you believe is the fossil fuel industry/utility’s responsibility for cleanup and how as an elected official in the public office for which you are running do you plan to hold industry accountable for pollution and cleanup?

    1. The industry is completely responsible for cleanup, and I'd like to have incredibly high fines that increase until the industry completes cleanup operations to state standards.

13. Do you support the State Land Office’s moratorium/prohibition on new oil and gas leasing on state trust lands within one mile of schools or other educational facilities? https://www.nmstatelands.org/2023/06/01/commissioner-garcia-richard-bans-new-oil-and-gas-leasing-within-one-mile-of-schools/ Would you support legislation to create  a public health buffer zone prohibiting oil and gas drilling within one mile of schools on ALL NM lands?

    1. Yes

14. Have you accepted any donations from fossil fuel companies or utilities? 

    1. No

15. Can you commit to not accepting donations or funds from fossil fuel companies if you are elected?

    1. Yes

16. What are your ideas to loosen the grip of industry on the state legislature and strengthen our democracy?

    1. I'd love to see much lower caps placed on the amount of money candidates can raise from large groups like PACs, and overall caps on how much candidates can raise in total.