Permian Basin Oil Boom, Colorado River Water & State Budget Proposals

This week on New Mexico in Focus, it’s a look at how New Mexico’s oil boom in the Permian Basin is altering life for many in the southeast corner of the state. With people flocking to the area for jobs, community needs like roads, schools and housing are struggling to keep pace. The boom is also filling state government coffers as we head into the legislative session later this month. NMIF correspondent Megan Kamerick talks with journalists Jens Gould of the Santa Fe New Mexican and Dan McKay of the Albuquerque Journal about what this means for the state’s future. In this month’s installment of Our Land, correspondent Laura Paskus sits down with John Fleck, co-author of the new book “Science Be Dammed: How Ignoring Inconvenient Science Drained the Colorado River.” Senior Producer Matt Grubs and The Line opinion panel examine Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s budget plan for 2021 that she will present to the legislature when it convenes Jan. 21, as well as the smaller budget proposed by lawmakers. The Line also debates the shape of the U.S. Senate race in New Mexico, now that former meteorologist Mark Ronchetti has joined other GOP candidates seeking to fill outgoing Democratic Sen. Tom Udall’s seat. The Line also looks at crime in Albuquerque and the rest of our state.