2008 New Mexico Senate Debate between Tom Udall & Steve Pearce: on Energy & Oil


Steve Pearce: Set aside 6.4M acres in New Mexico for solar panels

Udall talked of traveling with [returing incumbent Republican Sen. Pete] Domenici to talk about energy policy and military bases in New Mexico. “I know the people are mad. I know they’re angry... and I intend to do something about it,” Udall said.

But Pearce later brought up an example that he said showed Udall declining to work in a bipartisan manner. He said he sent a letter to Udall, who supports solar energy, asking him to sign on to a bill that would set aside 6.4 million acres of public land in New Mexico for solar panels. Pearce said Udall refused to support it. “You couldn’t find it in your heart to sign on to that,” Pearce said.

Udall said he was not aware of the bill and criticized its timing. “Many bills he’s introduced are only in the Senate campaign, they don’t have anything to do with what he legislated in the previous five years. To me that really isn’t a bill to drop it in the middle of a Senate campaign. Show that your heart and soul is in it,” he told his rival.

Source: 2008 N.M. Senate Debate reported in Silver City Sun-News Oct 19, 2008

Tom Udall: Supports solar energy with heart & soul

Udall talked of traveling with [returing incumbent Republican Sen. Pete] Domenici to talk about energy policy and military bases in New Mexico. “I know the people are mad. I know they’re angry... and I intend to do something about it,” Udall said.

But Pearce later brought up an example that he said showed Udall declining to work in a bipartisan manner. He said he sent a letter to Udall, who supports solar energy, asking him to sign on to a bill that would set aside 6.4 million acres of public land in New Mexico for solar panels. Pearce said Udall refused to support it. “You couldn’t find it in your heart to sign on to that,” Pearce said.

Udall said he was not aware of the bill and criticized its timing. “Many bills he’s introduced are only in the Senate campaign, they don’t have anything to do with what he legislated in the previous five years. To me that really isn’t a bill to drop it in the middle of a Senate campaign. Show that your heart and soul is in it,” he told his rival.

Source: 2008 N.M. Senate Debate reported in Silver City Sun-News Oct 19, 2008

Steve Pearce: More domestic oil production & more nuclear power

Pearce supports more domestic oil production and developing more nuclear power facilities. However, he also said renewable energy should be part of a long-term energy plan. Pearce said he advocates drilling off the Florida coast and in Alaska, specifically, and said that officials at Sandia National Laboratories have told him the country is at least 30 years away from relying on solar and wind power.

Udall said he helped pass legislation in the House for a renewable electricity standard on public utilities of 20 percent by 2020, but it failed in the Senate by one vote. “One vote can make a difference,” he said.

Source: [Xref Udall] 2008 N.M. Senate debate Aug 22, 2008

Tom Udall: Supports renewable electricity standard for public utilities

Pearce supports more domestic oil production and developing more nuclear power facilities. However, he also said renewable energy should be part of a long-term energy plan. Pearce said he advocates drilling off the Florida coast and in Alaska, specifically, and said that officials at Sandia National Laboratories have told him the country is at least 30 years away from relying on solar and wind power.

Udall said he helped pass legislation in the House for a renewable electricity standard on public utilities of 20 percent by 2020, but it failed in the Senate by one vote. “One vote can make a difference,” he said.

Source: 2008 N.M. Senate debate report in N.M.Business Weekly Aug 22, 2008

  • The above quotations are from 2008 New Mexico Senate Debate between Tom Udall & Steve Pearce.
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Candidates and political leaders on Energy & Oil:

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IA:Harkin(D)
MI:Levin(D)
MT:Baucus(D)
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OK:Coburn(R)
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Resigned from 113th House:
AL-1:Jo Bonner(R)
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LA-5:Rod Alexander(R)
MA-5:Ed Markey(D)
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GA-1:Jack Kingston(R)
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LA-6:Bill Cassidy(R)
ME-2:Mike Michaud(D)
MI-14:Gary Peters(D)
MT-0:Steve Daines(R)
OK-5:James Lankford(R)
PA-13:Allyson Schwartz(D)
TX-36:Steve Stockman(R)
WV-2:Shelley Capito(R) 		Retired House as of Jan. 2015:
AL-6:Spencer Bachus(R)
AR-2:Tim Griffin(R)
CA-11:George Miller(D)
CA-25:Howard McKeon(R)
CA-33:Henry Waxman(D)
CA-45:John Campbell(R)
IA-3:Tom Latham(R)
MN-6:Michele Bachmann(R)
NC-6:Howard Coble(R)
NC-7:Mike McIntyre(D)
NJ-3:Jon Runyan(R)
NY-4:Carolyn McCarthy(D)
NY-21:Bill Owens(D)
PA-6:Jim Gerlach(R)
UT-4:Jim Matheson(D)
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