Rep. Rod Montoya has double standards

Farmington State Rep. Rod Montoya called for the resignation of Sarah Cottrell Propst, cabinet secretary for the New Mexico Energy, Minerals, and Natural Resources Department, over her links to renewable energy (“Energy secretary sold out NM ratepayers on ETA,” June 9).

That’s rich. Montoya worked in coal. Are we to assume Montoya’s legislation is free from the influence of any fossil fuel organizations? Do you think he’s never consulted one of the many fossil fuel donors to his campaigns?

Montoya doesn’t find fault with Rep. James Strickler legislating on energy, despite the fact that he works in oil and gas, or the fact that Ken McQueen, Susana Martinez’s secretary for Energy and Minerals, was an oil executive. He just thinks clean energy advocates should leave their professional relationships at the door.

Montoya’s double standards are the height of hypocrisy, manufactured solely as opposition to the Energy Transition Act. In addition to his unprofessional and reckless accusation, Montoya continues to parrot debunked statements about the cost of renewable energy.

The bottom line is that Montoya is vehemently opposed to working with the current administration to develop any energy planning for the state other than fossil fuels. He’ll grasp at all the straws he can to undermine the administration’s work to power New Mexico.

To paraphrase Montoya: If you think he cares about the impact this legislation will have on you and your family, think again.

MICHAEL ANDERSON SANTA FE