SANTA FE, N.M. – New Mexico Land Commissioner Stephanie Garcia Richard has signed an agreement with AFE Cedarvale Wind, LLC (a subsidiary of MMR Group/Southwestern Power Group) to develop a 10,160-acre wind farm on state lands in Torrance County following a public auction at the State Land Office, paying $340,000 for the right to the lease. The wind farm is expected to be the second-largest on state lands in terms of energy output, eventually generating around 212 megawatts of clean electricity when operating at full capacity – enough electricity to serve over 60,000 homes. The project will generate $98.9 million in revenue for New Mexico’s public schools over the lifetime of the agreement.
“We keep powering ahead with deals that are making New Mexico a leader in renewable energy development,” said Commissioner Garcia Richard. “Before I came into office, there wasn’t a comprehensive, strategic approach to developing renewable energy on state lands. That has all changed under my watch, and renewable energy companies now know the State Land Office is the place to do business. Projects like this one are job creators in our rural communities and create long-lasting revenue streams for our public schools and other institutions.”
Commissioner Garcia Richard created the first-ever Office of Renewable Energy at the State Land Office with the goal of tripling renewable energy leasing and production on state trust lands. The agency has far exceeded initial expectations, as renewable energy on state lands has increased more than eight-fold since 2019.
When Commissioner Garcia Richard assumed office, there were about 400 megawatts of renewable energy under lease on state lands. After signing the most recent agreement, there are now approximately 3,271 megawatts of wind and solar energy under lease on state lands throughout New Mexico. In addition, there are now 56 renewable energy leases at the State Land Office, up from 12 when Commissioner Garcia Richard took office in 2019.
Click here to view maps of solar and wind projects on state lands.
Commissioner of Public Lands Stephanie Garcia Richard has overseen the New Mexico State Land Office since 2019. In that time the agency has earned around $14 billion for New Mexico public schools, hospitals, and universities. Over 13 million acres of state trust land are leased for a variety of uses, including ranching and farming, renewable energy, business development, mineral development, and outdoor recreation. The State Land Office has a dual mandate to use state trust land to financially support vital public institutions, while simultaneously working to protect the land for future generations.