Rural New Mexico counties have scored a significant victory in their fight against a massive federal land corridor proposal, winning unanimous support from the National Association of Counties (NACo) to oppose the National Interest Electric Transmission Corridors (NIETCs), proposed by the failed Joe Biden-Kamala Harris administration before leaving office.
Representatives from eight directly affected New Mexico counties worked together to bring their case to NACo’s annual meeting on July 14, 2025, securing national backing for their resolution to halt the NIETCs until the federal government coordinates with state, tribal, and county governments.
The corridors plan, first announced on May 8, 2024, calls for 10 federally designated routes — each 5 to 15 miles wide — to move electricity across the country. One of them, the Southwest Grid Connector, would cut through eight New Mexico counties, four Colorado counties, and part of the Oklahoma Panhandle, impacting more than 1.84 million acres in New Mexico alone.
While federal officials have described the corridors as necessary to expand electrical distribution, local leaders have raised alarms about the scale of land loss, potential harm to agriculture, and the erosion of local authority.
Concerns grew after the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) changed its rules in October 2024, giving itself authority to approve projects even after states deny them. By December, the Southwest Grid Connector advanced to Phase 3 in the Federal Register, alongside two other proposed corridors — the Tribal Energy Access Corridor and the Lake Erie–Canada Corridor — triggering a short public comment period.
Many residents only then realized the scope of the federal power, including the ability to take land without congressional approval. Questions about the use of eminent domain, funding for land acquisitions, and the exclusion of local decision-makers quickly followed.
In response, local ranchers and the New Mexico Cattle Growers Association partnered with county leaders to host six town hall meetings across the affected counties. Hundreds attended, and county commissioners pledged to take action.
Soon after, county boards passed formal resolutions opposing the NIETCs and sent them to state, local, and federal officials. They also began working together to pursue further actions and raise public awareness.
Those efforts culminated in March 2025, when New Mexico counties presented their resolution at NACo’s legislative conference in Washington, D.C. The proposal was adopted as an interim measure by the Environment, Energy, and Land Use Committee and co-sponsored by the Agriculture and Rural Affairs and Public Lands Committees, with support from counties across multiple western states.
At the Philadelphia meeting in July, the resolution passed the NACo General Assembly without opposition — a clear signal that rural concerns over the NIETCs have national resonance.
“This was about making sure our communities are heard,” said Chaves County Manager Bill Williams, one of the leaders in the effort. “Local governments must be part of the process before any action is taken on these corridors.”