Written Testimony for New Mexico’s Clean Transportation Fuel Standard Due September 2

Last year, New Mexico became the 4th state to legislate the creation of a state mandated low carbon fuels program when Gov. Michelle Grisham signed House Bill 41.  Written testimony for response to the state’s Clean Transportation Fuels Program (CTFP) draft rule released on December 19, 2024, must be submitted to the New Mexico Environment Department portal by September 2, 2025.  Oral hearings begin on September 22. The statute requires the program to begin no later than July 1, 2026. 

The NM CTFP aims to decrease transportation fuels’ carbon intensity (CI) by 20% by 2030 and 30% by 2040, versus a 2018 baseline. Like California’s Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) program, the CTFP creates a marketplace where deficits, created by selling fuel into the state where the CI is above the annual benchmark, are offset by deficits created by selling fuels into the state that are below the benchmark.  The benchmark CI will gradually be lowered each year to meet the program’s objectives. Deficit generators will be required to purchase credits to offset deficits quarterly to avoid penalties.

Like other state low carbon fuels programs, the New Mexico Environment Department (NMED) has created the NM-GREET model by adjusting Argonne National Labs’ 2023 GREET model to fit the states’ specific parameters. The model will be used to calculate CIs for regulated transportation fuels imported into or produced in New Mexico.

At TRICORD, we have been closely monitoring the progression of the NMED CTFP and have been keeping up with the latest news.  We have experience navigating US state low carbon fuels programs, calculating facility CI values using the GREET model, and have helped many low carbon fuels producers to navigate this ever-changing landscape. 

If you need support understanding the NMED CTFP rules and opportunities, please reach out to our renewable fuels team leader Hannah Losey, P.E. at Hannah.Losey@tricordconsulting.com.