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Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department

The New Mexico Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department was created in 1987 through a merger between the Natural Resources Department and the Energy and Minerals Department. The individual administrative pieces of the department have been around much longer than that, though.

The State Parks Commission was established in 1933, followed by the Oil Conservation Commission in 1935, and the Soil and Water Conservation Commission in 1937. The latter group was transferred in 1997 to the Department of Agriculture.

The Department of State Forestry was created in 1957. The Coal Surface Commission was formed in 1972.

Both the original Energy and Minerals Department and the Natural Resources Department came into being in 1977 and existed as separate agencies until the 1987 merger.

The New Mexico Youth Conservation Corps was established and administratively attached to EMNRD in 1992. The following year marked the creation of the Mining Commission.

The present-day Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department consists of seven divisions and employs approximately 415 people at 48 different work sites around the state.

Our Department goals are:

  1. to make our state a leader in developing reliable supplies of energy, and energy efficient technologies and practices, with a balanced approach toward conserving our renewable and non-renewable resources;
  2. to protect the environment and ensure responsible reclamation of land and resources affected by mineral extraction;
  3. to be effective in leading our state in growing healthy, sustainable forests, and managing them for a variety of users and ecologically sound uses; and
  4. to improve the state park system into a nationwide leader that protects New Mexico’s natural, cultural, and recreational resources for posterity and contributes to a sustainable economy statewide.

Vision

A New Mexico where individuals, agencies and organizations work collaboratively on energy and natural resource management to ensure a sustainable environmental and economic future.

Mission

To position New Mexico as a national leader in the energy and natural resources areas for which the Department is responsible.