As many of you know, the Permian Basin’s natural resources are the foundation of our local economy, specifically the oil and gas industry.
I have been blessed to come into office during a time when our local economy is in a “boom” period. Currently, New Mexico is the second-largest domestic oil producer in the United States. My goal is to provide continuous support to the industry that has provided endless growth for our community. That being said, my focus will also be on addressing any needs in the area.
Being the backbone of the Permian Basin, the energy industry affects our communities as a whole in many positive ways. This industry has continuously provided record-breaking revenue to fund our schools, nonprofits, and other public services across the state, not to mention the thousands of jobs this industry provides, drawing employees and subsequently their families from all over the country. This has caused an increase in traffic and housing concerns. I have been meeting with regional industry leaders to address these concerns and other needs. If we continue to work together accordingly, we can continue to steer the Permian Basin in a productive direction while maintaining a safe environment for the people in our communities. Oil and gas continue to be vital to our community and our nation. I am proud to be serving a community that continues to progress, and I hope to further the future of this area.
Part of that future is understanding that the energy industry is more than just oil and gas; it also incorporates renewable energy. That is a bigger picture, one that I look forward to diving into during my time as Mayor. Consequently, I will be working closely with the Department of Energy to diversify our energy needs through their project, “Clean up to clean energy.” This is a project focused on utilizing renewable energy, energy derived from natural resources. Whether we use nuclear, wind, or solar, this type of energy production will have little to no carbon footprint.
Through this process, it has been important for the communities to be well-informed about this industry. This is why former Mayor, Dale Janway, began the annual energy summit back in 2013. Due to the initial increase in the oil and gas industry presence, residents began to voice their questions. This event provided insight directly from industry leaders into what they should expect. I am excited to host my first energy summit this year and look forward to hearing information from some of the industry’s biggest leaders, as well as continuing to provide members of the community and key industry leaders the opportunity to come together and discuss the current state of the industry and their future expectations. We hope you will be able to join us this year for the 2024 Carlsbad Mayor’s Energy Summit on the 17th of October.
Rick Lopez,
Mayor
City of Carlsbad
Letter originally published in Focus Regional 2024 Oil & Gas edition.
Rick Lopez
Mayor Rick Lopez is dedicated to service and leadership and is personally committed to the betterment of the city. Lopez graduated from Carlsbad High School and attended the College of the Southwest, where he majored in management and minored in accounting. He currently works as a firefighter at WIPP and has previously served as Chief of the Carlsbad Fire Department for ten years. Drawing from this experience, he is going to continue to steer Carlsbad with a vision for growth and prosperity.
