New Mexico students protest federal permitting reform
Protesters concerned about accelerating data center construction and attacks on tribal sovereignty
Youth protesters hit the streets to stand against a federal reform bill that could dramatically impact how the federal government approves permits for development projects on public lands.
According to Source New Mexico, students from the New Mexico School for the Arts in Santa Fe and the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque walked out of class to protest the Bipartisan American Affordability and Jobs Act of 2026, co-sponsored by Sens. Mike Lee (R-UT) and Martin Heinrich (D-NM).
Opponents of the bill include tribal leaders from across the United States who see reform to tribal consultation in the measure as anti-sovereignty and potentially “termintation-like.”
Heinrich’s office told Source New Mexico that the bill would have accountability measures for data centers.
“The legislation also defends against the Trump administration’s efforts to make all Tribal consultation discretionary and eliminate consultation altogether on cultural landscapes,” Heinrich spokesperson Luis Soriano was quoted as saying.
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