Pat Lyons

SANTA FE – Patrick Lyons, who made history by being the only Republican elected Commissioner of Public Lands for two consecutive terms, today announced his candidacy for the New Mexico Public Regulation Commission (PRC) District 2.
 
The PRC regulates utilities, telecommunications, transportation, railroad safety, natural gas and hazardous liquid pipelines, insurance industries, and oversees business and industry compliance, organization and registration.
 
District 2 encompasses all or part of 14 counties, including:   Quay, Curry, Roosevelt, Lea, Eddy, Chaves, De Baca, Guadalupe, Santa Fe, Bernalillo, Torrance, Lincoln, Otero, and Dona Ana counties.
 
“Infrastructure is vital for society and the economy to function, and should be governed to protect the interests of the public.  At the same time, we must sustain a healthy business climate,” Lyons said.  “It can be delicate balance but I have always taken a proactive role in fostering business and industry and my sound business approach has made companies feel comfortable investing in New Mexico.”
 
Right now, Lyons oversees operations at the New Mexico State Land Office which manages nine million acres of surface estate and 13 million acres of mineral rights held in trust, primarily for public education.  Revenues earned from oil, gas and mineral production, renewable power, agricultural leasing, and community and business development on trust lands support public schools, seven universities, the New Mexico Military Institute, the New Mexico School for the Blind and Visually Impaired, the New Mexico School for the Deaf, three hospitals, correctional facilities, and a number of other programs and institutions. 
 
Under Lyons’ leadership, the trust beneficiaries have received $3 billion, with public schools earning the majority, or $2.5 billion. 
 
Lyons is the first land commissioner to drive an agenda to advance utility-scale renewable energy development in New Mexico and has leased or optioned 144,000 acres of trust lands for wind energy development.  The state is now second in the nation for the number of wind turbines on trust lands.  Another 23,000 acres of trust lands have been identified as potential sites for solar power plants which could potentially generate 1,525 megawatts of energy to power more than half a million homes. 
 
The commissioner also recognizes that one of the biggest constraints on renewable energy development is the capacity of the transmission grid to deliver power to customers.
Renewable energy production has jumped dramatically over the past few years, putting heavy demands on the transmission systems that deliver electricity from remote areas to urban areas. 
 
Last year, he negotiated an agreement to allow a long distance transmission line to cross trust lands and deliver electricity to customers in New Mexico and Arizona beginning in 2013.
 
Responsible and well-planned growth is vital and when trust lands lie in the path of development Commissioner Lyons partners with local governments to facilitate the zoning, planning, development, and infrastructure of dynamic and competitive communities.
 
For example, in Rio Rancho, Lyons leased, sold, or exchanged 3,500 acres of trust lands, now the site of the Santa Ana Star Center, Rio Rancho City Hall, Hewlett Packard, the University of New Mexico Campus, the Central New Mexico College Campus, and Cleveland High School.
 
South of the Albuquerque International Sunport lies 8,000 acres of trust lands that were sold or leased to developer Forest City Covington.  Mesa del Sol, hailed as Albuquerque’s next premier community, is now the site of Albuquerque Studios, Advent Solar, the National Nuclear Security Administration, Schott Solar, Fidelity Investments and Lumidigm.
 
Lyons has operated the Land Office on a flat budget every year of his tenure.  Further, he has reverted over $5.776 million in budgeted monies and will continue to closely monitor the agency’s budget for non-essential operations and miscellaneous expenses.
 
“I am committed to providing the utmost level of fiscal responsibility and efficiency and am proud of the fact that we continue to make significant strides in our operations without any increase in our budget,” Lyons said.
 
Lyons is a third-generation New Mexican from Cuervo, where he owns and operates the Lyons Ranch.  Lyons is a 1972 graduate from Clovis High School.  He attended New Mexico State University where he earned a bachelor’s degree in agricultural economics and then went on to receive a master’s in the same field from Colorado State University.
 
Prior to being elected Commissioner of Public Lands in 2002 and again in 2006, Lyons served in the New Mexico State Senate from 1992 through 2002 and represented six counties in the northeastern quarter of the state.
 
Lyons is president of the Western States Land Commissioners Association, which consists of 23 states that together manage 447 million acres of surface estate, mineral properties, and land beneath navigable waterways, all held in trust for public education.  As Commissioner of Public Lands he serves on a number of boards and commissions, including:   New Mexico State Investment Council, Youth Conservation Corps, Capital Building Planning Commission, Coal Surface Mining Commission, Mining Commission, Oil Conservation Commission, Office of Interstate Natural Gas Markets, Natural Lands Protection Act Committee, and Rangeland Protection Advisory Committee.
 
Commissioner Lyons and Sandy Lyons, his wife of 24 years, live in Melrose.  Sandy teaches in the nearby House school district.  They have three children: Amy, Kimberly and Daniel.