Ray Powell for Land Commissioner 2006

Powell Will Use Common Sense to Find Common Ground in Bid For State Land Office

Commits to Restore Communities' Voices in Land Use Decisions

Albuquerque Journal, November 16, 2005

Former New Mexico State Land Commissioner Ray Powell today announced he will run for State Land Commissioner in 2006. If elected, it will be his third term in the office.

The Commissioner of Public Lands administers the state's land grant trust (nine million acres of surface and 13 million acres of subsurface rights) for the beneficiaries of the trust. Beneficiaries include public schools and universities, as well as special schools and hospitals for New Mexico's children.

Ray Powell was first appointed New Mexico State Land Commissioner in May 1993 by then-Governor Bruce King. In 1994, he was elected to a four-year term and re-elected to a second four-year term in 1998, receiving nearly 80 percent of the vote statewide. Term limits ruled out a third consecutive term.

"I decided to run again because the current administration at the land office is not providing the leadership or vision to optimize and position the trust for the future." Powell said. "It is critical to use this time, when non-renewable resources are abundant, to reposition the Trust for a bright future that is not wholly dependent on these types of non-renewable resources. Business as usual is totally unacceptable."

"The community partnership program that I developed to work pro-actively with communities to find long term win-win situations has been replaced with a non-consultative attitude and style of management." Powell said. "Conflicts with local communities, such as the one created by allowing a gravel mine to operate within the town of Velarde, demonstrates a complete lack of understanding of how the Trust can help communities succeed while greatly enhancing the value of adjoining trust lands." Powell stated."

"I'm proud of my team's accomplishments during the 10 years I was in office. And I'd love the opportunity to accomplish even more for the betterment of New Mexico's schools, communities and our trust land," Powell said.

"I will use common sense to find the common ground that will move us forward together."

"When I was Land Commissioner, I saw to it that our communities, tribal neighbors, private land owners, and sister state and federal agencies had a say in what was happening with trust lands located in their backyards," Powell said. "I intend to bring New Mexico's communities and other partners back into the planning process for our state lands. Together we can find win-win solutions that enhance our revenues for education, create new and exciting opportunities for our local communities, and protect and enhance the health of our lands for future generations. By working together we can create new high-tech jobs that pay well and that position New Mexico as a leader in our global economy."

"New Mexico has been blessed with enormous non-renewable natural resources and we must use these wisely. In addition, we have more renewable energy resources and intellectual capital than almost anyplace else on the globe." Powell said. "We must work now to invent the State Land Office of the future that will provide the necessary financial resources for our school children for centuries to come." Powell stated that some of the important ways that we can create the land office of the future are to -

Partner with the private sector, the national laboratories, universities, and governmental agencies to generate new technologies to provide good new jobs for New Mexicans on trust lands;

Re-establish the community partnership programs that Powell originated to optimize the creative vision of individual communities;

Re-vitalize the science and educational programs that Powell had instituted to ensure that New Mexico's children are competitive in the global economy;

Accelerate the initiatives that Powell established to provide renewable energy production on state lands to provide energy for use by our local communities and to export green energy to generate revenues:

Strengthen our ability to manage our New Mexico lands to ensure that they remain healthy and productive for future generations;

Restore areas that have been abused;

Re-build the constructive relationships with our New Mexico sportsmen;

Enhance the monitoring and management of on-going extractive uses of natural resources on trust lands;

Stop additional extractive efforts in places like Otero Mesa and Valle Vidal where conservation, recreation, and water resources represent more significant economic value to the Trust than the short-term income stream derived from mining the area;

"In addition, I will reinstitute the advisory boards that I created during my previous terms. I will again bring together the brightest and most informed citizens from around our state to advise me on policy issues related to agriculture, economic development and business practices, environmental restoration, hunting and fishing, archeological and cultural matters, oil and gas production and mining activities."

During his tenure as Land Commissioner, Powell and his team received numerous accolades and awards from business, agriculture, academic, community, and environmental groups. Powell's Biographical statement and a list of accomplishments can be accessed via his website www.raypowell4land.com.

Powell is a native of Albuquerque and attended Albuquerque Public Schools. He received his Bachelor's degree in Anthropology and Biology, and a Master's degree in Botany and Plant Ecology from the University of New Mexico, in Albuquerque. Powell is a veterinarian. He received his Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine from Tufts University, with emphasis in wildlife rehabilitation, in 1985.

Prior to his appointment as Commissioner of Public Lands, he served as a Special Assistant to Governor Bruce King, with responsibility for environment, natural resources, health, and recreation.

Powell is married to Dr. Jean Civikly-Powell, professor emeritus in Communication and Journalism at the University of New Mexico (UNM). Dr. Civikly-Powell is the Director of the UNM Faculty Dispute Resolution program. She is also a mediator in a private collaborative practice, and a volunteer mediator at Metropolitan Court.