New Mexico Energy Chief Resigns, State Faces Transition in Leadership

Melanie Kenderdine announced her resignation as secretary of the New Mexico Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department, with the departure effective January 5, 2026. The governor s office confirmed the resignation on December 5, 2025. Kenderdine had led the department since May 2024 and informed staff that personal matters require significant attention and that she must step back from full time work to care for her husband. She also indicated that December 5 would be her last day in the office even though her resignation is dated for early January.

Kenderdine s tenure was noted by the governor as bringing strategic thinking to state energy policy. Her exit ends a leadership period that spanned roughly a year and a half and prompts a management transition at an agency responsible for statewide energy, mineral and natural resource programs that affect local economies and land use. The timing creates a window during which policy initiatives, rulemaking timelines and administrative priorities may be reviewed or paused as new leadership is selected and onboarded.

For San Juan County residents the change matters because state energy decisions influence local permitting, resource management and community engagement around public lands and energy infrastructure. County officials, industry stakeholders and community groups can expect heightened attention to selection of an interim leader and to the governor s nomination for a permanent successor. That nomination and any confirmation process will be a key opportunity for public oversight and for local officials to press for continuity on projects and protections important to the region.

Officials at the county and state level should publish timelines for administrative duties and public meetings to reduce uncertainty. Residents concerned about pending permits, enforcement actions or program continuity should contact their county commissioners and state legislators to request updates and to seek avenues for public comment. The departure signals an administrative shift at EMNRD, and locally elected leaders and voters will play a central role in ensuring the transition preserves regulatory oversight and public accountability.