New Mexico Renewable Energy Transmission Authority

Minutes

Meeting: March 28, 2008

Porter Hall, WendellChinoBuilding

Santa Fe, NM

The meeting was called to order by Chairman Busch at 1:10 PM.

All members were present except Member Blanchard. Executive Director Lisa Szot was also present.

Member Valdes moved to approve the agenda as presented. Member Prukopseconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously.

Member Rivera moved to approve the minutes of the last meeting with minor modifications. Member Valdes seconded the motion; it passed unanimously.

Chairman Busch led a discussion regarding the implementation of 2 committees: Transmission Corridor and Project Review. Both committees will fit the scope of the RETA Act and will comply with the Open Meetings Act by bringing all proposals to the Board for any action, though they may make recommendations. Each committee will have 3 Board members and may have adjunct members such as the Executive Director. The committees and the associated Board members will be established at the next meeting. Member Farquhar requested that the entire Board be noticed of any committee meetings.

Discussion was led by Chairman Busch regarding proxy voting at Board meetings. Members Michel and Busch and EMNRD General Counsel Carol Leach will propose a revised voting procedure amendment to be presented and voted on during the next meeting. The revision will include e.g. “will not use proxy voting for material commitment of RETA board” and “notice of proxy can be electronic”. Lisa, the first revision stated here is not in the proposal.

The Confidentiality Agreement was forwarded to Board members prior to this meeting. Member Michel walked the Board through his edits. Member Rivera moved and Member Farquhar seconded the motion that the Confidentiality Agreement be accepted, including edits given in writing and discussed at this meeting and the Agreement become the “standard confidentiality agreement” and it is expected the Executive Director will use this form in all cases except in situations of when non-material changes will be implemented. As a matter of policy, the Board determined that when the confidentiality agreement is signed by the Executive Director it is deemed to apply to Board Members, but any other employees, contractors, or agents of RETA will have to individually sign the confidentiality agreement in order to have access to the documents covered by it. The motion passed unanimously.

A draft Procurement Policy was distributed electronically to the Board members prior to the meeting. The Board will provide comments directly to only Director Szot by April 16, 2008. Director Szot will reference all comments from the Board and will provide a revised policy by the close of business, April 17. It is expected that this policy will be voted on during the next meeting April 23.

After discussion led by Director Szot regarding the MOU with New Mexico Finance Authority, Member McNiel moved and Member Valdes seconded that the MOU be accepted. The motion passed unanimously.

Director Szot provided the Board members a copy of the Renewable Area Map that used data from NREL and PNM. Director Szot has posted this map on the EMNRD/RETA web site and asked for comments from the public. Next steps include working with the NM State Land Office and other entities to update the map.

Director Szot provided the members with a listing of RETA’s goals and objectives through FY2008 and CY2008. These goals are posted on the web site.

In response to several articles in the Albuquerque Journal from Commissioner …… in Arizona about why Arizona needs to buy power from New Mexico rather than building and using its own, Director Szot provided the Board with a draft letter to the editor of that newspaper. By close of business March 29, 2008, the Board is to provide any comment to her; the letter will be forwarded to the editor Monday, March 31, 2008.

Director Szot introduced the idea of “in-state small project incentives” to the Board. The idea of using the RFP process to incentivize small developers (RFP from the utility to developers) was well-received by the Board. Director Szot was given the approval to locate appropriate counsel to help with this idea. Once that work has been done, Member Rivera’s recommendation of noticing the public for working sessions will be implemented.

There were comments from 4 members of the public.

At 2:55, Member Farquhar moved and Member Riveraseconded the motion that the meeting be adjourned.

Approved: ______Date: ______