House Joint Memorial 4 requests the New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology to conduct a study on the benefits and costs associated with direct air capture technology. This initiative aims to explore the potential for carbon dioxide removal from the atmosphere as a crucial step towards achieving net-zero and eventually net-negative greenhouse gas emissions. The memorial highlights the urgency of addressing climate change and the economic opportunities that could arise from developing this technology in New Mexico, which is noted for its favorable conditions for direct air capture operations.

The memorial further instructs the Institute to provide recommendations for necessary statutory and rule changes to support the growth of the direct air capture industry in the state. It emphasizes the potential for job creation in various sectors, increased tax revenue, and investment in emerging technologies. The findings and recommendations from this study are to be reported to the appropriate interim committee focused on natural resources, and a copy of the memorial will be sent to the president of the Institute.