Melanie Kenderdine, secretary of New Mexico’s Department of Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Development, resigned Dec. 5, according to the capital bureau of the Albuquerque Journal. She reportedly resigned for personal reasons as Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham approaches her final year in office. Grisham said, “Melanie brought national energy expertise to New Mexico, and I’m grateful for her contributions.”
New acting secretary is Erin Taylor, the department’s deputy secretary.
Kenderdine was appointed in April 2024 to lead the department that regulates the state’s oil and natural gas industry. New Mexico is the nation’s second leading producer of crude oil (15 percent of the U.S. total), and last year it ranked third in production of natural gas (8 percent of the U.S. total).
Kenderdine previously held positions in the U.S. Department of Energy under presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama.