New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham Signs $100 Million Recovery Bill for Fire and Flood Relief
New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham has signed House Bill 1 into law, allocating $100 million to support recovery efforts following the South Fork and Salt fires, as well as ongoing flooding. In a statement, Lujan Grisham expressed disappointment with the legislature’s lack of focus on public safety during the special session but expressed relief at securing crucial aid for affected communities.
The bill outlines how the state will allocate the funds:
- $10 million will be designated for the Mescalero Apache Tribal government to address damages and losses.
- $10 million will be allocated to the Energy, Minerals, and Natural Resources Department to address damages from fires, flooding, and debris flow, and to support mitigation efforts in the impacted areas.
- $10 million will be provided to the Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management to assist residents with Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) applications and insurance claims.
- $70 million will be used for zero-interest reimbursable loans to local governments to jump-start funding for approved public infrastructure projects that qualify for federal assistance.
Governor Lujan Grisham made some line-item vetoes when signing the bill. She removed the state Board of Finance from administering the $70 million loan program, instead assigning this role to the Local Government Division of the Department of Finance and Administration. According to a release, the Local Government Division has a proven track record in managing similar loan programs and is better equipped to handle this significant funding initiative.
