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F I S C A L I M P A C T R E P O R T

SPONSOR Tripp

ORIGINAL DATE

LAST UPDATED

1-26-06

2-1-06 HB HJM23/aHFl#1

SHORT TITLE Implement Forest and Watershed Health Plan

SB

ANALYST Woods

APPROPRIATION (dollars in thousands)

Appropriation

Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY06

FY07

NFI

NFI

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

LFC Files

Responses Received From

Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department (EMNRD)

New Mexico Highlands University (NMHU)

SUMMARY

Synopsis of HFl#1 Amendment

House Floor Amendment 1 to House Joint Memorial 23 amends the legislation as follows:

1. On page 2, line 17, after "as" insert "the need for geo-political resources and mapping,".

2. On page 3, between lines 10 and 11, insert:

"WHEREAS, the bureau of geology and minerals resources at New Mexico institute

of mining and technology conducts an aquifer mapping program for the purposes of

providing the best available science for the use of water managers and local and

tribal governments for promoting community collaboration in support of landscape

scale restoration that can help to maximize watershed yield; and".

Synopsis of Original Memorial

House Joint Memorial 23 requests the Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department, the

Forest and Watershed Restoration Institute at New Mexico Highlands University, the New Mex-

ico Department of Agriculture, and the Soil and Water Conservation Commission to collaborate

House Joint Memorial 23/aHFl#1 – Page

2

in the implementation of the Forest and Watershed Health Plan and the Non-Native Phreato-

phyte/Watershed Management Plan.

Specifically the memorial notes that:

•

New Mexico is recognized as a national leader in watershed restoration and man-

agement, because it has adopted two cutting-edge statewide strategic plans, the for-

est and watershed health plan and the non-native phreatophyte/watershed manage-

ment plan, each of which was requested by the legislature and the governor; and

•

the creation of the plans was predicated on the current diminished state of New

Mexico's watersheds, and because existing and projected drought conditions in New

Mexico underscore the need to give an even higher priority to protecting and restor-

ing New Mexico's watersheds, water supply and water quality; and

•

recommendations from the forest and watershed health plan and the non-native

phreatophyte/watershed management plan call for the agencies to implement the

plans through a broadly inclusive collaborative process, recognizing that New Mex-

ico's continued national leadership in watershed restoration is dependent upon the

successful implementation of the plans through such a process; and

•

the heart of the plans is to address watershed restoration at a landscape scale by em-

powering local communities to engage in integrated projects to improve ecosystem

health in New Mexico’s forests and riparian areas by addressing issues such as wa-

ter supply, water quality, interstate compact and treaty water delivery obligations,

reducing the risk of catastrophic wildfire, protection of wildlife habitat, public ac-

cess to natural resource recreation areas, protection of drinking water supplies and

increasing the economic health and well-being of both rural and urban communities

through biomass-based and other emerging economic development opportunities;

and

•

in 2004, congress enacted Public Law 108-317, which authorized up to fifteen mil-

lion dollars ($15,000,000) per year to establish and fund forest and watershed resto-

ration institutes in three states; and

•

the forest and watershed restoration institute at New Mexico Highlands University

was created with state-supported matching funds for the purposes of providing the

best available science for use by land managers and promoting community collabo-

ration in support of landscape-scale restoration projects in coordination with New

Mexico's universities; and

•

the Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department, the New Mexico Depart-

ment of Agriculture and the Forest and Watershed Restoration Institute are commit-

ted to implementation and integration of the plans in ways that will promote a col-

laborative conservation ethic, accountability for the use of public funds, leveraging

of federal funds and the application of the best available science and technology to

inform projects; and

•

these agencies agree that New Mexico must fully engage the state's resources to ad-

dress these issues; and

House Joint Memorial 23/aHFl#1 – Page

3

•

restoring New Mexico's watersheds to a healthy state will require a long-term com-

mitment of time and resources, and this work reflects a new priority to fully coordi-

nate all related efforts in the state without regard to jurisdiction; and

•

the recommendations from the forest and watershed health plan, the non-native

phreatophyte plan and the forest and watershed restoration institute's work plan call

for increased and better coordination with state, federal, local and tribal programs to

leverage existing financial and other resources more effectively; to identify new re-

sources; and to facilitate public awareness of the risks unhealthy watersheds pose to

New Mexico's cultures and traditions, to the environment, to the state's economic

health and to the quality of life for New Mexico's residents; and

•

the Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department, the New Mexico Depart-

ment of Agriculture and the Forest and Watershed Restoration Institute have con-

vened an initial work group of representative stakeholders for the purpose of devel-

oping a set of recommendations to address the issues stated above.

The memorial resolves that in order to achieve success in the implementation of the forest and

watershed health plan and the non-native phreatophyte/watershed management plan, each

adopted in 2005, the Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department and the New Mexico

Department of Agriculture, in cooperation with the Soil and Water Conservation Commission, be

requested to continue to collaborate with the forest and watershed restoration institute and to

continue to engage the work group and additional stakeholders for the purpose of developing a

set of recommendations to address long-term funding and coordination among state, federal, lo-

cal, private, tribal entities and state resources; and

The memorial further resolves that that the agencies report their recommendations to the appro-

priate interim committee by July 1, 2006; and that copies of this memorial be transmitted to the

secretary of Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources, the director of the New Mexico Depart-

ment of Agriculture, the chair of the Soil and Water Conservation Commission and the director

of the Forest Watershed Restoration Institute at New Mexico Highlands University.

There is no appropriation attached to this legislation.

SIGNIFICANT ISSUES

The Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department (EMNRD) notes that this legislation

recognizes the importance of restoring and protecting New Mexico’s forests and watersheds. To

this end, EMNRD, along with the New Mexico Department of Agriculture (NMDA) and, in co-

operation with the Soil and Water Conservation Commission (SWCC), is directed to continue to

collaborate with the Forest Watershed Restoration Institute at New Mexico Highlands University

(FWRI) to develop a set of recommendations to address long term funding and coordination

among state, federal, local private and tribal entities to achieve success in the implantation of the

two plans. The responsible entities are directed to engage the work group, convened by EMNRD

and NMDA, and additional stakeholders in this process.

House Joint Memorial 23/aHFl#1 – Page

4

The New Mexico Forest and Water Institute indicates that it a new statewide environmental re-

search and education coalition with a mission to foster collaboration among government agen-

cies, academic and research institutions, land managers, and the interested public for the restora-

tion and sustainable use of New Mexico’s forest and water resources, and that this legislation

correlates with the goals in New Mexico Highlands University strategic plan and performance

measures.

BW/yr