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F I S C A L I M P A C T R E P O R T
SPONSOR Carlos R. Cisneros
ORIGINAL DATE
LAST UPDATED
2-10-06
2-14-06 HB
SHORT TITLE Implement Forest and Watershed Health Plan
SJM 37/aSRC
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 SRC Amendment
Senate Rules Committee amendment to SJM37 amends the legislation as follows:
1. On page 2, line 17, after "as" insert "the need for geospatial resources and mapping,".
2. On page 3, between lines 3 and 4, insert the following:
“WHEREAS, the office of the state engineer is statutorily charged with responsibili-
ties regarding interstate compacts and treaty water delivery obligations and the de-
partment of environment has statutory authority with regard to surface water, ground
water and drinking water regulation enforcement; and".
3. 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
pg_0002
Senate Joint Memorial 37/aSRC – Page
2
scale restoration that can help to maximize watershed yield; and".
4. On page 5, line 10, after the comma insert "the state engineer, the secretary of environ-
ment,".,
Senate Rules Committee amendment to SJM37 attaches no appropriation to the legislation.
Synopsis of Original Senate Joint Memorial 37
Senate Joint Memorial 37 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
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
pg_0003
Senate Joint Memorial 37/aSRC – Page
3
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
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.
pg_0004
Senate Joint Memorial 37/aSRC – Page
4
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.
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/mt:yr