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

SPONSOR Garcia, M.J.

ORIGINAL DATE

LAST UPDATED

01/28/08

HB

SHORT TITLE NMSU Adobe Preservation Field Schools

SB 280

ANALYST Escudero

APPROPRIATION (dollars in thousands)

Appropriation

Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY08

FY09

$200.0

Recurring

General Fund

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

LFC Files

Responses Received From

Department of Cultural Affairs (DCA)

SUMMARY

Synopsis of Bill

Senate Bill 280 appropriates $200.0 from the general fund to New Mexico State University

during FY09 to establish an adobe preservation field school in the Village of Doña Ana, Doña

Ana County and at the university’s agricultural field office in Alcalde, Rio Arriba County.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

The appropriation of $200.0 contained in this bill is a recurring expense to the general fund. Any

unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of 2009 shall revert to the general

fund.

SIGNIFICANT ISSUES

According to DCA, the intent of this legislation is to develop a field school to teach traditional

building skills in the making and repairing of adobe, and maintenance of adobe over time. Adobe

buildings have stood the test of time in New Mexico, providing durable, affordable structures

when well-built and maintained. This program can serve a broad constituency interested in the

economics and craft of building with adobe.

Senate Bill 280 – Page

2

The bill does not state what colleges or university program would initiate this new field school

program. The university’s agricultural field office in the community of Alcalde is under the

College of Agriculture and Home Economics. The center (Sustainable Agriculture Science

Center at Alcalde) is dedicated to research on sustainable agriculture and related issues to

benefit small family farms and ranches of north-central New Mexico. Other potential

collaborating entities in addition to New Mexico State University are a variety of not-profits,

educational organizations, state and federal agencies.

The Doña Ana Village Historic District is listed on the State Register of Cultural Properties and

the National Register of Historic Places. The National Register nomination is on file at the

department’s Historic Preservation Division. Because preservation statutes might apply to

projects designed for public or private land, the need to consult with the Historic Preservation

Division should be incorporated into the proposed adobe field school program.

Field School planners will need to consult with DCA’s Historic Preservation Division to

determine whether planned activities on state or private land must comply with existing statutes,

including NM Cultural Properties Act, 18-6-1 through 17 NMSA 1978, the NM Cultural

Properties Protection Act, 18-6A-1 through 6 NMSA 1978, and the NM Prehistoric and Historic

Sites Preservation Act, 18-8-1 through 8 NMSA 1978. For any activities on federal land or if

federal funds or permits are required for the work of the field school, project planners will

consult with the Historic Preservation Division under 36 CFR 800.

PME/mt