HOUSE MEMORIAL 90

51st legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2013

INTRODUCED BY

Jeff Steinborn

A MEMORIAL

REQUESTING THE LEGISLATIVE FINANCE COMMITTEE TO CONDUCT A PERFORMANCE EVALUATION OF THE DEPARTMENT OF GAME AND FISH TO REVIEW THE DEPARTMENT'S COMPLIANCE WITH THE WILDLIFE CONSERVATION ACT AND OTHER STATE STATUTES RELATED TO WILDLIFE AND ECOSYSTEM MANAGEMENT AND PROTECTION; REQUESTING THE LEGISLATIVE FINANCE COMMITTEE TO PUBLISH A REPORT FOLLOWING THE PERFORMANCE EVALUATION; REQUESTING THE LEGISLATIVE FINANCE COMMITTEE TO ADOPT ADDITIONAL PERFORMANCE MEASURES FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF GAME AND FISH.

     WHEREAS, the stated mission of the department of game and fish is to "conserve, regulate, propagate and protect the wildlife and fish within the state of New Mexico"; and

     WHEREAS, the department of game and fish plays a critical statutory role in the management of wildlife in the state; and     WHEREAS, the Wildlife Conservation Act requires the department of game and fish to evaluate the existence and habitat needs of threatened and endangered species; and

     WHEREAS, New Mexico law provides that wildlife indigenous to the state that may be found to be threatened or endangered should be managed in order to maintain and, to the extent possible, enhance their numbers within the carrying capacity of the habitat; and

     WHEREAS, New Mexico law requires development, to the extent practicable, of a recovery plan for any species listed as threatened or endangered; and

     WHEREAS, New Mexico law requires the department of game and fish to seek available sources of funding to be used to facilitate recovery programs for threatened species; and

     WHEREAS, the department of game and fish has altered its implementation of the directives of the Wildlife Conservation Act, including the directive to develop and implement recovery plans for listed species and the directive to actively seek funding to support conservation and recovery of threatened and endangered species;

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the legislative finance committee be requested to conduct an expeditious performance evaluation of the department of game and fish, including evaluation of the department's resources and policies and its compliance with the Wildlife Conservation Act and other applicable state laws related to wildlife and ecosystem management and protection; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the findings of the legislative finance committee's performance evaluation of the department of game and fish be presented in a report to the department of game and fish and to appropriate legislative interim committees and be made available to the general public via publication of the report on the web site of the department of game and fish; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the legislative finance committee be requested to adopt additional performance measures to be used to evaluate the department of game and fish; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the additional performance measures include:

          A. the number of hours department staff members devoted to working specifically on threatened and endangered species during the current and previous five calendar years;

          B. a list of species recovery plans currently in development by the department;

          C. the progress of the department's implementation of programs initiated by the department that relate to wildlife and ecosystem management and protection;

          D. the habitat restoration efforts undertaken by the department to specifically benefit threatened and endangered species;

          E. identification of current funding used by the department to support recovery and management of threatened and endangered species;

          F. the activities currently being undertaken by the department to identify species that might warrant protection;

          G. the efforts currently being undertaken by the department to help achieve sufficient populations and habitats so species will not be listed as endangered pursuant to state or federal laws;

          H. the funding and grants that the department has sought and is currently seeking to work on restoration and recovery programs related to the Wildlife Conservation Act and other applicable New Mexico statutes related to wildlife and ecosystem management;

          I. the department's participation in multi-agency conservation efforts; and

          J. the status of the department's biennial review, required by the Wildlife Conservation Act, of the state's list of threatened and endangered species; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be transmitted to the director of the department of game and fish, the legislative finance committee and the state game commission.

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