SB 213 BLACK FIRE RECOVERY REPORTING

Sen Crystal Diamond Brantley

Actions: [2] SCC/SCONC/SFC-SCC [4]germane-SCONC [6] DP-SFC

Scheduled: Not Scheduled

 Senate Bill 213 (SB 213) appropriates one million dollars ($1,000,000) to the Department of Finance and Administration for Black Fire recovery efforts and requires reports.
 

 Senate Bill 213 (SB 213) requires the Local Government Division (LGD) of the Department of Finance and Administration (DFA) to work with local entities and federal agencies to provide a report to the governor and the Legislative Finance Committee (LFC) regarding the state efforts for recovery and damages due to the Black Fire on or before 1 November 2024 and each 1 November until no more recovery efforts are needed.
SB 213 appropriates one million dollars ($1,000,000) from the General Fund (GF) to the Department of Finance and Administration (DFA) for expenditure in Fiscal Years (FY) 2025 through FY 2027 for Black Fire recovery efforts, provided that fifty thousand dollars ($50,000) of which may be used for staff and administrative costs.
Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of FY 2027 reverts to the GF. 

 The Black Fire, which began on 13 May 2022, was the second-largest fire in New Mexico history that burned in the northern Black Range in Sierra County, Catron County, and Grant County, northeast of Silver City. The fire was human-caused with the origin of the fire centered on Me-Own Air Strip near Middle Mesa in the Gila National Forest. The fire has burned over forty-one miles of the Continental Divide Trail, as well as seven and a half miles of the scenic spur trail to Reeds Peak. The Forest Service took protective measures to prevent damage to historical cabins in the historic mining town of Winston, NM.
In 2023, the appropriation request was three million dollars.