SANTA FE – Today, Senate Bill 334, sponsored by Senator Crystal Diamond (R-Elephant Butte) and Senator Siah Correa Hemphill (D-Silver City), cleared the Senate Conservation Committee with unanimous bipartisan support. The bill appropriates $3 million in funding to support recovery efforts resulting from the 2022 Black Fire.
“The Black Fire will have generational impacts on our families in southwest New Mexico,” said Senator Diamond. “My communities desperately need relief to rebuild from this historic fire and this funding will help ensure that our residents, farmers, ranchers, and producers are not left out to dry.”
“This bill will fast-track $3 million in emergency funds to Sierra, Hidalgo, and Grant counties,” added Senator Correa Hemphill. “With over 1,000 farms and 3 million acres of agricultural land, members of these communities play a crucial role in the New Mexico economy, and it is vital that we do all we can to get these communities back on their feet.”
The Black Fire was the second largest fire in modern New Mexico history, having burned more than 325,000 acres. The fire destroyed two structures and threatened an additional 51 structures nearby.
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