(The Center Square) – New Mexico recently provided Mora and San Miguel counties $46.9 million in zero-interest loans to assist in the Hermit’s Peak/Calf Canyon Fire recovery effort.
The funding mechanism comes from Senate Bill 6, which Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham signed into law earlier this year. It passed with bipartisan support.
“Getting this money out the door is a true testament to the power of collaboration between my administration, the Legislature, and local governments,” Lujan Grisham said in a press release issued by her office. “But this is by no means the end of our support for communities affected by the largest wildfire in state history. As I continue to urge the federal government to expedite the resources they owe northern New Mexicans, we will push forward together to make sure New Mexicans are taken care of in the meantime.”
The funding will be used on road and culvert restoration and resurfacing. The fires, followed by heavy rainfall, caused mass infrastructure damage.
The zero-interest loans assist the impacted communities while they await funding from the FEMA Public Assistance program. San Miguel and Mora counties were the first entities to request this funding.
State Senator Pete Campos, D-Las Vegas, said these loans are vital as communities await federal help.
“While our communities continue the daily struggle to recover and rebuild after the devastating Calf Canyon and Hermit’s Peak Fire, the aid from Senate Bill 6 is proving to be an essential funding source as we await federal reimbursement,” Campos said in the release. “We are resilient but also recognize that this is going to be a long and difficult journey. It is critical that we maintain hope and a positive momentum in the wake of this disaster and the myriad aftereffects still emerging on a daily basis. I applaud Gov. Lujan Grisham and her administration for the expedient work in helping to make our communities whole again.”
Other political subdivisions are working with the state to identify projects that could comply with this state assistance, plus help from the federal government.
Additionally, Lujan Grisham signed 21 executive orders Tuesday to provide more than $15 million in funding to support rebuilding efforts after the Hermit’s Peak/Calf Canyon fire.
The Department of Transportation will receive $7.5 million to tackle the fire’s economic and physical impacts, while the Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management will receive $8.06 million for wildfire disaster relief and reimbursement to other states that helped with the fire’s initial emergency response.
