New Mexico Governor Signs Natural Heritage Conservation Act

New Mexico Governor Signs Natural Heritage Conservation Act
Governor Bill Richardson today signed the Natural Heritage Conservation Act, a bill to protect land, water, wildlife, and working farms and ranches across New Mexico.

The Natural Heritage Conservation Act will provide a permanent mechanism for funding conservation projects across New Mexico. The legislature was able to secure nearly $5 million for restoration projects and conservation easements, so they will be able to start funding the important initiatives right away.
The Natural Heritage Conservation Act establishes a fund that can attract federal funding, private donations, and other sources of revenue to fund projects that will restore and protect:

Water quality and quantity;

Working farms, ranches, and other agricultural lands;

Forests and watersheds;

Wildlife habitat and natural areas;

Outdoor recreation opportunities, including hunting and fishing; and

Cultural and historic sites with natural resource heritage value.
Restoration projects and conservation and agricultural easements are eligible for funding under the Act.

The fund will help leverage other sources of conservation funding, such as money from State Wildlife Grants, federal assistance in Fish & Wildlife Restoration, the Farm Bill, Clean Water Act, Farm & Ranchland Protection, Forest Legacy as well as local conservation funding from
New Mexico’s cities and counties. Each year, New Mexico misses out on approximately $20 million in federal funds for land and water conservation projects, including grants to protect working farms and ranches. These projects are critical to protecting New Mexico’s natural and cultural heritage. By creating a fund dedicated to conservation efforts, New Mexico is capitalizing on a major opportunity to draw resources to the state.

This fund will also help protect our state’s wildlife habitat. New Mexico’s fish, wildlife, and habitats support nearly $1 billion of economic activity in hunting, fishing and recreation – providing over 15,000 jobs statewide.

The Natural Lands Protection Committee, which was established in prior legislation, will work with the Energy, Minerals & Natural Resources Department to solicit and evaluate project applications.

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