The 2001 Legislature enacted the Water Project Finance Act which created the Water Project Fund in the New Mexico Finance Authority (NMFA) and charged the NMFA with administration of the Fund and the Water Trust Board (WTB).
The WTB is a diverse 16 member board that recommends to the Legislature projects to be funded through the Water Project Fund. Per New Mexico Statute Annotated (N.M.S.A.) 72-4A-5, Board; duties, the WTB responsibilities are:
“A. Adopt rules governing terms and conditions of grants or loans recommended by the board for appropriation by the legislature from the water project fund, giving priority to projects that have been identified as being urgent to meet the needs of a regional water planning area that has a completed regional water plan that has been accepted by the interstate stream commission; that have matching contributions from federal or local funding sources available; and that have obtained all requisite state and federal permits and authorizations necessary to initiate the project.”
Soil and Water Conservation Districts: Please consider applying for a Water Trust Board Grant if your district is interested in doing Watershed Restoration, Endangered Species Habitat Restoration or Flood Protection Dam Rehab. The districts have been ranking very high with their proposals, and several million dollars have been funded through districts in the last few years. Brent Van Dyke and Debbie Hughes now serve on the Water Trust Board. Contact them to help your district.