New Mexico 2025 Regular Session

New Mexico House Bill HB427 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

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28	28	HOUSE BILL 427
29	29	57
30	30	TH LEGISLATURE
31	31	-
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33	33	STATE
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35	35	OF
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37	37	NEW
38	38
39	39	MEXICO
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41	41	-
42	42	FIRST SESSION
43	43	,
44	44
45	45	2025
46	46	INTRODUCED BY
47	47	Micaela Lara Cadena
48	48	AN ACT
49	49	RELATING TO WATER; AMENDING THE WATER PROJECT FINANCE ACT TO
50	50	PROMOTE THE USE OF REAL-TIME MONITORING DATA TO TRACK AND
51	51	MONITOR THE QUALITY OF NEW MEXICO'S DRINKING WATER.
52	52	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:
53	53	SECTION 1. Section 72-4A-5 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 2001,
54	54	Chapter 164, Section 5, as amended) is amended to read:
55	55	"72-4A-5. BOARD--DUTIES.--The board shall:
56	56	A. adopt rules governing terms and conditions of
57	57	grants or loans recommended by the board for appropriation by
58	58	the legislature from the water project fund, giving priority to
59	59	projects that have been identified by the board as being urgent
60	60	to address public health and safety issues; that have matching
61	61	contributions from federal or local funding sources available;
62	62	and that have obtained all requisite state and federal permits
63	63	.230460.3 underscored material = new
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90	90	and authorizations necessary to initiate the project;
91	91	B. authorize qualifying water projects to the
92	92	authority that are for:
93	93	(1) storage, conveyance or delivery of water
94	94	to end users;
95	95	(2) implementation of federal Endangered
96	96	Species Act of 1973 collaborative programs;
97	97	(3) wastewater conveyance and treatment;
98	98	(4) restoration and management of watersheds;
99	99	(5) flood prevention; [or ]
100	100	(6) water conservation or recycling, treatment
101	101	or reuse of water as provided by law; or
102	102	(7) the monitoring and protection of water
103	103	quality; and
104	104	C. evaluate projects, including their environmental
105	105	impacts, and recommend projects to the interstate stream
106	106	commission pursuant to the provisions of Section 72-14-45 NMSA
107	107	1978."
108	108	SECTION 2. Section 72-4A-6 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 2001,
109	109	Chapter 164, Section 6, as amended) is amended to read:
110	110	"72-4A-6. AUTHORITY--DUTIES.--The authority shall:
111	111	A. provide staff support for the board;
112	112	B. develop application procedures and forms for
113	113	qualifying entities to apply for grants and loans from the
114	114	water project fund; and
115	115	.230460.3
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143	143	C. make loans or grants to qualifying entities for
144	144	qualifying water projects authorized by the legislature and for
145	145	real-time water quality monitoring projects as provided in
146	146	Section 72-4A-7 NMSA 1978 ; provided that the service area for
147	147	the project is wholly within the boundaries of the state or the
148	148	project is an interstate project that directly benefits New
149	149	Mexico."
150	150	SECTION 3. Section 72-4A-7 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 2001,
151	151	Chapter 164, Section 7, as amended) is amended to read:
152	152	"72-4A-7. CONDITIONS FOR GRANTS AND LOANS.--
153	153	A. Grants and loans shall be made only to
154	154	qualifying entities that:
155	155	(1) agree to operate and maintain a water
156	156	project so that it will function properly over the structural
157	157	and material design life;
158	158	(2) require the contractor of a construction
159	159	project to post a performance and payment bond in accordance
160	160	with the requirements of Section 13-4-18 NMSA 1978;
161	161	(3) provide written assurance signed by an
162	162	attorney or provide a title insurance policy that the
163	163	qualifying entity has proper title, easements and rights of way
164	164	to the property upon or through which a water project proposed
165	165	for funding is to be constructed or extended;
166	166	(4) meet the requirements of the financial
167	167	capability set by the authority to ensure sufficient revenues
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196	196	to operate and maintain a water project for its useful life and
197	197	to repay the loan;
198	198	(5) agree to properly maintain financial
199	199	records in accordance with all applicable laws; and
200	200	(6) agree to pay costs of originating grants
201	201	and loans as determined by rules adopted by the authority.
202	202	B. Grant projects and loans for real-time water
203	203	quality monitoring projects that are authorized as qualifying
204	204	water projects:
205	205	(1) shall be made by the authority to
206	206	qualifying entities that apply to the authority for grant
207	207	money:
208	208	(a) to invest in application programming
209	209	interfaces or other technology and to develop real-time water
210	210	monitoring systems to obtain data on water and wastewater
211	211	quality and resources in New Mexico; or
212	212	(b) for technical assistance with
213	213	applying for federal or other funding for programs for real-
214	214	time monitoring of water management and treatment;
215	215	(2) shall not include the costs of originating
216	216	the grants as determined by rules adopted by the authority and
217	217	shall not exceed five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000) per
218	218	grant application;
219	219	(3) shall require reporting of real-time water
220	220	quality monitoring data to the department of environment; and
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249	249	(4) shall not exceed a cap of thirty-one
250	250	million five hundred thousand dollars ($31,500,000) in total
251	251	obligations of the fund, plus administrative expenses and a
252	252	prudent fund balance, as determined by the authority pursuant
253	253	to this section. The authority shall evaluate the amount of
254	254	the cap in an appropriate proceeding to be completed by June
255	255	30, 2027 and consider whether, based on the then-current status
256	256	of the fund, the cap should be modified, maintained or
257	257	eliminated.
258	258	[B.] C. Plans and specifications for a water
259	259	project shall be approved by the authority after review and
260	260	upon the recommendation of the state engineer and the
261	261	department of environment before grant or loan disbursements to
262	262	pay for construction costs are made to a qualifying entity.
263	263	Plans and specifications for a water project shall incorporate
264	264	available technologies and operational design for water use
265	265	efficiency.
266	266	[C.] D. Grants and loans shall be made only for
267	267	eligible items, which include:
268	268	(1) to match federal and local cost shares;
269	269	(2) engineering feasibility reports;
270	270	(3) contracted engineering design;
271	271	(4) inspection of construction;
272	272	(5) special engineering services;
273	273	(6) environmental or archaeological surveys;
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302	302	(7) construction;
303	303	(8) land acquisition;
304	304	(9) easements and rights of way; [and ]
305	305	(10) legal costs; and
306	306	(11) real-time water quality monitoring as
307	307	specified in Subsection B of this section ."
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