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ISSUE SUMMARY
Land of Enchantment Legacy Fund
New Mexico’s land and water form the foundation of our communities, and yet without investing in both, we risk our future and that of our children.
Because New Mexico does not have a dedicated funding stream for land and water conservation, federal money is being left on the table for programs that could better protect communities from wildfire, flood and drought, safeguard urban and rural water supplies, support rural and agricultural communities, and grow our outdoor recreation economy.
Legislators have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to protect New Mexico communities from wildfire, flood and drought, safeguard water supplies for urban and rural areas, support our agricultural communities, and grow our outdoor recreation economy.
Local entities - including acequias, tribes, and Soil & Water Conservation Districts - are primed to apply for projects they know work for them. If adequately funded, this investment could deliver resources to all 33 counties and tribal communities.
These programs often create jobs in local communities, building critical infrastructure for long-term protection from the ongoing wildfire, flood and drought challenges New Mexico is facing.
Vision
We seek to sustain and enhance New Mexico’s agricultural and natural heritage through stewardship, conservation and restoration of our forests, grasslands and watersheds; to provide for wildlife populations and habitats; and to ensure the continuation of agricultural production on working farms and ranches.
Need
New Mexico is one of the only Western states that doesn’t have dedicated land and water conservation funding. This gives states like Arizona, Colorado, Wyoming and Montana a competitive advantage over New Mexico, jeopardizing our growth in the outdoor recreation economy sector. It also harms local industries like agriculture that rely on land and watershed health to prosper.
Opportunity
If the state of New Mexico invested $350 million in long-term, sustainable conservation funding, it could leverage hundreds of millions of federal matching dollars for New Mexico communities.
The Land of Enchantment Legacy Fund would invest in existing land and water stewardship programs, giving legislators a historic opportunity to deliver for New Mexico communities. It would also preserve our cultural heritage and outdoor traditions, leaving a legacy for our children to hunt, fish, farm, and enjoy the lands and waters the way our ancestors have for generations.
Contact your representatives and say THANK YOU
Legislators took the once-in-a-generation opportunity to protect New Mexico communities from wildfire, flood and drought, safeguard water supplies for urban and rural areas, support our agricultural communities, and grow our outdoor recreation economy by OVERWHELMINGLY VOTING YES on SB 9!
The Senate voted 33-7 in favor,
and the House voted 54-11!
The fund is itself an important legacy that you can be proud of! New Mexico legislators heard from landowners loud and clear: New Mexico's landscapes deserve permanent funding.
Can you take a minute to say thank you for their important vote, and urge them to put the necessary amount of money into the fund each year?
Supported by a broad coalition.
We are proud to be part of a broad coalition coming together to advocate for land and water stewardship resources.
The Land of Enchantment Legacy Fund is a bipartisan product of five years’ negotiations among a broad coalition of non-governmental organizations.
With support from the governor and legislators in both parties, we have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to deliver for New Mexico communities by passing this fund.
Check out the coalition campaign website here for more info:
Share your NM Land and Water Story
Tell a personal story that illustrates why you support investment in New Mexico's land and water resources. In particular, we are excited to share stories of restoration success that demonstrate the potential of New Mexico's resources, when given just a bit more TLC.