HOUSE MEMORIAL 75

52nd legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2015

INTRODUCED BY

Bill McCamley

A MEMORIAL

REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION, IN CONJUNCTION WITH DONA ANA AND SIERRA COUNTIES, TO STUDY THE FEASIBILITY OF MAKING THE SPACEPORT ACCESS ROAD A STATE ROAD.

     WHEREAS, spaceport America is the result of over two decades of efforts to increase the commercial accessibility of space flight, which finally came to fruition in southern New Mexico in 2009; and

     WHEREAS, spaceport America was conceived as a state economic development project to use the wealth of knowledge in New Mexico's two national laboratories and its research universities to benefit all New Mexicans; and

     WHEREAS, the enabling legislation for the project required that a combination of regional municipalities or counties enter into an agreement with the state to establish a regional spaceport district, which Dona Ana and Sierra counties did; and

     WHEREAS, those counties have tried to meet their commitment to build a road to spaceport America, and while they have done much work on the project, its completion is beyond their financial means, as they are the only local governments that participate in the district and the only local governments providing funding for the project; and

     WHEREAS, spaceport America is a state project, and all New Mexico residents will benefit from its use for space tourism and other purposes;

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the department of transportation be requested to work closely with Dona Ana and Sierra counties on a study on the feasibility of the state accepting the road to spaceport America as a state road and completing the project; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the department be requested to report the results of its study to the legislative finance committee by November 1, 2015; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be transmitted to the department of transportation and the boards of county commissioners of Dona Ana and Sierra counties.

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