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F I S C A L I M P A C T R E P O R T





SPONSOR: Bailey DATE TYPED: 02/28/01 HB
SHORT TITLE: Lea County Ground Water Assessment SB 467
ANALYST: Dotson


APPROPRIATION



Appropriation Contained
Estimated Additional Impact
 Recurring

or Non-Rec

 Fund

Affected

FY01 FY02 FY01 FY02
$ 71.0 Non-Recurring General Fund



(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)



Duplicates HB 51

Relates to HB 114 and SB 81



SOURCES OF INFORMATION



Office of the State Engineer



SUMMARY



Synopsis of Bill



SB 467 appropriates $71.0 from the general fund to the Local Government Division of the Department of Finance and Administration for the purpose of supporting the Lea County Water Users' Association's development of ground water models, well monitoring, assessment of deep aquifers, audits of municipal water use and analysis of the potential for ground water storage and recovery options.



Significant Issues



The Office of the State Engineer (OSE) and the United States Geological Service (USGS) have developed models for the Lea County basin. The OSE and the USGS have an ongoing program within Lea County for monitoring of water levels within the basin. The OSE has records of water uses within Lea County.



FISCAL IMPLICATIONS



The appropriation of $71.0 contained in this bill is a non-recurring expense to the general fund. Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of fiscal year 2002 shall revert to the general fund.



CONFLICT/DUPLICATION/COMPANIONSHIP/RELATIONSHIP



HB 114 and SB 81, provide funding for implementation of regional water plans. According to the Office of the State Engineer, Lea County has one of two completed plans and its plan includes the implementation activities identified in this bill.



OTHER SUBSTANTIVE ISSUES



According to the State Engineer, the OSE and USGS have developed models and have most of the information required by this bill. The development of new models or other information should be done in coordination with the OSE and the USGS. The OSE and the USGS have programs in place to provide information concerning the ground water in Lea County. New models should be done in coordination with those agencies.



The Office of the State Engineer suggests appropriating the money from the general fund through the Office of the State Engineer to the Lea County Water Users' Association. On lines 16-18, strike "local government division of the department of finance and administration" and replace with "office of the state engineer."



PD/njw:ar