NOTE:  As provided in LFC policy, this report is intended only for use by the standing finance committees of the legislature.  The Legislative Finance Committee does not assume responsibility for the accuracy of the information in this report when used for other purposes.

 

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

 

 

 

SPONSOR:

Varela

 

DATE TYPED:

2/21/03

 

HB

877

 

SHORT TITLE:

Accurate River Water Flow Devices

 

SB

 

 

 

ANALYST:

Chabot

 

APPROPRIATION

 

Appropriation Contained

Estimated Additional Impact

Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY03

FY04

FY03

FY04

 

 

 

$100.0

 

 

Recurring

General Fund

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

 

Duplicates SB 832

 

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

 

LFC Files

 

Responses Received From

New Mexico Environment Department (NMED)

Office of the State Engineer (OSE)

 

SUMMARY

 

     Synopsis of Bill

 

House Bill 877 appropriates $100.0 from the general fund to OSE for the purpose of purchasing, installing, and studying prototypes of alternative devices that accurately measure the flow of river water on a real-time basis.  OSE will consult with Los Alamos National Laboratory and Sandia National Laboratories in this effort.

 

     Significant Issues

 

OSE states these measuring devices will provide real-time measurement of river flows.

 

NMED states additional accurate and plentiful stream flow data would be beneficial to water quality planning efforts.  The agency recommends adding the United States Geological Survey (USGS) as consulting organization.

 

 

 

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

 

The appropriation of $100.0 contained in this bill is a recurring expense to the general fund.   Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of fiscal year shall revert to the general fund.

 

TECHNICAL ISSUES

 

NMED recommends on line 24 inserting a comma after “laboratory”, striking “and” and adding after “laboratories” “and the United States geological survey.”

 

POSSIBLE QUESTIONS

  1. Are there possibilities in obtaining federal matching funds for this effort?

 

GAC/ls