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

SPONSOR Cisneros

ORIGINAL DATE

LAST UPDATED

1/31/06

HB

SHORT TITLE NMHU Watershed Restoration Institute

SB 271

ANALYST Earp

APPROPRIATION (dollars in thousands)

Appropriation

Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY06

FY07

$433.0

Recurring

General Fund

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

Relates to Senate Bill 601

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

LFC Files

Responses Received From

New Mexico Highlands University (NMHU)

Higher Education Department (HED)

Energy, Mineral & Natural Resources Department (EMNRD)

Environment Department (ED)

SUMMARY

Synopsis of Bill

Senate Bill 271 appropriates $433,000 from the general fund to the Board of Regents of New

Mexico Highlands University (NMHU) to establish the New Mexico Forestry and Watershed

Restoration Institute (FWRI).

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

The appropriation of $433,000 contained in this bill is a recurring expense to the general fund.

NMHU reports that these funds would be used to support the institute’s professional, technical

and student staff, excluding the director and administrative assistant. Any unexpended or unen-

cumbered balance remaining at the end of fiscal year 2007 shall revert to the general fund.

Senate Bill 271 – Page

2

SIGNIFICANT ISSUES

NMHU submitted this special program expansion proposal to the Higher Education Department

(HED) for review; however, HED has not included this item among its fiscal year 2007 funding

recommendations to the Legislature.

ADMINISTRATIVE IMPLICATIONS

NMHU would be responsible for administration of the proposed Forestry and Watershed Resto-

ration Institute. In fact, NMHU reports that it has committed $190,000 in fiscal year 2006 to ini-

tiate this project.

CONFLICT, DUPLICATION, COMPANIONSHIP, RELATIONSHIP

This bill is related to Senate Bill 601 which, in addition to providing funding for other NMHU

programs, would also appropriate $433,100 for the FWRI.

OTHER SUBSTANTIVE ISSUES

NMHU indicates that the New Mexico FWRI is a new statewide environmental research and

education coalition. Hosted by NMHU, the institute’s two-fold mission is: (1) to foster collabo-

ration among government agencies, academic and research institutions, land managers, and the

interested public for the restoration and sustainable use of New Mexico’s forest and water re-

sources, and (2) to disseminate the work beyond New Mexico’s borders for the benefit of global

ecology and the state economy.

The Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department reports that the institutes’ mission is

complementary to the Forestry Division’s mission of providing for healthy forests and water-

sheds in New Mexico. The division’s performance will be enhanced because the institute will

ensure all stakeholders and levels of government have access to the best scientific information

available to implement collaborative ecosystem restoration treatments in the most effective and

efficient manner. The institute at NMHU will be an important partner with the Forestry Division

as the N.M. Forest and Watershed Health Plan is implemented using a collaborative approach.

The Forestry Division also notes that Northern Arizona University, Colorado State University

and NMHU are developing forest restoration institutes in each of the three states pursuant to PL

108-317, signed into law in October, 2004. The respective states have signed a charter to ensure

tri-state collaboration. States will be represented by their institutes’ directors, their state foresters

and a representative of each state’s governor. The purposes of the non-regulatory institutes are

to bring the unique strengths of the member universities individually, collectively and in partner-

ship with other institutions to help support land managers and their collaborators working to

achieve comprehensive ecological restoration treatments on the ground. The institutes will also

assure ecological restoration treatments are effective and efficient. They will develop, translate

and transfer practical operation-oriented scientific knowledge to land managers, community

groups and others who cooperate in the design and implementation of ecosystem restoration

treatments. State funding will be valuable in matching limited initial federal funding.

Senate Bill 271 – Page

3

POSSIBLE QUESTIONS

What source of revenue is NMHU using to initiate the institute in fiscal year 2006.

DKE/mt