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:

Nunez

 

DATE TYPED:

02/09/03

 

HB

96

 

SHORT TITLE:

NMSU Water Management Research

 

SB

 

 

 

ANALYST:

Williams

 

APPROPRIATION

 

Appropriation Contained

Estimated Additional Impact

Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY03

FY04

FY03

FY04

 

 

 

$330.0

 

 

Recurring

General Fund

 

 

 

 

 

 

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

 

Relates to SB 66, HB 97

Duplicate of SB 67

 

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

 

LFC Files

Commission on Higher Education (CHE)

New Mexico State University, Water Resources Research Institute (WRRI)

Office of the State Engineer (OSE)

 

SUMMARY

 

     Synopsis of Bill

 

House Bill 96 appropriates $330.0 from the general fund to the Board of Regents of New Mexico State University for research on water conservation, planning and management.

 

     Significant Issues

 

CHE notes NMSU submitted an expansion request of $330.0 for new water initiatives in addition to the request of $397.4 for current operations.  The water initiatives request was ranked by NMSU as #11 out of 13 research and public service requests submitted to CHE.  CHE notes its funding recommendation included $300.0 for water initiatives at WRRI. 

 

This is a Water and Natural Resources Committee-sponsored bill.

 

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

 

The appropriation of $330.0 contained in this bill is a recurring expense to the general fund.  Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of FY 04 shall revert to the general fund.

 

The LFC budget recommendation for WRRI is $349.2, down five percent from FY 03.

 

ALTERNATIVES

 

CHE notes the potential for the use of indirect cost revenues as an alternative funding source.

 

OTHER SUBSTANTIVE ISSUES

 

OSE notes the ongoing drought has emphasized need for water planning and management.

 

OSE further notes WRRI should cooperate with the water and conservation section of that office because the United States Bureau of Reclamation has reduced funding for the Water Use Conservation Bureau.  OSE notes additional funding for the Water Use Conservation Bureau is needed.

 

CHE notes four potential performance measures:

 

  1. Number of projects funded; total value of projects funded;
  2. Number of students receiving training;
  3. Number of NM WRRI publications, journal articles and graduate theses or dissertations;
  4. Interactions with agencies through funding, participation in conferences, technical symposiums, planning meetings; requests for information.

 

AW/prr