NOTE: As provided in LFC policy, this report is intended 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 in any other situation.

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Revenue Decreases)

Duplicates/Conflicts with/Companion to/Relates to

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

Commission on Higher Education (CHE)

New Mexico Environment Department (NMED)

SUMMARY

Synopsis of Bill

This bill appropriates $300.0 to the Board of Regents of the New Mexico State University for the purpose of creating a testing, verification and ranking system for the selection, application and deployment of new and innovative technologies for the reduction, remediation and prevention of environmental contaminants in soil and water.

Significant Issues

The appropriation proposed in this bill is for the Waste-Management Education Research Consortium (WERC) program. WERC consists of faculty and staff from NMSU, New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology, the University of New Mexico and Dine College. According to NMED, regulatory agencies do not currently have the resources to conduct research of new technology development.

According to the CHE, this project was not included in the list of eleven special project requests made by the institution.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

The appropriation of $300.0 contained in this bill is a recurring expense to the general fund. Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of FY00 shall revert to the general fund.

OTHER SUBSTANTIVE ISSUES

According to the CHE, the state higher education funding formula allows institutions to retain 100% of earned overhead on federal grants and contracts for the purpose of providing seed money and matching funds for projects such as that proposed in this bill.

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