Transcript Highlights:

• It's so important to keep our acequias alive.
• Without acequia support, we become the acequias of the past, which means we're in a museum.
• Without acequias, New Mexico will not be.
• I'm president of the New Mexico Acequia Association and also president of the Mora Acequias.
• We have four acequias there. I know the San Juan de Pumuceno. We have four acequias there.

Bills: SB193

Keywords: SB193, acequia, community ditch, irrigation works construction fund, water infrastructure, ditch infrastructure, irrigation, New Mexico water law, agricultural water, farmers, Rio Grande, acequia association, forest land protection revolving fund, state fund transfer, irrigation projects, 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• All right, Senator Campos, Senate Bill 193, acequia and ditch infrastructure fund transfer.
• Right now there's about 700 acequias throughout New Mexico that are sanctioned.
• It's estimated there's another, at least maybe double that, with other informal acequias, but in terms
• Chair, yes, this is Paula Garcia, who is the Executive Director of the New Mexico Acequia Association
• Acequia Association. So is your expert witness, or is she opposing this bill? Let's see. Mr.

Bills: SB193, SB132, SB35, SB145

Keywords: SB193, acequia, community ditch, irrigation works construction fund, water infrastructure, ditch infrastructure, irrigation, New Mexico water law, agricultural water, farmers, Rio Grande, acequia association, forest land protection revolving fund, state fund transfer, irrigation projects, SB132, DOIT, Department of Information Technology, software replacement, equipment replacement

Transcript Highlights:

• ones that are expecting it, like, say, you have on the tribal part, and then you have some on the acequias

Bills: SB193, SB132, SB35, SB145

Keywords: SB193, acequia, community ditch, irrigation works construction fund, water infrastructure, ditch infrastructure, irrigation, New Mexico water law, agricultural water, farmers, Rio Grande, acequia association, forest land protection revolving fund, state fund transfer, irrigation projects, SB132, DOIT, Department of Information Technology, software replacement, equipment replacement

Transcript Highlights:

• Mexico, our association and the conservation districts in the north are doing all of the rehab on the acequias
• I was in Las Vegas in December at an event called the Acequia Congreso.

Bills: HB2, SB193, SB132, SB35, SB145

Keywords: general appropriation, budget, Medicaid, education funding, public safety, SB193, acequia, community ditch, irrigation works construction fund, water infrastructure, ditch infrastructure, irrigation, New Mexico water law, agricultural water, farmers, Rio Grande, acequia association, forest land protection revolving fund, state fund transfer, irrigation projects

Transcript Highlights:

• My name is Paula Garcia, Executive Director of the New Mexico Acequia Association.
• We have a significant funding gap in dealing with updating and maintaining our acequias.
• Acequia. So I stand in support of this bill. In my acequia alone, we used to have 24-inch covers.
• In the Hermit's Peak-Calf Canyon Fire, there were over 100 acequias that were damaged.
• I believe it was close to 220,000 for the acequia part of it.

Bills: SB154, SB187, SB193, SM3

Keywords: insurance, wildfire, flood damage, natural disasters, property coverage, water projects, appropriation, New Mexico, finance authority, infrastructure, New Mexico Finance Authority, funding, SB193, acequia, community ditch, irrigation works construction fund, water infrastructure, ditch infrastructure, irrigation, New Mexico water law

Bills: HB248, HB309, HB332, SB48

Keywords: general obligation bonds, GO bonds, capital projects, bond election, property tax levy, state debt, state finance, capital outlay, senior centers, senior citizen facilities, aging services, long-term services, libraries, library acquisitions, broadband for libraries, higher education, university capital projects, community colleges, tribal schools, special schools

Bills: HB248, HB309, HB332, SB48

Keywords: general obligation bonds, GO bonds, capital projects, bond election, property tax levy, state debt, state finance, capital outlay, senior centers, senior citizen facilities, aging services, long-term services, libraries, library acquisitions, broadband for libraries, higher education, university capital projects, community colleges, tribal schools, special schools

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm the president of the Acequia del Calde and the president of the New Mexico Acequias Association.
• I'm the president of the Acequia del Calde and the president of the Leroy Acequias Association of Acequias
• So in our regional area, there are over 20 acequias, and out of those 20 acequias, there's probably maybe
• I'm also a member of the New Mexico Acequia Commission, or I serve on the New Mexico Acequia Commission
• He noted that acequias are waterways and asked whether other waterways could become acequias and get

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We have one acequia that requires...
• an acequia himself.
• But there's a lot of culture and nuance in how acequias govern their water, and every acequia is unique
• to support acequias.
• The 1113 program funds acequias.

Transcript Highlights:

• So within that, these acequias do apply to the acequia association.
• will, just say, The works to ensure that our acequia will, just say, not only the acequias throughout
• the growing need of the acequias.
• acequia, and we'll just say that the county wants to support this particular acequia and make those
• We had acequias there, so I understand the needs of the acequias.

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• water in our acequia flowing.
• one acequia has multiple acequias attached to it, and then the south Fork, Salt Fire, 25,000 acres,
• and about 20 damaged acequias.
• Some ideas for how an acequia can cover the cost share is through the Acequia Bureau.
• You know, acequias, everyone in New Mexico, we're all affected and we're all part of acequias.

Transcript Highlights:

• Connection to the state: The DOJ Treaty Division is also supporting Acequias, ISC Acequia Bureau, and
• We formally formed an Acequia Bureau within the agency.
• This funding helps the acequias plan out their projects.
• It's a world changer for our acequias.
• Acequias play a major role in water management.

Transcript Highlights:

• Mainly doing community education around acequias and supporting local acequia commissions and maradomos
• There were 25 damaged acequias there.
• Acequias have that choice.
• And moving on to the acequia recovery efforts that DHSCM is leading, we're supporting acequias impacted
• We need to have relationships not just between the acequias but also between the acequias and their county

Transcript Highlights:

• And I really do believe that the Acequias need a sustainable, consistent funding path. that the Acequias
• Chair and Representative Garrett, typically, Acequias go to the Interstate Stream Commission, Acequia
• Acequia program that's housed in the Acequia Bureau. Thank you. Thank you, Representative Garrett.
• And Paula, you said they typically go to the Acequia Fund, but Acequias do apply to the Water Trust.
• The Acequias, you know, there's a ribbon cutting for one of the Acequias in my district that has taken

Keywords: 996, all

Summary: During the legislative meeting, House Bill 287 was discussed, which proposes the establishment of a permanent Health and Human Services Committee to oversee the state's $14.4 billion expenditure in this area. An amendment to the bill was adopted, which clarified funding and operational details. Public comments were solicited, but no one spoke in opposition. The committee ultimately voted, with some members expressing concerns about budget implications, but the motion to pass the bill as amended was made and seconded, with several members opposing it. House Bill 371 was also addressed, which focuses on creating an Acequia Infrastructure Fund to support land grant and Acequia communities. The bill aims to provide a financial mechanism for these communities to access funds for infrastructure projects without relying on capital outlay requests. The committee discussed the bill's implications, potential funding sources, and the need for further amendments regarding representation and oversight. A motion to pass the bill was made, with some opposition noted, particularly regarding the lack of specificity in the bill's provisions. Lastly, Senate Bill 143 was presented, which seeks to raise the caps on inspection fees under the Egg Grading Act, among other agricultural regulations. Supportive testimony was provided by representatives from agricultural organizations, emphasizing the need for updated fee structures. The committee engaged in discussions about the bill's implications for consumers and the agricultural sector, ultimately moving towards a vote to pass the bill.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm sorry, secretary of our acequia. I just stand in support of this bill.
• And Out of those 20 acequias, half of them may have pit gates.
• I'm also the secretary for Acequia de la Altura Banda in the Puaque Valley.
• I belong to the Acequia Madre de Las Vegas.
• Chair, the Acequias are an institution of the land grant.

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• , covered acequias, and on... ...made watersheds, siphons, acequias, and on and on and on.
• I guess acequias—I don't think they want to measure the water, frankly, Acequias, I don't think they
• As far as, no, we do not measure the water on our acequia.
• I know no one—there are very sophisticated acequias who measure water.
• They have very sophisticated people on this acequia who are engineers.

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• If you have several acequias or land grants in each acequia, or... come to you for resources, it would
• Acequias... are vital to our livelihoods.
• As you know, acequias are governed by volunteers.
• I tell all my acequias now, if you want funding, you have to go through the New Mexico Acequia Association
• They're more than just acequias or irrigation channels.

Transcript Highlights:

• So while I often appreciate up here the incredible legacy and narrative that is the acequias as they
• I have the Rio Grande and quite an elaborate acequia system within my district, and an enormous amount
• Lots of acequias, land grants.
• Lots of acequias, land grants.
• We do have some concerns about how it would impact acequia communities.

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The Taos House Agriculture, Acequias and Water Resources Committee has come to order.
• I am a parciante on the acequia of Los Garcia.
• serve on the New Mexico Acequia Commission.
• I'm a commissioner on the acequia of La Plaza de Dixon, also a commissioner on the New Mexico Acequia
• I am the parciante on the acequia of Los Alazares in Rio Arriba County.

Bills: HM45, HB276, HB300

Keywords: Taos County, Questa, produced water, treated produced water, water reuse, water quality control commission, freshwater conservation, rural communities, acequias, Indian nations, tribes, pueblos, water rights, industrial water use, data centers, artificial intelligence, AI, quantum computing, economic development, renewable energy

Transcript Highlights:

• I’m from Rio Arriba County, a commissioner on my Acequia de la Plaza de Dixon, New Mexico Acequia Commission
• We do not want it in our acequias.
• González acequia for the past two years.
• I'm also a member of the acequia of Indio and Ambudo.
• And, for example, you all know I don't represent acequias.

Keywords: 996, all