HB 175 — FOREST & WATERSHED BUFFER PROJECTS

HOUSEAN BILLACT 175RELATING 57TO THNATURAL LEGISLATUR-RESOURCES; STATE OF NEW MEXICO - FIRST SESSIO, 2025 INTRODUCED BY Harlan Vincent and Kristina Ortez and Luis M.

Terrazas and Rebecca Dow 7 9 AN ACT RELATING TO NATURAL RESOURCES;

MAKING PROJECTS TO CREATE OR MAINTAIN BUFFERS IN AND AROUND WILDLAND-WILDLAND-URBAN URBAN INTERFACES ELIGIBLE FOR FUNDING FROM THE FOREST LAND PROTECTION REVOLVING FUND.

e8 t 17 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:

w l n d 18 SECTION 1.

Section 68-4-2 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 2019, = = 19 a l Chapter 62, Section 2) is amended to read:

i a e r 20 "68-4-2.

DEFINITIONS.--As used in the Forest and a t m m 21 Watershed Restoration Act:

d r e 22 A.

"board" means the forest and watershed advisory c e s k 23 board;

e a n b 24 B.

"buffer" means an area treated to reduce u [ wildfire fuel in order to act as a barrier between properties .229244.4 to limit and halt the spread of wildfire and provide a safe zone for firefighters to engage with wildfires;

[B.] C.

[C.] E.

(1) a large-scale forest and watershed HB 175 Page 1 restoration project on any lands in the state that:

(c) reduces the risk of wildfire, including [plans] planning for watershed conservation;

or e t 17 (d) restores burned areas or thins w l n d 18 forests and includes a related economic or workforce = = 19 a l development project or a wildlife conservation or habitat i a e r 20 improvement project;

[and] or a t m m 21 (2) a project that creates or maintains a d r e 22 buffer in or around a wildland-urban interface;

c e s k 23 [D.] F.

"sponsor" means a federal, state or local e a n b 24 government agency, tribal entity, corporation or organization u [ that applies for a project or is conducting a project in .229244.4 - 2 - conjunction with the division;

HB 175 Page 2 "68-4-5.

USE OF FOREST [AND WATERSHED RESTORATION] LAND PROTECTION REVOLVING FUND--PROJECT EVALUATION AND PRIORITIZATION.-- A.

e t 17 (1) on-the-ground restoration [treatments] w l n d 18 projects;

= = 19 a l (2) project planning;

i a e r 20 (3) economic development programs to advance a t m m 21 the use of small-diameter trees and wood biomass removed for d r e 22 hazardous fuel reduction and forest and watershed restoration;

c e s k 23 or e a n b 24 (4) workforce development for wood utilization u [ projects.

.229244.4 - 3 - B.

[(1)] (a) is part of a current state forest and watershed health plan or forest action plan, a community wildfire protection plan, other comprehensive forest and watershed treatment plan or wildlife conservation or habitat improvement plan approved by the board;

[(2)] (b) incorporates actions recommended by current plans or, where new plans are developed, seeks to integrate forest, fire and water management with community HB 175 Page 3 and economic development plans;

[(3)] (c) protects watersheds that are the source of drinking or irrigation water;

[(4)] (d) targets [an area at high risk of catastrophic wildfire] a high-risk area;

e t 17 (e) will create or maintain a buffer in w l n d 18 or around a wildland-urban interface;

or = = 19 a l [(5)] (f) has obtained all requisite i a e r 20 state and federal permits and authorizations necessary to a t m m 21 initiate the project, if the project is other than a planning d r e 22 project;

and c e s k 23 (2) when a project meets the requirements of e a n b 24 Paragraph (1) of this subsection and includes treatment of u [ private lands and the division makes a written determination .229244.4 - 4 - that the incidental benefit to a private landowner is outweighed by the fire reduction or watershed restoration benefits to the state.

(a) with a wood supply that can be used HB 175 Page 4 as biomass for energy production;

or (c) where traditional forest products e t 17 may be produced;

w l n d 18 (3) is clustered around priority areas that = = 19 a l are able to supply a useful amount of wood products for i a e r 20 industry;

[or] a t m m 21 (4) creates incentives to increase investment d r e 22 by federal, state, local, tribal or private entities, including c e s k 23 investment by downstream water users to manage forested e a n b 24 headwaters and water sources;

or u [ (5) is identified by the board as a high-risk .229244.4area.” -HB 5175 -Page area.5 25

[D.