Gov. Susana MartinezSTATE News:
SANTA FE ― Today, Gov. Susana Martinez announced $1.5 million in relief funds for Valencia and Santa Fe Counties to aid in recovery efforts following flooding in both counties.
The emergency funding provided under the New Mexico Disaster Assistance Program will provide relief through financial and technical assistance for recovery, mitigation and restoration of public infrastructure and operations.
“We’re working hand in hand with our local and federal partners to bring every resource available to the table,” Martinez said. “Our crews have been on the ground providing assistance and performing damage assessments, and now, we’re bringing the State’s dollars to bear in order to help these communities recover.”
Governor Martinez has also requested a Small Business Administration (SBA) Disaster Assistance Declaration which provides assistance in the form of SBA Disaster Loans for private businesses and homes.
“We are working closely with our local partners and the federal government to help our communities get back on their feet,” said Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management (DHSEM) Secretary Jay Mitchell. “These dollars will help ensure that these communities have the additional resources necessary to tackle the challenges faced as a result of these floods.”
To qualify for funding under the New Mexico Disaster Assistance Program, the local government must declare a local emergency or disaster and have exhausted all local resources, including those available through the Interstate Mutual Aid System. DHSEM then considers and assesses six critical factors as identified by FEMA and makes a recommendation to the Governor for a State declaration and Executive Order to grant funding. One such factor is the estimated cost of assistance in which each county must exceed the monetary threshold for infrastructure damage by county as set annually by FEMA. The Santa Fe and Valencia County thresholds of $530,546 and $281,774 respectfully, were both exceeded in these floods. DHSEM damage assessment teams performed damage assessments in both counties.
For more information on preparing your homes and families for disasters, visit the New Mexico Department of Homeland Security & Emergency’s preparedness page: http://www.nmdhsem.org/Preparedness_Links.aspx. The executive orders can be viewed here.
