Feds Launch Huge Plan to Fix New Mexico Wildfire Burn Scars
Published Date: 8/14/2025
Notice
Summary
The NRCS is planning a big study to fix flood and erosion problems caused by the Hermit's Peak and Calf Canyon fire across seven New Mexico counties. This project aims to protect local communities, improve water quality, and restore healthy land on private properties. They’re asking for public input soon, and the work will help keep forests, soil, and wildlife thriving while making the area safer and stronger.
Analyzed Economic Effects
2 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
Flood resilience for HPCC communities
If you live in Mora, Colfax, Taos, Rio Arriba, Santa Fe, Guadalupe, or San Miguel Counties in New Mexico, the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is preparing a Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS) covering about 500 square miles to study ways to reduce flooding, sedimentation, and erosion from the Hermit's Peak and Calf Canyon fire. The PEIS focuses on protecting communities and restoring healthy streams and clean water on private lands across 33 Hydrologic Unit Code-12 watersheds within nine HUC-10 watersheds.
Agricultural water and erosion fixes
If you own or manage private agricultural land in Mora, Colfax, Taos, Rio Arriba, Santa Fe, Guadalupe, or San Miguel Counties, NRCS will study alternatives to address agricultural water management, sedimentation, erosion, and water quality impairments caused by the HPCC fire across about 500 square miles. The PEIS aims to restore healthy forest, soil, and ecosystem functions on private lands to support agricultural uses in the affected 33 HUC-12 watersheds and nine HUC-10 watersheds.
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