Udall, Heinrich Announce $13 Million from U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for Current and Future Flood Control and Water Quality Projects in NM

Statement

U.S. Senators Tom Udall and Martin Heinrich today announced that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has provided $13 million for flood management, water infrastructure, and environmental restoration projects throughout New Mexico. The funding comes at the request of Udall and Heinrich following passage in May of the Fiscal Year 2017 omnibus appropriations bill, which funds the government through September. The Army Corps of Engineers is responsible for designing and building major flood control, waterway management, and environmental restoration projects throughout the United States.

"Investments in infrastructure and smart, collaborative water management strategies are critical to helping New Mexico communities address our water challenges--from maximizing our water supply to minimizing the damage from floods. This funding will reimburse communities across the state for completed projects, help the city of Alamogordo improve safety and prevent flood damage, support operation and maintenance on the Jemez Canyon Dam, help communities protect themselves from pollution seeping from abandoned mines, and lay the groundwork for new safety and infrastructure projects," Udall said. "As a senior member of the Appropriations Subcommittee that oversees funding for the Army Corps of Engineers, I will continue to work with the Corps to ensure New Mexico gets the resources it needs to help communities prepare for floods, prevent expensive damage, and keep our families, our economy and our environment safer."

"These critical infrastructure investments will help protect our communities from devastating floods, support critical municipal water systems, and provide support to restore watersheds that have been damaged by abandoned mines," Heinrich said. "The Army Corps of Engineers has been an important partner in addressing our flood risk in New Mexico, and I will continue to work to ensure these water and flood management projects remain a priority."

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