Letter to Barack Obama, President of the United States - New Mexico Delegation Requests Expedited Major Disaster Declaration for Summer Floods

Letter

Dear President Obama:

We appreciate your past responsiveness to the State of New Mexico when our communities have sought federal disaster assistance as drought, fire, and extreme weather have threatened public safety and property. We again respectfully request that you take prompt action on the State of New Mexico's recent request for major disaster declaration as a result of severe storms and flooding that occurred July 27 through August 5, 2014.

As Governor Martinez indicated in her letter of September 29, 2014, damages resulting from severe storms have been assessed at $3.93 million, or $1.91 per capita. The bulk of damage was to roads and bridges throughout the state, but other infrastructure and natural resources were also heavily damaged. The greatest overall damage occurred at the Acoma Pueblo, where access to the backcountry was cut off for residents and users. Additionally, Santo Domingo Pueblo and the counties of Rio Arriba, San Miguel, Otero, and Guadalupe experienced severe damage to roads and other infrastructure.

In light of the ongoing losses and possible long-term impacts from flooding during the time period of July 27 through August 5, 2014, we request your expedited attention to Governor Martinez's request for a major disaster designation and the correlated public assistance, specifically categories A through G. We remain committed to providing the necessary assistance to you and the governor in expediting New Mexico's recovery efforts and ensuring an effective response from this extreme weather event.