New Mexico Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department…

THE NEW MEXICO ABANDONED MINE LAND (AML) PROGRAM, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT (BLM), SEEKS FUNDING TO MITIGATE PUBLIC SAFETY HAZARDS AND ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION CAUSED BY HISTORIC MINING ACROSS NEW MEXICO. THE PROJECT WILL IDENTIFY, ASSESS, AND REMEDIATE DANGEROUS MINE FEATURES AND ERODING WASTE ROCK PILES, WHILE RESTORING ADJACENT LAND AND WATERSHED RESOURCES IMPACTED BY LEGACY MINING. PRIORITY EFFORTS WILL FOCUS ON SITES NEAR COMMUNITIES, THOSE WITH A HISTORY OF FATALITIES OR INJURIES CAUSED BY HAZARDOUS MINE FEATURES, AND AREAS WITH HIGH RECREATIONAL USE.THROUGH A GOOD NEIGHBOR AUTHORITY (GNA) AGREEMENT WITH BLM, THE PROJECT WILL COORDINATE A MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL APPROACH TO MITIGATING MINE HAZARDS AND REDUCING ENVIRONMENTAL DAMAGE. FUNDING WILL SUPPORT WATERSHED RESTORATION OF MINE-IMPACTED LANDSCAPES THROUGH FIELD ASSESSMENTS, HAZARD CLOSURES, HABITAT RESTORATION, EROSION CONTROL, AND REVEGETATION TO STABILIZE THE EFFECTS OF LEGACY MINING OPERATIONS AND PROTECT THE PUBLIC.THE PROGRAMS GOALS ALIGN WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF INTERIORS NATIONAL POLICY TO ADDRESS AML HAZARDS ON BLM-MANAGED LANDS, AIMING TO IMPROVE PUBLIC SAFETY AND RESTORE DEGRADED ECOSYSTEMS. BY STABILIZING MINE WASTE, IMPROVING VEGETATION COVER, AND REDUCING EROSION, THE PROJECT CONTRIBUTES TO COMMITMENTS TO PROTECT WATER QUALITY, ENHANCE WILDLIFE HABITAT, AND PROMOTE HEALTHY, FUNCTIONING LANDSCAPES.PARTNERSHIP WITH BLM WILL ADVANCE MINE RECLAMATION PRIORITIES, OPTIMIZE FUNDING AND IN-KIND SERVICES, AND GENERATE DATA AND FIELD ASSESSMENTS TO SUPPORT BLMS AML INVENTORY, PRIORITIZATION, AND REMEDIATION PLANNING. SITE AND HABITAT ASSESSMENTS WILL GUIDE CLOSURE METHODS AND EROSION CONTROL STRATEGIES FOR WATERSHED RESTORATION. THE AML PROGRAM EXPECTS THE PROJECT TO RESULT IN SAFER LANDSCAPES, HEALTHIER ECOSYSTEMS, AND MORE EFFICIENT STEWARDSHIP OF NEW MEXICOS PUBLIC LANDS.