President Declares Major Disaster For New Mexico

Yesterday, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced that federal disaster assistance has been made available to New Mexico to supplement state, tribal and local recovery efforts in the area struck by a severe storm and extreme cold temperatures during the period of February 1-5, 2011.

Federal funding is available to state and eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for emergency work and the repair or replacement of facilities damaged by a severe storm and extreme cold temperatures  in the counties of Lincoln, Otero, Rio Arriba, Sierra, Socorro, and Taos and the Tribal jurisdictions of the Mescalero Apache Tribe, Santa Ana Pueblo, Taos Pueblo, and the portions of Santa Clara Pueblo that lie entirely within Rio Arriba County.

Federal funding is also available on a cost-sharing basis for hazard mitigation measures for all counties and tribes within the state.

Thomas J. McCool has been named as the Federal Coordinating Officer for federal recovery operations in the affected area.  McCool said additional designations may be made at a later date if requested by the state and warranted by the results of further damage assessments.