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Santa Fe County adopts updated hazard mitigation plan, commissioners push for faster, more detailed follow-up
Summary
The Board of County Commissioners adopted a FEMA-reviewed 2025 Hazard Mitigation Plan on June 10, 2025, while members pressed staff to provide more location-specific data, remove redactions where appropriate, and return with targeted updates within months.
Santa Fe County — The Board of County Commissioners voted June 10 to adopt the Santa Fe County 2025 Hazard Mitigation Plan, a document reviewed by the New Mexico Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management and approved by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, officials said.
The Office of Emergency Management presented the plan as an updated, FEMA‑compliant framework intended to reduce long‑term risk from wildfires, floods, drought, extreme weather and other hazards and to preserve county eligibility for federal mitigation funding. “The hazard mitigation plan is reviewed by the New Mexico Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management and approved by the Federal Emergency Management Agency or FEMA,” Emergency Manager Brad Call told the commission.
Commissioners raised multiple substantive concerns during debate. Chair Camilla Bustamante said key appendices in the packet had been redacted and that the plan lacked location‑specific mitigation guidance she expected for operational use, noting “there is absolutely no reason why that would be redacted.” Commissioners asked for clearer mapping of local vulnerabilities, lists of high‑risk buildings (for example, sites that would create a hazardous materials exposure), and stronger cross‑jurisdictional coordination with tribal partners and Los Alamos National Laboratory.
Call and County Manager Schaeffer acknowledged the gaps and said the plan would be maintained and updated as needed. Call described an annual review process and public involvement measures used in drafting the plan, including five public meetings and an online survey.
After extended discussion, Commissioner Hank Hughes moved to adopt the plan with direction for staff to address the identified shortcomings and return with follow‑up work; Commissioner Justin Green seconded. The motion carried.
The commission recorded the adoption as a conditional approval: board members expect specific updates and clearer, non‑redacted material to be provided on a timetable to be set with county management and the Office of Emergency Management. The county also asked staff to review Los Alamos County’s hazard plan as a structural example and to provide a timeline for revised materials and public review.
Why it matters: Local hazard mitigation plans serve as the basis for accessing FEMA hazard‑mitigation funding and guide preparedness, response and capital investment decisions. Commissioners said they want a document they can hand to new staff or mutual‑aid partners and that will be directly usable by first responders and planners.
The board assigned a resolution number for the adoption at the meeting and asked to see a schedule for the promised improvements within the coming months.
