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Senate committee advances memorial directing agencies to develop statewide beaver-management plan
Summary
The Senate conservation committee voted to advance Senate Memorial 3 (as amended), which asks multiple state agencies to develop a statewide beaver management plan and report back to the Legislature. The memorial was amended to add additional stakeholders and passed out of committee on a 4-3 vote.
Senate Memorial 3 asks the Department of Game and Fish, Forestry Division of the Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department, the New Mexico Department of Agriculture, the New Mexico Environment Department and the State Land Office to work jointly to develop a statewide beaver-management plan and report findings to the Legislature by Oct. 1.
Senator Hamblin explained the memorial and said the plan would address beavers' role as a keystone species, their effects on wetlands and water quality, and risks posed by declining beaver populations under climate change. Public commenters and conservation groups supported the memorial: Rocky Mountain Farmers Union, Green Latinos, the New Mexico Beaver Project and tribal representatives spoke in favor, and several witnesses encouraged tribal collaboration.
The committee adopted a two-part amendment to broaden consultation to include soil and water conservation districts, acequia associations, farmers and ranchers, and to adjust language about which representatives would be consulted. The amendment was moved and seconded and adopted on voice vote; the committee then considered the memorial as amended.
Senators asked about appropriations and implementation. Committee discussion noted earlier similar memorial work in 2014 that had not produced a plan; sponsors said the current memorial was intended to restart that work. One committee member noted potential internal funding within the game-and-fish and forestry agencies; another asked whether the game-and-fish agency would necessarily be the lead and how funds would be used.
The committee voted to advance the memorial as amended. The transcript records that the memorial passed the committee by a 4-3 vote.
Ending: The memorial directs a coordinated interagency study and asks for a report by Oct. 1. The committee asked for tribal collaboration and inclusion of local irrigation and conservation stakeholders during plan development.
