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Homeland Security asks for staff and special funding as flooding and post‑fire runoff escalate
Summary
The acting DHSEM secretary described more frequent, intense rain storms and rising flood risk and asked the committee for roughly $2.6 million in recurring staff funding plus special appropriations to cover FEMA cost‑share shortfalls and legacy reimbursements; members pressed DHSEM on reimbursement timing and contracting bottlenecks.
The acting secretary for Homeland Security and Emergency Management told the committee that changing atmospheric moisture patterns increase the frequency of high‑impact rain and debris flows, and that the agency is under‑resourced to manage both immediate response and the follow‑through required to secure federal mitigation dollars.
Adjutant General Miguel Aguilar said scientific trends (he summarized an increase in integrated vapor transport and cited a roughly 12 percent rise in atmospheric moisture over New Mexico in recent years) mean severe, concentrated storms and rapid runoff are more likely in recently burned watersheds. He asked lawmakers to consider an increase in recurring FTEs so DHSEM can replace short‑term contractor capacity with permanent staff and be positioned to pursue federal grant opportunities.
Why it matters: legislators pressed on the urgency of moving funded projects into construction—especially for communities hit by recent fires and floods. DHSEM explained the difference between FEMA‑approved project costs (where FEMA ‘blesses’ a project) and actual reimbursement timing, which depends on completed work and documentation; the agency said several large FEMA project approvals are pending full documentation and payment.
Key details: DHSEM requested about $2.6M in recurring funds to add FTEs and reduce contractor reliance, $2M to cover cost‑share shortfalls that prevent federal fund drawdowns, and roughly $1.5M to repay FEMA for legacy obligations where documentation is missing at the federal submission stage. The agency outlined plans to open field facilities to help local contractors and provide training on FEMA‑eligible pricing and bonding.
Next steps: DHSEM will provide the committee with project‑level reports on FEMA approvals, expected reimbursement timelines, and plans for local capacity building and regional facility siting to speed work on flood and debris removal.
