Staff Reports
SANTA FE — Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham has asked President Donald Trump to declare a major disaster for the Oct. 22-30 flooding in northern New Mexico, seeking reimbursement for rescues, debris removal, and public infrastructure repairs that federal officials failed to act on.
If approved, the declaration would enable residents of San Juan, Cibola, Socorro, and Santa Fe counties, and Acoma and Laguna pueblos, to apply for federal financial assistance for home repairs, rent, temporary housing and other disaster-related needs. The governor is also requesting reimbursement for San Juan, Cibola, Rio Arriba, Socorro, and Valencia counties and the pueblos of Acoma and Laguna for debris removal, emergency response costs, and repairs to roads, bridges, water-control facilities, and other public infrastructure. The federal disaster declaration would also fund projects across the state to reduce damage from future disasters…