SB 226

This bill appropriates $50 million from New Mexico's general fund to the Department of Environment for fiscal years 2027-2029 to assess and clean up abandoned or neglected contaminated sites throughout the state, with a specific focus on abandoned uranium mining sites. The funding targets sites that lack viable responsible parties who could otherwise be held accountable for paying for and conducting the cleanup actions. The appropriation addresses the environmental and public health hazards posed by these orphaned contaminated sites, particularly the legacy uranium mining sites that have long affected New Mexico communities, by providing state resources to remediate contamination when no private party can be compelled to do so.