SB 66

This bill appropriates $50 million from the state's general fund to the Department of Environment to assess and clean up abandoned or neglected contaminated sites across New Mexico, with a specific focus on abandoned uranium mining sites where no viable responsible parties exist to pay for remediation. The funding will be available for expenditure over a three-year period from fiscal years 2027 through 2029, with any unused funds reverting to the general fund after that period. The legislation addresses the environmental and public health hazards posed by orphaned contaminated sites, particularly the legacy uranium mines that have historically impacted communities across the state, by providing state funding for cleanup efforts when private responsible parties cannot be held accountable.