Victims of New Mexico’s largest fire ever got a boost in federal compensation funds over the past week.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency announced on Monday that officials have now delivered at least $14 million to people and governments affected by the 2022 Hermits Peak-Calf Canyon Fire.
Most of that money went to individuals and families, FEMA spokesperson Deborah Martinez said.
It’s been a slow-moving process to get money into the hands of victims since Congress approved $3.95 billion in relief dollars eight months ago. The federal government promised to pay for disaster damage and losses since botched prescribed burns by the U.S. Forest Service led to the out-of-control wildfire in northern New Mexico.
Last month, ProPublica in partnership with Source NM reported that FEMA had only paid out about $3 million. At most, $400,000 could’ve gone to individuals.
Now, FEMA has boosted payouts to people and families, reportedly giving out almost $11 million to individuals in the past week alone, according to FEMA’s news release sent out on Monday.
That’s still less than 1% of the total funds Congress made available for victims.
The large dark smoke in the sky above Albuquerque on Sunday afternoon came from the destruction of a facility operated by United Poly Systems LLC, a company that stores and distributes plastic materials for construction.
The Albuquerque-Bernalillo County Air Program issued a health advisory on Aug. 6 which was in effect until 10 a.m on Aug. 7, due to the fire that is reportedly releasing toxic chemicals into the sky of New Mexico’s largest city.
Around 2:30 p.m. on Sunday, Albuquerque fire crews went to the facility located near Mesa del Sol in southeast Albuquerque and found a vehicle on fire outside the business.
City fire crews also reported plastic materials outside burning. Quickly, that car fire hit the United Poly Systems building and ignited plastic products stored by the company, according to Albuquerque fire officials.
No people were burned or hurt at the fire scene, fire officials said.
A Texas judge ordered last week that a lawsuit against New Mexico environment authorities brought by El Paso Water will continue in Texas courts.
The dispute stems from the water utility fighting a $1.2 million fine from the New Mexico Environment Department for violating state water quality laws.
The fine came after a 2021 spill, where the utility diverted what amounted to 1.1 billion gallons of untreated sewage into the Rio Grande riverbed near Sunland Park, NM.
Two sewer mains burst after heavy storms, and the spill continued for months until their replacements were installed.
Near where the water was diverted, Rio Grande meanders across the Texas and New Mexico state line multiple times.
Source New Mexico
