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>> NEW MEXICO WENT FROM BONE DRY, AND I MEAN BONE DRY, TO
WATER LOGGED OVER THE PAST WEEK AS STORM SYSTEMS STALLED
ALL OVER THE STATE AND DUMPED RECORD AMOUNTS OF RAIN.
CLEAN-UP CONTINUES IN MANY COMMUNITIES AND FLOODING
CONTINUES ACTUALLY AND THE TRUE EXTENT OF THE IMPACT IS
UNKNOWN. BUT AT LEAST 10% OF ROADS FOR
EXAMPLE IN SANTA FE COUNTY ALONE, WERE DAMAGED.
THAT DOESN'T COUNT THE PRIVATE ROADS THAT ARE UNUSABLE.
COMMUNITY OF MADRID IS HOLDING AN ONLINE FUNDRAISER FOR FLOOD
RELIEF. I MAY HAVE TO ATTEND THAT
ACTUALLY. AND DESCRIBED ITSELF AS A TOWN
THAT IS THE TRUE SPIRIT OF THE WEST, WHICH MEANS, QUOTE, WE
HAVE NO REAL GOVERNING BODY, NO TAXES, NO LAW ENFORCE AND A
LOT OF FREEDOM. >> A FEW YEARS AGO ALBUQUERQUE
BUSINESS FIRST TOOK AN IN-DEPTH LOOK AT THE RIO
GRANDE LEVY SYSTEM, AND FOUND IT NEEDED TO 200 MILES OF
LEVIES TO BE REBUILT AT A COST OF 400 TO 500 MILLION.
RUSSELL, MADRID, I MEAN, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF FOLKS, A LITTLE
BIT ISOLATED OUT THERE, ONE ROAD FROM THE SOUTH AND NORTH.
WE HAVE A ROAD THAT CAN'T BE ACCESSED, LET ALONE OUR GOOD
FRIENDS IN COLORADO, SOME OF THE PROBLEMS THEY HAVE WITH
RAIN AND NOT BEING ABLE TO GET OUT.
ARE WE IN A POSITION TO HANDLE A 4 TO 500 MILLION DOLLAR BILL
IN THIS STATE TO FIX THESE PROBLEMS?
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS NOT GIVING ANY MONEY OUT RIGHT
NOW. >> IT IS NOT JUST LEVIES.
IT IS WATER SYSTEMS OUT ON THE WESTSIDE, ALSO, ROADS, OUT IN
THE GILA. THIS FLOODING HIGHLIGHTS THE
PROBLEMS WITH THE INFRASTRUCTURE.
WE GOT EXPOSED WITH OUR BRIDGES, OUR ROADS, OUR
SYSTEMS, OUR SEWER SYSTEMS TOO.
RIGHT NOW OUR ENVIRONMENTAL DEPARTMENT SAYS LOOK OUT FOR
THE PRIVATE WELLS. THEY MAY BE CONTAMINATED
BECAUSE OF THESE FLOODS. WE DON'T GET THIS TYPE OF
WEATHER OFTEN. IT IS GETTING US OUT OF AN
EXTREME DROUGHT, BUT WE'RE STILL IN A DROUGHT.
IT DOES HIGHLIGHT THIS INFRASTRUCTURE PROBLEM.
ARE WE IN A POSITION TO FIX ALL THESE THINGS?
THIS IS AN ENORMOUS PRICE TAG, NOT JUST THE LEVIES, BUT THE
ROADS AND SO FORTH. THIS IS GOING TO BE A PROBLEM
THAT WE'RE GOING TO HIGHLIGHT. YOU KNOW, EVEN THE AID NOW TO
FIX THIS STUFF, THERE IS NOT ENOUGH AID.
THE GOVERNOR DECLARED THE STATE OF EMERGENCY BUT THAT IS
750,000. LOS ALAMOS COUNTY ALONE
ESTIMATES THEIR COST AT FIVE MILLION AND THAT IS NOT EVEN
COUNTING THE OTHER DAMAGE. IT HIGHLIGHTS THE PROBLEM
HERE. >> INTERESTING.
RACHEL, SPEAK OF DENNIS DOMZALSKI, HE HAD THE BYLINE
ON A PIECE AT YOUR PUBLICATION ABOUT THIS VERY ISSUE.
I THINK MOST FOLKS WOULD BE SHOCKED TO KNOW THIS.
THEY HAVE NO IDEA. >> ABSOLUTELY.
IT IS A VERY INTERESTING ISSUE.
DENNIS LOOKED A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO AT THE AGE OF THE
LEVIES IN THE ALBUQUERQUE AREA AND SURROUNDING AREAS AND IN
MANY CASES THEY 50 YEARS OLD, HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF
DOLLARS TO REPLACE THEM. AND IT IS NOT LIKELY ANY TIME
SOON. FEMA ISN'T REALLY ENFORCING
THIS. THEY HAVE OTHER PRIORITIES.
A LOT OF COMMUNITIES AROUND THE COUNTRY ARE ACTUALLY IN
THE SAME BOAT AND SOME OF THEM ARE IN AREAS THAT ARE IN MORE
DANGER OF FLOODING. SO FAR WE HAVE MANAGED TO
EVADE ANY MAJOR DISASTER. >> WHAT WE CAN'T AVOID IS THE
RUNOFF THAT'S COME FROM OUR FIRES AND OUR DROUGHT AND AT
THE VERY MINIMUM PERHAPS IN THOSE AREAS WE NEED ATTENTION
PAID ABOUT DIVERTING WATER IN THE SHORT TERM.
I AM CURIOUS DO WE EVEN HAVE MONEY FAR THAT IN THE SHORT
TERM BY NEXT SUMMER. >> ABSOLUTELY.
ONE THING I THINK YOU MIGHT SEE, WE HAVEN'T SEEN IT YET
BECAUSE IT IS EARLY, BUT ONE THING WE SAW AFTER SOME OF THE
RECENT FIRES, WAS SOME PROVISIONS BEING PUT IN PLACE
FOR AID TO BUSINESSES THAT LOST INCOME DURING FIRES.
THE WAY THAT USUALLY WORKS IS THE STATE WILL ASK THE
BUSINESSES TO COME FORWARD, FILL OUT SOME DETAILED FORMS
ON THEIR LOSSES AND THEY CAN USE TO THAT MAKE A BID, A PUSH
TO THE SBA TO ASK FOR LOW INTEREST LOANS TO HELP THOSE
BUSINESS, SO HOPEFULLY THERE MAY BE SOME OF THAT AID THAT
WILL COME DOWN THE PIKE. >> LAURA, I HAVE GOT TO WORK
THIS IN. GLOBAL WARMING.
GOT TO WORK IT IN. AS I READ IT, WE CAN EXPECT
MORE OF THESE TYPES OF DELUGE BECAUSE OF WHAT IS HAPPENING.
IN SHORT, LET ME SEE IF I HAVE THIS CORRECT, THE ARCTIC
MELTING IS CONTRIBUTING MOISTURE AND THE MOISTURE THAT
COMES FROM THE SOUTH NOW TENDS TO SIT OVER AREAS INSTEAD OF
MOVING ALONG AND BASICALLY WHAT HAPPENED IN COLORADO AND
US, MOISTURE HAD NO WHERE TO GO, THE MOUNTAINS PUSHED IT
STRAIGHT UP, IT JUST CAME STRAIGHT BACK DOWN.
IS THE UNDERSTANDING OF GLOBAL WARMING OR NOT GOING TO BE
PART OF THE PROBLEM HERE FOR GETTING THIS INFRASTRUCTURE
FINISHED? I HAVE TO IMAGINE SOME PEOPLE
MIGHT THINK, OH, IT A ONE OFF THING.
JUST KIND OF RAIN OF THE MOMENT.
WE DON'T NEED TO PUT THIS AMOUNT OF MONEY INTO IT.
>> I AM GLAD YOU BRING THAT UP, THAT WAS DEFINITELY A PART
OF WHAT I WAS PLANNING TO SAY. A LOT OF PEOPLE HERE IN NEW
MEXICO, CERTAINLY MYSELF, I SEE THIS AS REALLY EXACTLY
WHAT PEOPLE HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT COULD HAPPEN YEARS AGO
WHEN WE STARTED TALKING ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE AND HOW THAT
COULD AFFECT US AND NOW WE'RE LIVING IT HERE IN NEW MEXICO
AND WE'RE THE LEAST PREPARED TO BE ABLE TO HANDLE IT.
KATRINA WAS ALSO SEEN BY A LOT OF PEOPLE AS AN EXAMPLE OF
THAT KIND OF CATASTROPHE OCCURRING AND US NOT BEING
PREPARED TO HANDLE SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
HURRICANE SANDY, SAME IDEA. SO, WE'RE SEEING HERE THE
EFFECTS OF BASICALLY, I COMPLETELY AGREE, WE HAVE VERY
OUTDATED INFRASTRUCTURE AND SO IN THE DISCUSSION ON CLIMATE
CHANGE, IT HAS NOW SORT OF TURNED FROM, OKAY, WHAT DO WE
DO TO PREVENT THESE KIND OF THINGS FROM HAPPENING IN TERMS
OF CLIMATE CHANGE, TO ADAPTABILITY AND TRYING TO
FIGURE OUT WHAT ARE OUR EMERGENCY PLANS AND WHAT KIND
OF RESOURCES ARE WE GOING TO NEED FROM A LOCAL GOVERNMENT
STANDPOINT AND A STATE GOVERNMENT STANDPOINT, AS WELL
AS THE FED'S WITH FEMA AND OTHER RESOURCES, TO DEAL WITH
THE EFFECTS OF THIS. AND YEARS AGO, INSURANCE
COMPANIES, INSURERS WERE ACTUALLY LOOKING AT THIS AS A
HUGE POTENTIAL RISK. YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT INSURING
AREAS THAT COULD POTENTIALLY BE COMPLETELY WIPED OUT AS WE
ARE NOW SEEING AND TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO MONETIZE
THAT RISK AND TURNING PREMIUMS AND ACTUAL INSURANCE THAT
WOULD BE EFFECTIVE. IT IS BEYOND GETTING YOUR
FLOOD INSURANCE COVERAGE. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT WIDESPREAD
MAJOR INVESTMENT IN THE INFRASTRUCTURE TO TRY TO FIX A
LOT OF THESE AREAS AND TRY TO PREVENT SOME OF THIS FROM
HAPPENING IN THE FUTURE. >> WE FIND OUT WHY THE ARROYOS
THAT HAVE BEEN DRY FOR LIKE OUR LIFETIME, SUDDENLY, THE
REASON THEY ARE THERE. THESE HOMES, DAN, THAT OVER
TIME, YOUR NECK OF THE WOODS, RIO RANCHO, OTHER PLACES THAT
HAVE BUILT, EDGING CLOSER AND CLOSER TO THE ARROYO, BECAUSE
OF THE AVAILABLE SPACE, AND NOW THERE IS BIG PROBLEMS.
>> HUGE CONSTRUCTION JOB ON GOLF COURSE RIGHT THERE BY
THAT SMITH'S, AND THEY BUILT A NURSING HOME FACILITY AND THEY
ARE TEARING UP THE ENTIRE ARROYO AND TRYING TO PUT ROCKS
IN IT AND THAT THING WAS RUNNING LIKE SNAKE RIVER.
IT WAS JUST, YOU KNOW, WE'RE -- OUR FOOTPRINT IS
GETTING MORE AND MORE PEOPLE LESS AND LESS SPACE, YOU KNOW,
I THINK IT IS INTERESTING, GENE, YOU KNOW, I WAS ALWAYS
GOT TO JAB YOU ON THIS. IT IS ALWAYS MONEY WITH YOU
AND THE PROBLEM IS WE GOT TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THAT MONEY IS.
IT IS EDUCATION, IS IT HEALTHCARE.
AT SOME POINT WE DON'T HAVE IT ANYMORE.
RACHEL IS RIGHT, AT THE END OF THE DAY, GOING AROUND NEW
MEXICO AND SAYING, WE'RE GOING TO SPEND HALF A BILLION TO FIX
LEVIES, PEOPLE ARE GOING TO LOOK AT YOU LIKE YOU'RE
INSANE. THE LEGISLATURE IS GOING TO
SAY, LISTEN, BRING ON ALL THE WATER YOU CAN, WE CAN HANDLE
IT AT ELEPHANT BUTTE. BUT WE HAVE TO FIGURE A WAY TO
GO FROM, YOU KNOW, CATTLE STARVING TO DEATH, BONE
DROUGHT, PEOPLE GETTING OUT OF THE RANCHING BUSINESS, TO A
GUY IN SOCORRO DIES IN THE CAR BECAUSE HE GETS WASHED AWAY
AND HE IS UNDER WATER. SIX MONTHS AGO IF YOU SAID
SOMEONE WAS GOING TO DROWN IN SOCORRO COUNTY, PEOPLE WOULD
HAVE SAID YOU'RE INSANE. IT IS A REAL PROBLEM.
THE PROBLEM IS, YOU COUPLE THAT WITH THE FIRES, THE
INABILITY FOR THE GROUND TO ABSORB THAT WATER, THE WATER
RUNNING DOWN, WE'RE IN A DILEMMA HERE.
DO WE TAKE THIS 400 MILLION AND PREPARE FOR THE NEXT BIG
RAIN, TAKE THE 400 MILLION DOLLARS AND GO TO THE HEALTH
EXCHANGE; GO TO EDUCATION? WE'RE RUNNING OUT OF THE
AMOUNT OF DOLLARS WE HAVE FOR THE AMOUNT OF PROBLEMS THAT
SEEM TO KEEP POKING THEIR HEAD UP.
>> AS IT STANDS, IS IT REASONABLE IN THIS NEXT
LEGISLATIVE SESSION TO EXPECT THAT THE IDEA OF CLIMATE
CHANGE WOULD HAVE ANY DIFFERENT APPEAL?
>> I WOULD TELL YOU NOT TO GET ON THE CLIMATE CHANGE DEAL.
EVERYDAY CONVERSATION IS OUT THERE AND EVERYDAY THERE IS
MORE AND MORE PEOPLE SAYING, IT IS NOT TRUE, YES, IT IS
TRUE. I THINK THE BAD PART ABOUT THE
CLIMATE CHANGE ISSUE IN MY OPINION IS IT HAS BECOME SO
POLITICIZED. I DON'T THINK ANYBODY CAN HAVE
A CONVERSATION ABOUT IT EITHER WAY, BUT WHAT WE DO HAVE TO
FIGURE HOW TO DO IS THIS IS SOMETHING, WE CAN LOOK AT
PROBLEMS WE HAVE GOT WITH ROADS AND BRIDGES, AND THIS
HARKENS BACK TO WHEN GOVERNOR RICHARDSON WAS HERE AND WE
TOOK ALL THAT MAINTENANCE MONEY AND PUT IN THE RAIL
RUNNER AND ALL THAT MAINTENANCE MONEY THAT NOW THE
FED'S HAVE COME BACK AND SAID, YOU DON'T HAVE THE MONEY TO DO
THIS STUFF. HOW MUCH OF THAT, HAD WE NOT
BUILT THE RAIL RUNNER OR DONE THINGS LIKE THAT, WE COULD
HAVE BEEN DOING TO PREPARE FOR THIS.
IT IS A TOUGH ROAD TO HOE AS WE GO ON.
>> COUPLE OF SECONDS AND I'LL GET YOU BACK IN HERE RUSSELL.
THE IDEA OF US COBBLING TOGETHER 200 MILLION, A
HUNDRED MILLION. IN THIS CULTURE, CAN FOLKS
JUST EXPECT THAT IF YOU DON'T GET YOUR FLOOD INSURANCE
SQUARED AWAY, THAT IS IT, YOU BETTER GET AFTER THIS AS A
PRIVATE HOMEOWNER EVEN IF YOU'RE IN A SAFE AREA.
SHOULD EVERYBODY BE AWAKE NOW? >> I THINK SO, WHETHER YOU
CONVINCE PEOPLE OF THAT, WE ARE IN AN EXTREME DROUGHT.
A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO, IF YOU TALKED ABOUT YOUR AREA IS
GOING TO FLOOD, THEY WOULD HAVE LAUGHED.
YOU GOT CACTI DYING. COYOTES BASICALLY AT YOUR
HOUSE BEGGING FOR A GLASS OF WATER.
IT IS NOT GOING TO HAPPEN. THERE MIGHT BE SOME FOLKS THAT
LEARN FROM THIS. BUT AS A WIDESPREAD MOVEMENT,
I DON'T THINK SO. >> IT IS INTERESTING WATCHING
THE HELICOPTER SHOTS, CHANNEL 4, CHRIS RAMIREZ WAS ON WITH
THE GOVERNOR AND ROADS WERE JUST FRIGHTENING.
>> YOU SHOULD HAVE SEEN THE ROSWELL.
I GOT PICTURES THAT WERE FIELDS NOT JUST COVERED IN
WATER, THEY WERE RUNNING RIVERS FOR A HALF A MILE WIDE
THAT TWO DAYS BEFORE WERE GRAZING CATTLE.
>> IN AREAS LIKE THE CATWALK IN GLENWOOD, COMPLETELY
DEMOLISHED. >> WE DON'T EVEN KNOW THE
EXTENT -- FULL EXTENT OF THE DAMAGE STILL BEING ASSESSED.
>> IN A MOMENT, WE'RE BACK TO TALK ABOUT THE PROPOSALS TO
BUILD MORE TRAILS AND RECREATIONAL AREAS IN THE
BOSQUE ALONG THE RIO GRANDE.