The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in New Mexico is announcing March 14, 2025, as the new extended deadline to apply for a Conservation Restoration Plan for the Hermit’s Peak Calf Canyon Fire and subsequent flooding.
Background
Through a partnership with Hermit’s Peak/Calf Canyon Claims Office, NRCS offers landowners—whose property was impacted as a result of the Hermit’s Peak/Calf Canyon Fire or subsequent flooding—the opportunity to request an NRCS Conservation Restoration Plan. NRCS plans address natural resource losses and are provided to claimants at no charge. NRCS plans are utilized by the Claims Office to streamline the claims review process. NRCS plans include cost estimates for recovery actions eligible for compensation on natural resource losses under the Claims Office. Detailed plans are developed by experienced certified planners. NRCS plans are intended to ensure claimants receive compensation that is comprehensive, fair, and transparent. NRCS can provide plans to landowners and properties of all sizes, but NRCS plans only focus on the landowner’s natural resources. Payments on natural resource losses based on NRCS plans under this partnership are made directly to claimants from the Claims Office.
What is Included in a NRCS Conservation Restoration Plan
NRCS Conservation Restoration Plans are comprehensive natural resource plans that provide a holistic approach to recovery. Under this partnership, NRCS plans will give claimants a pathway to restore, rather than enhance, their natural resources in line with best practices specific to northern New Mexico.
NRCS Plans will address a variety of categories of NRCS-approved common practices, which include but are not limited to:
- Woody residue treatment (removing or laying down dead trees),
- Tree and shrub establishment,
- Debris removal,
- Access roads,
- Fencing,
- Soil erosion,
- Pipelines,
- Livestock wells,
- Riparian (riverbank) damage.
NRCS plans will include cost estimates to repair or replace natural resources impacted by the fire and flooding. Landowners are not required to take action on their NRCS plan. Once complete, landowners can submit their NRCS plan to the Claims Office to support the natural resources portion of their claim for compensation.
How to Request a NRCS Conservation Restoration Plan before March 14th
Landowners have two options for requesting a NRCS Conservation Restoration Plan.
The recommended first step is to submit a Notice of Loss (NOL) to the Claims Office. Once a NOL is submitted, your Claims Navigator can help determine if an NRCS plan would benefit your claim. If so, the Claims Office will coordinate with NRCS to initiate the process.
Landowners may also choose to contact the NRCS directly to request a Conservation Restoration Plan. If you contact NRCS directly, NRCS staff will notify the Claims Office to ensure a Claims Navigator contacts you to discuss the process. To request a plan from NRCS directly, you can email ConservationRestorationPlan@usda.gov, or visit one of the two local service centers (see below). The “Hermit's Peak/Calf Canyon Request for Conservation Restoration Plan Assistance” forms can be requested by email and are available at the two local service centers and at https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/hermits-peak.
NRCS Las Vegas Field Office
1927 A 7Th St
Las Vegas, NM 87701
(505) 425-3594 Ext.3
NRCS Mora Field Office
523 State Highway 518
Mora, NM 87732
(575) 387-2424 Ext. 3
Submitting a Notice of Loss to the Claims Office
The deadline to submit an NOL to the Claims Office is March 14. To submit an NOL, you may visit https://www.fema.gov/hermits-peak to download the NOL form. You can submit the form via email, mail, or in-person at one of the three Claims Offices. Please visit https://www.fema.gov/hermits-peak/contact-us for Claims Office locations and operating hours.
For questions, please contact the Claims Office Helpline Monday through Thursday, 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. MT, at (505) 995-7133. Voice messages can be left after hours.
Submitting an NOL and requesting a Conservation Restoration Plan are separate steps. To receive compensation based on an NRCS Conservation Restoration Plan, both an NOL and a plan request must be submitted by the new deadline.
Source : usda.gov