Created during the 2023 legislative session, the Land of Enchantment Legacy Fund (LOE) does what has never been done in New Mexico. It invests long-term in supporting statewide programs that help protect and restore our lands, water, wildlife, and cultural heritage.
Not one fund but two, the LOE consists of two $50 million reserves. The first reserve is used to fund existing state programs and to support successful state initiatives. The second reserve is managed by the State Investment Council and is designed to be a permanent fund where interest compounds over time and is annually disbursed into existing state programs.
However, the LOE permanent fund still needs to be self-sustaining. In the 2024 session, we must utilize this year’s $3 billion dollar windfall and invest in our communities, land, water, wildlife, and New Mexico’s future. We can do that by getting the permanent fund to its $350 million minimum needed to make it self-sustaining. This is an opportunity not only to secure funding from within the state but also to create an avenue for millions of dollars to flow to New Mexico communities through federal matching grants. It is an opportunity we, as a state, cannot pass up.
To illustrate the number of past and current projects throughout the state that can be funded by the LOE, an interactive map has been created by the LOE Coalition. You can check it out here.
You can also support efforts to secure New Mexico’s first-ever dedicated funding stream for conservation by signing our petition and letting your legislators know you want them to fully fund the LOE. Doing this will mean that its annual interest can deliver resources to all 33 counties and tribal communities while building resilience and restoration and supporting healthy communities for generations to come.
If you’d like to learn more about the Land of Enchantment Legacy fund and how it came to be, click here.