Governor signs emergency declaration for Socorro County

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SANTA FE, N.M. – Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham signed an executive order Tuesday declaring a state of emergency in Socorro County.

The emergency was declared with the aim of providing local governments with tools and funding, including $750,000 for the Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, to recover from heavy rainfall and flooding within the county in early July.

The state constitution does not allow state emergency funds to be used for direct financial assistance to private individuals.

Similar declarations were ordered for Lincoln, Chaves, Valencia, Eddy, Doña Ana, Mora, Rio Arriba and Catron counties where up to $750,000 was provided in each instance to support recovery efforts.