New Mexico Administrative Code
Title 19 - NATURAL RESOURCES AND WILDLIFE
Chapter 1 - NATURAL RESOURCES GENERAL PROVISIONS
Part 3 - ADMINISTRATION OF THE NATURAL HERITAGE CONSERVATION ACT
Section 19.1.3.15 - MONITORING REPORT REQUIREMENTS

A. Qualified entities awarded grants from the fund shall submit annual reports, by December 1 each year, to the department for 10 years after the date of the acquisition of the conservation or agricultural easement or the date of a grant agreement for a land restoration project, unless a longer or shorter monitoring period is mutually agreed in writing among the department and the qualified entity. On joint public-private conservation projects, the qualified entity may delegate this requirement to a conservation entity. The designated responsible qualified entity or conservation entity shall document easement monitoring activities in perpetuity and keep all documentation available for review by the department at any time. Annual reporting and perpetual documentation shall describe the subject property's management by the landowner and include the details of the qualified entity's and any partner conservation entity's stewardship and monitoring activities. For land restoration projects, the report shall provide at least a qualitative assessment of the degree to which the project has accomplished or is accomplishing the objectives specified in the land restoration project application and grant agreements. Monitoring involves assessment of a conservation project for indications that the pre-specified objectives and intent are being met or that trends are in that direction; there is no requirement for scientific-based, cause-effect research and data collection unless such efforts are specifically made a part of the project agreement at the outset or in subsequent amendments of the agreement. The qualified entity or any designated partner entity shall collect sufficient baseline information during the first year of the project such that subsequent monitoring and description of change can be accomplished.

B. A qualified entity's failure to comply with the reporting or documentation requirements, including ensuring proper reporting or documentation by the conservation entity if this requirement is delegated, may disqualify the qualified entity from receiving future grant funding.