Acequia Communities Empowered by Qualifying Upgrades for Infrastructure Act

This bill modifies a federal disaster assistance program to provide full financial coverage for crop losses caused by drought or other disasters to farmers and ranchers in New Mexico who rely on acequia water systems. It also removes the requirement for special permits for routine maintenance and minor repairs (like ditch cleaning or infrastructure repairs) conducted by community members managing acequias on federal lands. The bill mandates a Department of Agriculture report within two years detailing how many acequia-dependent farmers received disaster aid, access to other agricultural programs, and available targeted assistance. These changes directly support New Mexico's acequia communities by strengthening their financial resilience and reducing bureaucratic barriers to maintaining their century-old water infrastructure.