N.M. Congressional Democrats Announce Beginning Of FEMA Claims Process, Public Comment Period For Hermit’s Peak/Calf Canyon Fire Assistance Act

N.M. Congressional Democrats passed $2.5 billion to support New Mexico residents and business owners impacted by this year’s Hermit’s Peak/Calf Canyon fires

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) and U.S. Representatives Teresa Leger Fernández (D-N.M.) and Melanie Stansbury (D-N.M.) announced that New Mexicans impacted by the Hermits Peak/Calf Canyon Fire can now submit a Notice of Loss form to signal interest in beginning the claims process with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). FEMA expects to start contacting those who submitted Notice of Loss forms and begin paying claims in early 2023.

New Mexico’s Congressional Democrats successfully secured the Hermit’s Peak/Calf Canyon Fire Assistance Act and $2.5 billion for FEMA to establish and carry out the requirements of the bill in September. The Hermit’s Peak/Calf Canyon Fire Assistance Act was introduced by Senator Luján and Representative Leger Fernández, and co-sponsored by Senator Heinrich and Representative Stansbury.

FEMA has published an Interim Final Rule in the Federal Register implementing the Hermit’s Peak/Calf Canyon Fire Assistance Act on November 14 and is now seeking public comment on this Interim Final Rule. The public comment period will run from Nov. 14, 2022, through Jan. 13, 2023, and comments can be submitted at Regulations.gov.

The Hermit’s Peak/Canyon Fire Assistance Act provides compensation for those impacted by the fire. The compensation may cover eligible loss, including personal injury, loss of property, business loss or financial loss.

FEMA’s Interim Final Rule guides the claims process and describes necessary documentation, evaluation criteria and compensation available for those impacted by the fire and subsequent flooding. The rule also provides additional guidance for appeal rights, arbitration and judicial review.

Notice of Loss forms can be submitted to FEMA by:

Email: fema-hermits-peak@fema.dhs.gov

Mail: FEMA Hermit’s Peak/Calf Canyon Claims Office, P.O. Box 1329, Santa Fe, NM 87504

The Notice of Loss form to submit to FEMA can be found here.

Once the Claims Office reviews the Notice of Loss form and confirms completeness, FEMA will have 180 days to determine the amount to be paid to the claimant. The FEMA Claims Office is expected to be fully operational in early 2023, which is when they will begin to respond to claims.

FEMA will hold four in-person public meetings to solicit public feedback about the Interim Final Rule.

FEMA will hold meetings on the below dates.

• November 17, 2022 from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. MT at Old Memorial Middle School, 947 Legion Drive, Las Vegas, NM 87701;
• December 1, 2022 from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. MT at the Mora High School, 10 Ranger Road, Mora, NM 87732;
• December 15, 2022 from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. MT at Old Memorial Middle School, 947 Legion Drive, Las Vegas, NM 87701; and
• January 5, 2023 from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. MT at the Mora High School, 10 Ranger Road, Mora, NM 87732.

For further information and updates from FEMA, please visit www.fema.gov/disaster/current/hermits-peak.

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