ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Wildfire damage and last month's heavy rains caused millions of dollars worth of infrastructure damage on the Santa Clara Pueblo in northern New Mexico. After receiving a Major Disaster declaration by President Barack Obama the tribe thought they had FEMA funds on the way to help with their recovery, but the federal government shutdown has stalled the process.
Before the Federal Emergency Management Agency could release funding to the tribe, a group of representatives had to visit the pueblo to assess the damage and determine a final dollar amount.
But due to the federal government shutdown, those representatives were not allowed to complete their work and were sent home.
Edward Calabaza is the spokesman for the Santa Clara Pueblo. He said the delay is a serious setback, and could endanger even more infrastructure on the reservation.
"We needed the FEMA aids so that we could start rebuilding roads, building earthen dams and building more catch areas for the water that would hold up," Calabaza said. "We hope the shutdown is lifted soon because it's not only affecting the Santa Clara Pueblo, but other tribes and federal entities as well."
The tribe has already declared its own state of emergency, releasing about $5 million of its own money to fund restoration efforts.