USDA Forest Service and NMRECA Collaborate on Statewide Powerline Permit Guidance Across New Mexico National Forests

Partnership aims to improve wildfire mitigation, streamline infrastructure maintenance, and strengthen coordination for rural electric service reliability.

(Santa Fe, NM, May 29, 2026) — The USDA Forest Service and the New Mexico Rural Electric Cooperative Association, in coordination with New Mexico’s rural electric cooperatives, have developed a new statewide framework designed to improve consistency, coordination, and efficiency for powerline utility special use permits across National Forest System lands in New Mexico.

The initiative comes at a critical time as rural communities, electric cooperatives, and federal land managers face increasing wildfire risks, aging infrastructure challenges, and growing demands for reliable electric and fiber services across forested regions of the state.

The collaborative guidance document aligns with Executive Order 14154 (Unleashing American Energy) through the establishment of a statewide approach for administering utility permits, vegetation management planning, and infrastructure maintenance activities on lands managed by the five national forests in New Mexico. The framework will improve consistency, reduce delays, and support proactive maintenance that protects both critical infrastructure and the forests themselves. 

Key goals of the collaboration include:

·      Streamlining environmental review processes to reduce delays and improve efficiency

·      Supporting proactive vegetation management and wildfire mitigation efforts

·      Improving consistency in permit administration across forest boundaries

·      Enhancing coordination between Forest Service personnel and utility operators

·      Strengthening reliability of electric and broadband infrastructure serving rural New Mexico communities

The guidance will support both existing and future utility special use permits and will be used in coordination with vegetation management plans and operating plans associated with utility corridors on National Forest System lands.

Protecting forests and maintaining reliable infrastructure are shared responsibilities. By working together across boundaries and jurisdictions, the organizations aim to better support public safety, wildfire resilience, and reliable service for the communities that depend on these systems every day.

The guidance is expected to be reviewed and updated annually to reflect evolving operational needs, regulatory considerations, and leadership priorities.

About NMRECA: The New Mexico Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NMRECA) represents New Mexico’s rural electric cooperatives, which provide electric service across approximately 80% of the state’s landmass. NMRECA supports member cooperatives through advocacy, communications, education, safety, and collaborative statewide initiatives.

About the Forest Service: The Forest Service has, for more than 100 years, brought people and communities together to answer the call of conservation. Grounded in world-class science and technology — and rooted in communities — the Forest Service connects people to nature and to each other. The Forest Service cares for shared natural resources in ways that promote lasting economic, ecological, and social vitality. The agency manages 193 million acres of public land, provides assistance to state and private landowners, and maintains the largest wildland fire and forestry research organizations in the world. The Forest Service also has either a direct or indirect role in stewardship of about 900 million forested acres within the U.S., of which over 130 million acres are urban forests where most Americans live.

 

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