Local Hazard Mitigation Plan

The City of Alamogordo, NM, is working to update the Local Hazard Mitigation Plan Update (LHMP). The Plan assesses risks posed by natural and human-caused hazards and develops current mitigation actions for reducing risk to the city. The City is committed to protecting lives, promoting equity, and building resilience by tailoring strategies to address the unique needs and challenges faced by our vulnerable community members. Broad and engaged participation in the LHMP update will ensure the plan is a strong and important tool, resulting in a safer future for all.

Why a Local Hazard Mitigation Plan (LHMP)

Hazard mitigation planning is an initiative to lessen the impact of natural hazards that the City of Alamogordo face. This is done by completing an assessment of the hazards and how vulnerable the county is to those hazards. The next step is to develop mitigation projects for each hazard that affects the county and its jurisdictions. Best of all, by completing an approved Hazard Mitigation Plan it will open a stream of funds for the city.

Hazard mitigation planning can save local jurisdictions money. According to an analysis by the National Institute of Building Sciences, natural hazard mitigation saves an average of $6 for every $1 spent on federal mitigation grants. Additionally, maintaining a local hazard mitigation plan allows the community to remain eligible for disaster assistance and other federally funded opportunities.

This plan will help create a safer and more prepared community for residents, businesses, and visitors to the City of Alamogordo. The LHMP allows public safety personnel, city staff, elected officials, and members of the public to understand the threats from natural and human-caused hazards in our community. The plan update is part of an ongoing process, required every five years (reviewed annually), to review the most recent community information, evaluate hazards, and mitigation ideas that are reviewed by the State of New Mexico, approved by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and adopted by the City of Alamogordo, NM.

Requirements

The Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000 requires all states and local governments to have a Hazard Mitigation Plan to be eligible to apply for certain types of federal hazard mitigation project grant funding. These plans must be implemented on an ongoing basis and updated every five years to ensure they remain current and representative of local risks and locally preferred reduction strategies. The City of Alamogordo’s plan was last completed in 2018.

How to Get Involved

Anyone who lives or works in the City of Alamogordo or is interested in the community's future is invited to participate in the plan update. Here is an overview of the upcoming activities related to the LHMP planning process in which you can participate and provide input:

  • Attend the LHMP Virtual Kickoff Meeting. This provides attendees with an understanding of the overall project scope, schedule, and task of creating a FEMA-approved Hazard Mitigation Plan. The Public Meeting will be May 16, 2024, from 2 pm to 3:30 pm MST.
  • Complete Surveys. Look out for surveys and questionnaires related to hazard mitigation. Your responses will help us understand community needs and preferences.
  • Participate in the Open Comment Period. As a vital part of the project, we will seek community (stakeholder and the public) feedback to incorporate into the plan before submission to NMDHSEM/FEMA for their review and approval.
  • Stay Informed and Spread the Word. Visit our LHMP website and follow the City of Alamogordo’s social media accounts to stay informed about the project's progress. Share information about the project with your neighbors, friends, and family. The more people involved, the stronger our community's resilience.

Open Comment Period

The City of Alamogordo, in partnership with BOLDplanning, Inc., is in the process of updating the City's Local Hazard Mitigation Plan Update (LHMP). Mitigation planning helps local leaders better understand risks from natural hazards and develop long-term strategies to reduce future events' impact on people, property, and the environment.  

According to FEMA, the planning process itself is as important as the resulting plan because it encourages communities like Alamogordo to integrate mitigation with day-to-day decision-making regarding land use, floodplain management, site design, code enforcement, and other functions.

As a key part of the project, the City of Alamogordo is seeking feedback from stakeholders and the public to incorporate into the plan. The LHMP plan draft can be found below.

A public comment period will be open from Monday, September 2, 2024 through Wednesday, September 25, 2024.

To provide your comments, please complete the following actions:

1. Review the Open Comment PowerPoint Presentation (PDF). This document will give an outline of the LHMP plan draft that will help you during your review to give feedback and comments.

2. Review the LHMP Plan Draft (PDF).

3. Provide feedback and comments using our Open Comment Period Survey.

For any questions related to the upcoming City of Alamogordo, NM LHMP Open Comment Period, please contact the City of Alamogordo, NM representative Jerry Ramirez at jramirez@ci.alamogordo.nm.us or BOLDplanning Representative Emily Long at emily@southerncharmcn.com.

Kickoff Meeting Presentations

View the City Officials Kickoff Meeting Presentation (PDF) from Thursday, May 9, 2024.

View the Public Kickoff Meeting Presentation (PDF) from Thursday, May 16, 2024.

Video and Audio Recordings

Download the Public Kickoff Meeting video and audio recordings. The video and audio recordings of the public kickoff meeting are available in a zip file. To unzip the contents of the folder, right-click the folder in File Explorer, select Extract All, choose a file destination, and select Extract to finish.

For More Information About the LHMP Planning Process

For any questions related to the upcoming City of Alamogordo, NM LHMP Planning Process, please email the City of Alamogordo, NM representative Jerry Ramirez.