Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham recently announced Bianca Ortiz-Wertheim's appointment to the position of Director of Infrastructure and Implementation in a press release.
Ortiz-Wertheim had previously served as the cabinet secretary's Director of Homeland Security and Emergency Management (DHSEM) since May 2020.
During her term as secretary of DHSEM, Ortiz-Wertheim oversaw the allocation of over $100 million in federal grants and investments to New Mexico communities for irrigation systems, electricity grids and other essential infrastructure improvements.
Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham
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Her new role will involve overseeing the state's distribution of funds from the $1.2 trillion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), which was passed into law in 2021.
“Bianca has a wealth of knowledge of federal programs and funding and a strong network of relationships across New Mexico,” Lujan Grisham stated in the release. “We were one of the first states to appoint an infrastructure adviser, and our state is truly leading the nation by building a team dedicated to getting these federal dollars out the door quickly and efficiently for transformative projects around the state.”
The IIJA is expected to provide over $3.7 billion to various projects and improvements for the state. This includes $2.5 billion for federally financed transportation programs, $38 million for wildfire prevention, $100 million for internet expansion and $355 million to provide safe drinking water to all residents of New Mexico.
Diego Arencón, the governor's Deputy Chief of Staff, will serve as interim secretary of DHSEM until the governor appoints a replacement.