The state transportation commission is hereby authorized and empowered to remove any snow that it deems to be an obstacle to the parking of motor vehicles at any parking area that serves a skiing area. If the parking area is on lands owned by or leased from the state, municipal, county or federal government, the cost of snow removal shall be borne by the state as in the case of road maintenance. If the parking facilities are on private lands, the person in control of the skiing area shall be liable for the payment of such sum, not less than actual cost, as the state transportation commission decides to be the reasonable value of such snow removal. For the purposes of this section, the phrase "skiing area" shall mean any lands or areas used for the sport of skiing and recognized by the tourism department as a tourist attraction.
NMS § 67-3-17