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Mission

Our mission is to protect and restore the environment and to foster a healthy and prosperous New Mexico for present and future generations. We implement our mission guided by four tenets:

Science

Using the best available science to inform our decision-making in protecting public health and the environment.

Innovation

Employing creative engineering and technological solutions to address environmental challenges.

Collaboration

Engaging communities and interested stakeholders in environmental decision-making outcomes.

Compliance

Ensuring meaningful compliance with state regulations and permits; leveling the playing field through enforcement.

Non-Employee Discrimination Complaints

NMED does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, disability, age or sex in the administration of its programs or activities. To learn more or to file a complaint, visit our Equity webpage.

Quejas por Discriminación de No-Empleados

El Departamento de Medio Ambiente de Nuevo México (NMED, por su sigla en inglés) no discrimina por motivos de raza, color, origen nacional, discapacidad, edad o sexo en la administración de sus programas o actividades. Para obtener más información o para presentar una queja visite Equity webpage.

Happening Now

29 Mar

60-day Public Comment Period: Sandia National Labs Burn Site Groundwater Area of Concern Remedy Selection

5pm MDT
The New Mexico Environment Department (Department/NMED) proposes to select a remedy for corrective action for the Burn Site Groundwater (BSG) Area of Concern (AOC) at Sandia National Laboratories (SNL). The United States Department of Energy/National Nuclear Security Administration (DOE/NNSA) and National Technology and Engineering Solutions of Sandia, LLC (NTESS) conducted a Corrective Measures Evaluation (CME) to evaluate different alternatives for remediation of the BSG AOC and submitted a CME Report to NMED on January 30, 2023 (SNL 2023). NMED is proposing this action under the New Mexico Hazardous Waste Act, NMSA 1978 §§ 74-4-1 to 74-4-17, and under the terms of the Compliance Order on Consent (Consent Order), dated April 29, 2004, executed by NMED and by the DOE and Sandia Corporation. The BSG AOC has been under investigation since the 1990s. Based on the information collected, NMED intends, pending public input, to select a remedy for the BSG AOC.

The public comment period for this Remedy Selection for the Burn Site Groundwater Area of Concern will run from February 15, 2024 through April 15, 2024. Any person who wishes to comment on this action should submit written comments in nmed.commentinput.com… or e-mail comments with the commenter's name and address to neelam.dhawan@env.nm.gov . Only written comments received on or before 5:00 p.m. on April 15, 2024, will be considered.
27 Feb

Department’s Analysis Available for Review, Second 30-day Public Comment Period: Short Line LLC-Las Vegas Aggregate Crusher and Screening Plant Air Quality Construction Permit Application 10131

The Department’s analysis, including the draft permit, air dispersion modeling, and draft Statement of Basis are available for review. The second 30-day comment period is open for this permit application. Visit the NMED website www.env.nm.gov and look for the Public Participation menu in the top right. Click Public Notices and look under San Miguel County to see documents related to this permitting application. Click Public Comment Portal on the Public Participation menu to submit comments or use the link below.
29 Mar

Department’s Analysis Available for Review, Second 30-day Public Comment Period: Short Line LLC-Las Vegas HMA Plant Air Quality Construction Permit Application 10129

The Department’s analysis, including the draft permit, air dispersion modeling, and draft Statement of Basis are available for review. The second 30-day comment period is open for this permit application. Visit the NMED website www.env.nm.gov and look for the Public Participation menu in the top right. Click Public Notices and look under San Miguel County to see documents related to this permitting application. Click Public Comment Portal on the Public Participation menu to submit comments or use the link below.
29 Mar

Mesa Verde Enterprises-MV 400 TPH Gencor HMA Plant Air Quality Construction Permit Application 5880M1

The 30-day comment period is open for this application.  Visit the NMED website at www.env.nm.gov and look for the Public Participation menu in the top right.  Click Public Notices and look under Otero County to see documents related this permitting application.  Click Public Comment Portal on the Public Participation menu to submit comments or use the link below.
29 Mar

Harvest Four Corners LLC-Val Verde Gas Treatment Plant Air Quality Operating Permit Application P118-R4

The 30-day comment period is open for this permit application. Visit the NMED website www.env.nm.gov and look for the Public Participation menu in the top right. Click Public Notices and look under San Juan County to see documents related to this permitting application. Click Public Comment Portal on the Public Participation menu to submit comments or use the link below.
29 Mar

30-day Public Comment Period: Frontier Field Services, LLC – Empire Abo Compressor Station Air Quality Construction Permit Application 0126M12

The 30-day comment period is open for this permit application. Visit the NMED website www.env.nm.gov and look for the Public Participation menu in the top right. Click Public Notices and look under Eddy County to see documents related to this permitting application. Click Public Comment Portal on the Public Participation menu to submit comments or use the link below.
29 Mar

Department’s Analysis Available for Review, Second 30-day Public Comment Period: Mesa Verde Enterprises – MV 400 TPH Astec HMA Plant Air Quality Construction Permit Application 9079M1

The Department’s analysis, including the draft permit, applicants air dispersion modeling, and draft Statement of Basis are available for review. The second 30-day comment period is open for this permit application. Visit the NMED website www.env.nm.gov and look for the Public Participation menu in the top right. Click Public Notices and look under Doña Ana County to see documents related to this permitting application. Click Public Comment Portal on the Public Participation menu to submit comments or use the link below.
29 Mar

30-day Public Comment Period: Dept of the Army - White Sands Missile Range Air Quality Operating Permit Application P085-R4

The 30-day comment period is open for this permit application. Visit the NMED website www.env.nm.gov and look for the Public Participation menu in the top right. Click Public Notices and look under Socorro County, Sierra County, Otero County, Lincoln County, and Dona Ana County to see documents related to this permitting application. Click Public Comment Portal on the Public Participation menu to submit comments or use the link below.
01 Apr

Reminder: Send tank system testing results to Petroleum Storage Tank Bureau

Owners, operators, and testers of petroleum storage tank systems, please email all required tank system test results to: PSTB.compliance@env.nm.gov with a copy to the facility inspector, if known, to allow for receipt and tracking of these reports. Report a suspected or confirmed leak or spill from a petroleum storage tank within 24 hours here (this includes failed or inconclusive test results). Send passing test results within 60 days of when they're done.

Please name the documents you send as follows:

[Facility ID#] [Owner ID#] [Facility name] [Type of Test] [Date of Test]

For example: 30211 53489 Jack’s Quick Mart ATG Test 2021-06-25

The facility ID# and Owner ID# are on the registration certificates you receive after you pay your tank fees every year or may be found in the storage tank lists available near the bottom of the main PSTB (Petroleum Storage Tank Bureau)  webpage, https://www.env.nm.gov/petroleum_storage_tank/.

Information that must be included in reports:

  1. facility name and address;
    (2) facility ID number;
    (3) owner and operator name and address;
    (4) owner ID number;
    (5) date report was completed;
    (6) date of the test;
    AND MORE. See 20.5.107.715.D NMAC and others referred to below.

PLEASE ALSO INCLUDE TANK ID #

New Mexico's Petroleum Storage Tank Regulations are at 20.5 NMAC. You can look up different parts at https://www.srca.nm.gov/chapter-5-petroleum-storage-tanks/ or download the whole book here.

If you are unable to email required test results to PSTB.compliance@env.nm.gov, mail them to: Testing Results, PSTB, 2905 Rodeo Park Drive East, Building 1, Santa Fe, NM 87505.The Petroleum Storage Tank Regulations (20.5 NMAC) that were adopted by the Environmental Improvement Board on May 25, 2018 and effective July 24, 2018 require that most test result reports be sent to the Petroleum Storage Tank Bureau:

  • Storage tank system owners and operators must provide the department all reports as required in 20.5.107 NMAC within 60 days of completion of the tests (20.5.107.715.B NMAC). Owners and operators must report any failed tests or inspections to the department within 24 hours of completion of the test or inspection in accordance with 20.5.118 NMAC (20.5.107.715.C NMAC). 20.5.107.715.D NMAC lists what must be included in the reports. Similar requirements are outlined in 20.5.108.816 NMAC, 20.5.110.1016 NMAC, and 20.5.111.1112 NMAC.
  • Failing or abnormal results of ANY test or monitoring result, including investigation of an alarm, are signs of a suspected release, and owners, installers, junior installers, and testers must report these within 24 hours both by sending them to PSTB.Compliance@env.nm.gov with a cc to the PSTB inspector AND by contacting the Leak of the Week listed here: https://cloud.env.nm.gov/waste/pages/download.php?direct=1&ref=13965&size=&ext=pdf or by calling (505) 827-9329 outside of state business hours if it's an emergency. Owners and operators must also investigate these suspected releases within seven (7) days of discovery and conduct appropriate testing, site check, etc. (20.5.118.1801 NMAC).
  • Unless an owner or operator shows within 30 days that a release that was reported as a suspected release is not a release, it will be treated as a confirmed release, and you must comply with 20.5.118 NMAC and 20.5.119 or 120 NMAC, including taking corrective action, for confirmed releases.

Other requirements pertaining to testing of tanks include:

  • A qualified tester must perform the first test or inspection of existing spill and overfill prevention equipment and interstitial monitoring containment sumps by July 24, 2021. (5.105 NMAC; 20.5.106.613 NMAC, 20.5.107.704, 707, & 714 NMAC, 20.5.108.811 & 813 NMAC, 20.5.109.910 NMAC, 20.5.110.1005 & 1015 NMAC).
  • If you have a UST and/or piping that uses ATG (automatic tank gauging)(only allowed on USTs and/or piping installed before April 4, 2008), a qualified tester must test it at least annually by July 24, 2021 . (20.5.105 NMAC; 20.5.108.805 NMAC, 20.5.108.815 & 816 NMAC).

Helpful brochures to explain many requirements of the regulations are available at: https://www.env.nm.gov/petroleum_storage_tank/guidance-documents-ast-and-ust/

Find your tank inspector here: https://cloud.env.nm.gov/waste/pages/view.php?ref=10632&k=fa934e9692.
05 Apr

Periodo de comentarios públicos abierto: Permisos de Descarga en aguas subterráneas propuestos para aprobación

La Oficina de Calidad de Aguas Subterráneas (GWQB, por sus siglas en inglés) del Departamento de Medio Ambiente de Nuevo México (NMED, por sus siglas en inglés) notifica por este medio que se han propuesto los siguientes Permisos de Descarga de Agua Subterránea para su aprobación. NMED permitirá 30 días después de la fecha de publicación de este aviso (o según lo dispuesto en el aviso público vinculado aquí) para la presentación de comentarios por escrito y/o una solicitud de audiencia pública para una acción de permiso. Puede añadir el periodo de comentarios a su calendario a través de nuestro Calendario de Eventos situado en https://www.env.nm.gov/events-calendar/. Ahora puede enviar sus comentarios en línea utilizando el Portal de comentarios públicos ubicado en https://nmed.commentinput.com/comment/search. Las solicitudes de audiencia pública deberán presentarse por escrito y expondrán los motivos por los cuales debe celebrarse una audiencia. Se llevará a cabo una audiencia si NMED determina que existe un interés público considerable. Después de que el registro administrativo para la acción de permiso esté completo y toda la información requerida esté disponible, NMED aprobará, aprobará con condiciones o denegará el Permiso basado en el registro administrativo.

Haga clic en este enlace para ver el aviso público

NMED mantiene un Plan de Participación Pública (PIP, por sus siglas en inglés) para cada acción de permiso para planificar la facilitación de oportunidades de participación del público e información que pueda ser necesaria para que la comunidad participe en el proceso de permisos. Los PIP se pueden ver en línea en https://www.env.nm.gov/public-notices/, en la oficina local de NMED más cercana a la actividad de permiso propuesta, o comunicándose con el contacto de permisos de NMED identificado en el aviso público vinculado aquí. NMED también mantiene listas de correo específicas de las instalaciones para las personas que desean recibir avisos asociados para una acción de permiso.

Para obtener más información sobre un Permiso de Descarga y el proceso de permisos, para ser incluido en la lista de correo específica de una instalación, o para obtener una copia de un borrador de permiso o PIP, comuníquese con la persona que sirve como Contacto de Permisos de NMED en el número o la dirección facilitados en el aviso público vinculado aquí. Los borradores de permisos se pueden ver en línea en https://www.env.nm.gov/public-notices/ bajo la pestaña correspondiente al condado de la instalación. Los comentarios o las solicitudes de audiencia sobre un borrador de permiso deben dirigirse a GWQB, PO Box 5469, Santa Fe, NM 87502-5469, o enviarse por correo electrónico al contacto de permisos de NMED.

Si usted no habla inglés, no habla bien inglés, o si tiene una discapacidad, puede comunicarse con el contacto de permisos de NMED para solicitar asistencia, un intérprete o un dispositivo auxiliar con el fin de aprender más sobre un Permiso de Descarga o el proceso de permisos, o para participar en actividades asociadas con el proceso de permisos. En la medida de lo posible, el NMED organizará los servicios de interpretación y las adaptaciones o servicios para personas con discapacidades que hayan sido solicitados. Hay disponible asistencia para conversaciones telefónicas a través de Relay New Mexico de forma gratuita para las personas sordas, con problemas de audición o con dificultades para hablar por teléfono llamando al 1-800-659-1779; español: 1-800-327-1857; los usuarios de TTY: 1-800-659-8331. Asistencia telefónica de interpretación para personas que no hablan inglés o no hablan bien el inglés está disponible de forma gratuita llamando a NMED.

NMED no discrimina por motivos de raza, color, origen nacional, discapacidad, edad o sexo en la administración de sus programas o actividades, según lo exigido por las leyes y los reglamentos correspondientes. NMED es responsable de la coordinación de los esfuerzos de cumplimiento y la recepción de consultas relativas a los requisitos de no discriminación implementados por 40 C.F.R. Partes 5 y 7, incluido el Título VI de la Ley de Derechos Civiles de 1964, según enmendada; Sección 504 de la Ley de Rehabilitación de 1973; la Ley de Discriminación por Edad de 1975, Título IX de las Enmiendas de Educación de 1972 y la Sección 13 de las Enmiendas a la Ley Federal de Control de Contaminación del Agua de 1972. Si usted tiene preguntas sobre este aviso o sobre cualquier programa, política o procedimiento de no discriminación de NMED, usted puede comunicarse con la Coordinadora de No Discriminación: Kate Cardenas, Non-Discrimination Coordinator, New Mexico Environment Department, 1190 St. Francis Dr., Suite N4050, P.O. Box 5469, Santa Fe, NM 87502, (505) 827-2855, nd.coordinator@env.nm.gov. Si usted piensa que ha sido discriminado/a con respecto a un programa o actividad de NMED, usted puede comunicarse con la Coordinadora de No Discriminación antes indicada o visitar nuestro sitio web en https://www.env.nm.gov/general/environmental-justice-in-new-mexico/ para aprender cómo y dónde presentar una queja de discriminación.
05 Apr

Public comment period open: Groundwater Discharge Permits Proposed for Approval

The New Mexico Environment Department (NMED) Ground Water Quality Bureau (GWQB) hereby provides notice that the following Groundwater Discharge Permits have been proposed for approval. NMED will allow 30 days after the date of publication of this notice (or as otherwise provided in the public notice linked here) for submittal of written comments and/or a request for a public hearing for a permitting action. You can add the comment period to your calendar through our Events Calendar located at https://www.env.nm.gov/events-calendar/. You can now submit your comments online using the Public Comment Portal located at https://nmed.commentinput.com/comment/search. Requests for public hearing shall be in writing and shall set forth the reasons why a hearing should be held. A hearing will be held if NMED determines that there is substantial public interest. After the administrative record for a permitting action is complete and all required information is available, NMED will approve, approve with conditions, or disapprove the Permit based on the administrative record.

Please click this link to view the Public Notice

NMED maintains a Public Involvement Plan (PIP) for each permitting action to plan for providing public participation opportunities and information that may be needed for the community to participate in a permitting process. PIPs may be viewed on-line at https://www.env.nm.gov/public-notices/, at the NMED field office nearest to the proposed permitted activity, or by contacting the NMED Permit Contact identified in the public notice linked here. NMED also maintains facility-specific mailing lists for persons wishing to receive associated notices for a permitting action.

To learn more about a Discharge Permit and the permitting process, to be placed on a facility-specific mailing list, or to obtain a copy of a draft permit or PIP, please contact the NMED Permit Contact at the telephone number or address provided in the public notice linked here. Draft permits may be viewed on-line at https://www.env.nm.gov/public-notices/ under the tab for the facility’s county. Comments or a request for hearing regarding a draft permit should be addressed to the GWQB, PO Box 5469, Santa Fe, NM 87502-5469, or emailed to the NMED Permit Contact.

If you are a non-English speaker, do not speak English well, or if you have a disability, you may contact the NMED Permit Contact to request assistance, an interpreter, or an auxiliary aid in order to learn more about a Discharge Permit or the permitting process, or to participate in activities associated with the permitting process. To the extent possible, NMED will arrange for requested interpretation services and accommodations or services for persons with disabilities. Telephone conversation assistance is available through Relay New Mexico at no charge for people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have difficulty speaking on the phone, by calling 1-800-659-1779; Spanish: 1-800-327-1857; TTY users: 1-800-659-8331. Telephone interpretation assistance for persons that are a non-English speaker or do not speak English well is available at no charge when calling NMED.

NMED does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, disability, age or sex in the administration of its programs or activities, as required by applicable laws and regulations. NMED is responsible for coordination of compliance efforts and receipt of inquiries concerning non-discrimination requirements implemented by 40 C.F.R. Parts 5 and 7, including Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended; Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973; the Age Discrimination Act of 1975, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, and Section 13 of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act Amendments of 1972. If you have any questions about this notice or any of NMED’s non- discrimination programs, policies or procedures, you may contact: Kate Cardenas, Non-Discrimination Coordinator, New Mexico Environment Department, 1190 St. Francis Dr., Suite N4050, P.O. Box 5469, Santa Fe, NM 87502, (505) 827-2855, nd.coordinator@env.nm.gov. If you believe that you have been discriminated against with respect to a NMED program or activity, you may contact the Non-Discrimination Coordinator identified above or visit our website at https://www.env.nm.gov/general/environmental-justice-in-new-mexico/ to learn how and where to file a complaint of discrimination.

05 Apr

Environmental Improvement Board - Special Meeting

9am – 3pm MDT
This meeting will be the continuation of the Hearing on the Motions for Stay in EIB 23-56 (R)

WebEx:
nmed-oit.webex.com…
 
Meeting number: 2630 769 1684
Password: SJp2XyNw8b6

Join by phone
+1-415-655-0001 US Toll
Access code: 2630 769 1684
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