Addressing Water Protection Challenges in New Mexico

[Nomad]

Last year's Sackett decision and Amended 2023 Rule removed federal pollution protections from 90 percent of New Mexico's surface water. New Mexico's rivers are now the most threatened in the U.S., according to a New Mexico Environment Department report that was recently the subject of this article in The Guardian.

The Sackett ruling has led to New Mexico's seasonal (i.e., non-relatively permanent) waterways being exposed to unregulated pollution. State legislators are now trying to mend this by proposing to allocate $7.6 million funds for groundwater monitoring and setting up a state-level permitting system to regulate pollutants in surface waters.

When the federal protection was ended, it jeopardized the water quality and also water availability for New Mexico's population. The state's new measures aim to fill this regulatory gap and safeguard vital water resources for all communities.

 

[Dean Stratus]

Last year's Sackett decision and Amended 2023 Rule removed federal pollution protections from 90 percent of New Mexico's surface water. New Mexico's rivers are now the most threatened in the U.S., according to a New Mexico Environment Department report that was recently the subject of this article in The Guardian.

The Sackett ruling has led to New Mexico's seasonal (i.e., non-relatively permanent) waterways being exposed to unregulated pollution. State legislators are now trying to mend this by proposing to allocate $7.6 million funds for groundwater monitoring and setting up a state-level permitting system to regulate pollutants in surface waters.

When the federal protection was ended, it jeopardized the water quality and also water availability for New Mexico's population. The state's new measures aim to fill this regulatory gap and safeguard vital water resources for all communities.

It sounds like the proposed state program would be more stringent than what would be required at the federal level. Do you know if it likely that the state legislature would be likely to pass funding for this New Mexico water permitting program? Here in Virginia there has been a VPDES program for years, but IMHO it is underfunded and could be more effective with more inspectors.

 

[Chris_Sows_32]

I have no experience with New Mexico water regulations but as an example as to how it can be addressed, take Los Ángeles for example. The river was highly polluted 30-40 years ago until the city adopted several policies to combat this specific to their environment. One of the outcomes was that a part of the riverbed section has become teeming with life now when previously it had no sense of life. Addressing the need to conserve water by enacting policies does help in the long run to preserve water and it might be of urgent use to enact it sooner than later

 

[Nomad]

It sounds like the proposed state program would be more stringent than what would be required at the federal level. Do you know if it likely that the state legislature would be likely to pass funding for this New Mexico water permitting program? Here in Virginia there has been a VPDES program for years, but IMHO it is underfunded and could be more effective with more inspectors.

Based on recent developments it looks like that the New Mexico state legislature would pass funding for the water permitting program. They have already allocated funds. Likewise, there is also a growing demand for water security.

 

[Oberon-Vortigern]

As someone from LA county, I may not know much about New Mexico's policy, but I can say this: it is crucial for New Mexico to continue to invest in and prioritize water protection, especially given the state's unique environmental challenges and the importance of water for its population and ecosystems.

 

[Jay10]

Similar to New Mexico, the quality and availability of water resources in Los Angeles could be seriously threatened by the loss of federal pollution laws. It is crucial to safeguard these water sources since a sizable population depends on them for recreation, agriculture, and drinking water.

With New Mexico's proposal funds for groundwater monitoring and setting up a state-level permitting system, legislators in California's state legislature should adopt a permitting system to control contaminants in surface waters and providing funding for groundwater monitoring to lessen the effects of the federal reversal and protect the water quality for the community.

 

[Eric]

I have no experience with New Mexico water regulations but as an example as to how it can be addressed, take Los Ángeles for example. The river was highly polluted 30-40 years ago until the city adopted several policies to combat this specific to their environment. One of the outcomes was that a part of the riverbed section has become teeming with life now when previously it had no sense of life. Addressing the need to conserve water by enacting policies does help in the long run to preserve water and it might be of urgent use to enact it sooner than later

Good point, Chris. Sounds like you're referring to work that the City of LA and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) have been undertaking in recent years to restore riparian and freshwater marsh habitat in the LA River (i.e., the Los Angeles River Ecosystem Restoration Project). USACE LA District released a video that really illustrates the LA River restoration and wildlife benefits you mentioned, which can be viewed here.

The bottom line is that just because regulatory protections for certain resources get reduced doesn't mean that important work can't be accomplished to continue proactively improving and protecting those resources. Unlike ephemeral waters in New Mexico, the LA River will always be protected under the Clean Water Act (i.e., it will always have "relatively permanent" flow due to non-stormwater runoff). What's worth noting is that government actions to enhance the LA River's functions and values are being implemented irrespective of the river's regulatory protections.

Maybe tax dollars are better spent on tangible aquatic resource restoration and protection activities (i.e., boots on the ground and funding CEs/endowments), like what's happening in the LA River, rather than on permit processing labor and bureaucratic red tape?