Hearing details

Date: The hybrid hearing starts Monday, May 13th and may continue through Friday, May 17th.
Location: Room 317 of New Mexico’s State Capitol Building in Santa Fe and virtually via WebEx.

How to submit public comment

● The public may provide oral comments at the hearing. Comments may be given in person or
online during the hearing on May 13 at 12pm and 5pm and each day thereafter the hearing is
in session at 9am and 1pm. Because it is not known how long the hearing will last, it is best
to comment closer to the beginning of the hearing.
● The public may provide written comments now until the end of the hearing. Send comments
via email to the Commission administrator at pamela.jones@env.nm.gov. Please reference
docket number WQCC 23–84(R) in your email.

The rule proposed by the New Mexico Environment Department

● Would prohibit the discharge of untreated and treated produced water to:
o Ground water, which is subsurface water in aquifers used for drinking water and other
purposes. Produced water cannot be discharged to or disposed of on land because it can
leach into aquifers from the surface, and contaminate ground water.
o Surface waters, including rivers, streams, lakes, wetlands, and arroyos.
● Would establish requirements for produced water use in “demonstration projects” and
“industrial projects,” including banning produced water discharges to ground and surface
waters. It would require project managers to develop spill prevention plans and pay for
cleanup in case of a spill, accident, or discharge.

Produced water is a byproduct of oil and gas drilling and production, and contains many known and
unknown toxic pollutants harmful to human health and the environment. Reuse of produced water
in oil and gas operations is regulated by the Oil Conservation Division under Oil Conservation
Commission rules. This rulemaking will govern discharge of produced water outside oil and gas
operations.