A Petition to Amend 20.6.2.5000 NMAC and Request for a Hearing
This important matter was presented to the Commission at their Public Meeting on Tuesday, July 14, 2015. The meeting began at 9:00am in the Artesia City Hall Chamber, 511 West Texas Avenue, in Artesia, New Mexico. The draft agenda for that meeting is still available online.
Pursuant to the New Mexico Water Quality Act (“WQA”), NMSA 1978, §§76-6-1 to 76- 6-17 (2009) and Section 301 of the Guidelines for Water Quality Control Commission Hearings, Navajo Refining Company, L.L.C. (”Navajo”) petitioned the Commission to adopt new rules authorizing Class I underground injection control wells for hazardous waste (“Class I hazardous waste injection wells”) generated by the oil and gas industry, including refineries (“oil and gas industry”), 20.6.2.5300 NMAC to 20.6.2.5305 NMAC, hereinafter referred to as the Water Conservation Rule (“WCR”). The WCR would incorporate existing federal regulations, promulgated under the authority of the Safe Drinking Water Act (“SWDA”) for Class I hazardous waste injection wells. Navajo’s proposed Water Conservation Rule would amend 20.6.2.5004 and add new text as 20.6.2.5300 through 20.6.2.5305.