The Water Quality Control Commission (WQCC) established under NMSA 1978, Section 74-6-3 is the state’s water pollution control agency for all purposes of the New Mexico Water Quality Act, the Federal Clean Water Act and Federal Safe Drinking Water Act. The WQCC adopts all regulations and standards administered by the Department relating to groundwater or surface water and hears appeals on the Department’s water-related permitting and enforcement actions.

Pursuant to NMSA 1978, Section 74-6-4, the WQCC:

  1. shall adopt a comprehensive water quality management program and develop a continuing planning process;   
  2. shall adopt water quality standards for surface and ground waters of the state;
  3. shall adopt regulations to prevent or abate water pollution in the state, and to govern the disposal of septage and sludge and the use of sludge for various beneficial purposes;
  4. may grant an individual variance from any regulation of the commission;
  5. may adopt regulations to require the filing of proposed plans and specifications for the construction and operation of sewer systems, or treatment works;
  6. may adopt regulations requiring notice of intent to allow the introduction of water contaminants into waters of the state; and
  7. may adopt regulations establishing pretreatment standards that prohibit or control the introduction into publicly owned sewerage systems of water contaminants that are not susceptible to treatment.   

Pursuant to NMSA 1978, Section 74-6-5, the WQCC:

  1. may require persons to obtain a permit for the discharge of any water contaminant or for the disposal or reuse of septage or sludge;
  2. shall adopt regulations  establishing procedures for certifying federal water quality permits;
  3. may adopt regulations for the operation and maintenance of permitted facilities; shall provide by regulation a schedule of fees for permits.

Of the 14 seats, 10 are designees of governmental agencies and four are appointed by the governor. Pursuant to NMSA 1978, Section 74-6-3, the Commission consists of:

  1.  the secretary of environment or staff designee; 
  2.  the secretary of health or staff designee; 
  3.  the director of the department of game and fish or staff designee;  
  4.  the state engineer or staff designee; 
  5.  the chair of the oil conservation commission or staff designee;  
  6.  the director of the state parks division of the energy, minerals and natural resources department or staff designee; 
  7.  the director of the department of agriculture or staff designee; 
  8.  the chair of the soil and water conservation commission or a soil and water conservation district supervisor designated by the chair; 
  9.  the director of the bureau of geology and mineral resources at the New Mexico institute of mining and technology or staff designee; 
  10.  a municipal or county government representative; and 
  11.  four representatives of the public to be appointed by the governor for terms of four years and who shall be compensated from the budgeted funds of the department of environment in accordance with the provisions of the Per Diem and Mileage Act [10-8-1 NMSA 1978].  At least one member appointed by the governor shall be a member of a New Mexico Indian tribe or pueblo.

The WQCC meets on the second Tuesday of each month, unless there is no pending business. The current WQCC members are:

  1. Thomson, Bruce, CHAIR - Member-at-Large – Term of service: January 1, 2023 - December 31, 2026
  2. Armstrong, Jonas, VICE CHAIR- Secretary of Environment interim designee - appointed March 28, 2023
  3. Brancard, William - Member-at-Large - Term of Service: May 1, 2023 - December 31, 2026
  4. Candelaria, Keith - Member-at-Large - Term of service: January 1, 2023 - December 31, 2026
  5. Srikanth Paladugu - New Mexico Secretary of Health or designee - appointed May 1, 2023
  6. Dominguez, Larry - Department of Agriculture - no expiration
  7. Frey, Bonnie - NM Bureau of Geology and Mineral Resources - Term of Service: August 1, 2022 - April 1, 2023
  8. McWilliams, Krista – Member-at-Large – Term of Service: January 1, 2023 - December 31, 2026
  9. Patten, Kirk - NM Game and Fish
  10. Municipal and County Representative - VACANT Term of service
  11. Razatos, Gerasimos "Gerry" - NM Oil Conservation Commission Designess - appointed May 1, 2023
  12. Velasquez, Toby - State Parks Division, Energy Minerals and Natural Resources Dept. appointed March 1, 2022
  13. Vigil, Edward – Soil and Water Conservation Commission – appointed June 1, 2021
  14. Zemlick, Katie - NM State Engineer and Instrastate Stream Commission - Term of service: July 12, 2022 - 041/01/2023

Upcoming WQCC meetings and associated materials are found on the NMED Events Calendar. Past WQCC meeting materials are available on the archived version of our previous website. Meeting recordings are available on the NMED YouTube channel.

WQCC Meeting

Water Quality Control Commission

The next regular monthly meeting of the Water Quality Control Commission: March 12, 2024

Meeting Notice

Agenda

For more information, please visit the Docketed Matters page of the NMED website.

If you are an individual with a disability who needs a reader, amplifier, qualified signed language interpreter, or any other form of auxiliary aid or service to attend or participate in a WQCC meeting, please contact Commission Administrator at (505) 660-4305 or by email: pamela.jones@env.nm.gov at least ten (10) days prior to the meeting date.

Information on how to access meetings is available on the NMED Events Calendar.

Historical agendas and minutes are available on the archived version of the NMED site

Open Meetings Act Annual Resolution 2024

On the Docket

For matters currently before boards, commissions and the Environment Department Secretary, visit our Docketed Matters page or the Docketed Matters Archive page

Information about how to join hearings and when they are scheduled is available on the Department's calendar.

Contact Us

Office of Public Facilitation

The OPF staff are present in the Runnels Building (1190 So. St. Francis Drive Santa Fe, NM) from 8 -5 Monday through Friday with limited availability during the noon hour. To make an appointment for in-person viewing of documents please contact:

For matters before any Board or Commission: Pamela Jones at 505-660-4305 (pamela.jones@env.nm.gov) or
For matters before the Secretary of the Environment: Madai Corral at 505-490-5803 (madai.corral@env.nm.gov)

Watch Later

Video recordings of hearings before the Secretary and boards and commissions, as well as boards and commissions meetings, are available on our YouTube channel.

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