Latest news with #NewMexicoEnvironmentDepartment
Yahoo
12-07-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
New Mexico sues US air force over Pfas pollution from military base
The state of New Mexico is suing the US air force over its refusal to comply with orders to address extremely high levels of Pfas pollution stemming from its base, which has tainted drinking water for tens of thousands of people, damaged crops and poisoned dairy cows. Though the military acknowledges Pfas-laden firefighting foam from Cannon air force base is the source of a four mile chemical plume in the aquifer below Clovis, New Mexico, it has refused to comply with most state orders to address the issue. The new lawsuit filed by the state's justice and environmental departments is the latest salvo in the seven-year battle over the pollution, and comes after changes to state law that strengthened New Mexico's legal position. Related: Landmark US study reveals sewage sludge and wastewater plants tied to Pfas pollution The air force's inaction has forced state taxpayers to shoulder the cost, and the plume has 'become a ward of the state', said James Kenney, secretary of the New Mexico environment department. 'They've managed to litigate against the state, they've allowed the plume to go unchecked, and in the mind of the state and much of the community, they've done nothing of substance,' Kenney added. Pfas are a class of about 15,000 compounds most frequently used to make products water-, stain- and grease-resistant. They have been linked to cancer, birth defects, decreased immunity, high cholesterol, kidney disease and a range of other serious health problems. They are dubbed 'forever chemicals' because they do not naturally break down in the environment. Pfas are a common ingredient in firefighting foam, and the military is in the process of phasing it out because the highly toxic substance has widely contaminated water and the environment around over 700 bases nationwide. In 2018, Cannon's Pfas was found to have poisoned drinking water for over 100 private wells, and has so far taken out one municipal well that serves Clovis, a city of 40,000 people. Levels found in surface water were about 27,000 times higher than US Environmental Protection Agency drinking water limits. The pollution also continues to contaminate thousands of acres of crops that rely on the aquifer for water, raising questions about the safety of those products. Local dairy farmers in 2018 were forced to euthanize about 3,500 cows that had contaminated milk. In August, another 7,000 gallons of Pfas-contaminated wastewater leaked from an air force pond into groundwater, but the air force has refused to pay a $70,000 state fine. The air force in a statement told the Guardian it does not comment on active litigation. In 2019, New Mexico issued a corrective action permit that stipulated how it should remediate the plume. The air force then sued New Mexico in federal court, alleging that the Pfas foam is not a hazardous substance, and the state lacked the authority to make the order. That awaits an opinion from a federal court. The New Mexico legislature designated the Pfas-laden foam as a hazardous substance under state law in response. The new suit, in state court, asks a judge to order the air force to provide water treatment systems to affected residents, or connect those whose wells are contaminated to municipal sources. It also calls for pollution controls around the base and compensation for those whose property has been affected, among other measures. The nation's hazardous waste laws allow states to establish requirements for substances like Pfas and firefighting foam. The US Department of Justice and the air force's refusal to clean up the waste is essentially 'flipping the bird' at US law, Kenney said. The air force has provided filtration systems for some homes with the highest levels of Pfas, but it has not maintained the systems, nor has it provided any for agriculture. The military has not gone far enough, Kenney said. 'If they contaminated people's drinking and agricultural water … and they're litigating instead of remediating, then we can't sit back and say they're doing the right thing,' Kenney added. Cannon is not isolated, and the air force has received criticism for slow responses to pollution around the country. After years of resisting orders to address Pfas from a base in Tucson, Arizona, that threatened the city's drinking water, the air force late last year agreed to fund new filtration systems. Congress has made around $3bn of funding available annually for Pfas remediation at military bases, but the air force often still 'slow rolls' the work, said Jared Hayes, senior policy analyst with the Environmental Working Group nonprofit, which tracks military Pfas pollution. He noted the air force's remedial investigation of the New Mexico plume is not due until the end of 2026. 'We've seen similar situations across the country where the air force is generally dragging its feet when it comes to cleaning up Pfas pollution,' Hayes said. 'Communities in New Hampshire, Michigan, Arizona, New Mexico are waiting and waiting for cleanup, but it's still a long way off.'
The Guardian
10-07-2025
- Health
- The Guardian
New Mexico sues US air force over Pfas pollution from military base
The state of New Mexico is suing the US air force over its refusal to comply with orders to address extremely high levels of Pfas pollution stemming from its base, which has tainted drinking water for tens of thousands of people, damaged crops and poisoned dairy cows. Though the military acknowledges Pfas-laden firefighting foam from Cannon air force base is the source of a four mile chemical plume in the aquifer below Clovis, New Mexico, it has refused to comply with most state orders to address the issue. The new lawsuit filed by the state's justice and environmental departments is the latest salvo in the seven-year battle over the pollution, and comes after changes to state law that strengthened New Mexico's legal position. The air force's inaction has forced state taxpayers to shoulder the cost, and the plume has 'become a ward of the state', said James Kenney, secretary of the New Mexico environment department. 'They've managed to litigate against the state, they've allowed the plume to go unchecked, and in the mind of the state and much of the community, they've done nothing of substance,' Kenney added. Pfas are a class of about 15,000 compounds most frequently used to make products water-, stain- and grease-resistant. They have been linked to cancer, birth defects, decreased immunity, high cholesterol, kidney disease and a range of other serious health problems. They are dubbed 'forever chemicals' because they do not naturally break down in the environment. Pfas are a common ingredient in firefighting foam, and the military is in the process of phasing it out because the highly toxic substance has widely contaminated water and the environment around over 700 bases nationwide. In 2018, Cannon's Pfas was found to have poisoned drinking water for over 100 private wells, and has so far taken out one municipal well that serves Clovis, a city of 40,000 people. Levels found in surface water were about 27,000 times higher than US Environmental Protection Agency drinking water limits. The pollution also continues to contaminate thousands of acres of crops that rely on the aquifer for water, raising questions about the safety of those products. Local dairy farmers in 2018 were forced to euthanize about 3,500 cows that had contaminated milk. In August, another 7,000 gallons of Pfas-contaminated wastewater leaked from an air force pond into groundwater, but the air force has refused to pay a $70,000 state fine. The air force in a statement told the Guardian it does not comment on active litigation. In 2019, New Mexico issued a corrective action permit that stipulated how it should remediate the plume. The air force then sued New Mexico in federal court, alleging that the Pfas foam is not a hazardous substance, and the state lacked the authority to make the order. That awaits an opinion from a federal court. The New Mexico legislature designated the Pfas-laden foam as a hazardous substance under state law in response. The new suit, in state court, asks a judge to order the air force to provide water treatment systems to affected residents, or connect those whose wells are contaminated to municipal sources. It also calls for pollution controls around the base and compensation for those whose property has been affected, among other measures. The nation's hazardous waste laws allow states to establish requirements for substances like Pfas and firefighting foam. The US Department of Justice and the air force's refusal to clean up the waste is essentially 'flipping the bird' at US law, Kenney said. The air force has provided filtration systems for some homes with the highest levels of Pfas, but it has not maintained the systems, nor has it provided any for agriculture. The military has not gone far enough, Kenney said. 'If they contaminated people's drinking and agricultural water … and they're litigating instead of remediating, then we can't sit back and say they're doing the right thing,' Kenney added. Cannon is not isolated, and the air force has received criticism for slow responses to pollution around the country. After years of resisting orders to address Pfas from a base in Tucson, Arizona, that threatened the city's drinking water, the air force late last year agreed to fund new filtration systems. Congress has made around $3bn of funding available annually for Pfas remediation at military bases, but the air force often still 'slow rolls' the work, said Jared Hayes, senior policy analyst with the Environmental Working Group nonprofit, which tracks military Pfas pollution. He noted the air force's remedial investigation of the New Mexico plume is not due until the end of 2026. 'We've seen similar situations across the country where the air force is generally dragging its feet when it comes to cleaning up Pfas pollution,' Hayes said. 'Communities in New Hampshire, Michigan, Arizona, New Mexico are waiting and waiting for cleanup, but it's still a long way off.'
Yahoo
18-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
State hearings on Southern New Mexico water utility fines postponed
A photo of the drying bed at the Santa Teresa Community Arsenic Treatment Facility included in a recent inspection of the Camino Real Regional Utility Authority. (Courtesy of U.S. Environmental Protection Agency / David Esparza) Attorneys for state regulators and a Southern New Mexico water utility facing $250,000 in fines for arsenic level violations have agreed to push back hearings about the penalties. The hearings scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday will now be held sometime in the fall, according to a joint motion filed last week by attorneys for Camino Real Regional Utility Authority and the New Mexico Environment Department. The utility supplies water for more than 19,000 people in Sunland Park, Santa Teresa and southern Doña Ana County, an area with high levels of naturally-occurring arsenic in the groundwater. State regulators first issued fines of more than $251,000 in March 2024, after findings that the utility's arsenic treatment plants were 'offline and bypassed' for more than a year, sending drinking water with 'high levels of arsenic' to residents. Drinking water with high levels of arsenic is associated with diseases such as diabetes, increased risk of cancers, and can contribute to heart and lung diseases and skin problems, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. Utility leadership has said in statements that they take the concerns seriously and have worked to lower arsenic levels, achieving compliance with federal standards. However, after a series of failed tests in May public officials and the state's top environment officials said they've lost confidence in the utility's leadership to address the chronic issues. In late May, the New Mexico Environment Department filed an amended complaint, claiming that the utility delayed reporting elevated arsenic levels for multiple days and failed to specifically report them to the state. 'The continuing cycle of non-compliance by Respondent which compromises the public's access to safe and reliable drinking water requires the application of a bad faith enhancement for each of the violations which are the subject of this enforcement action,' the amended complaint stated Regulators raised the total fine to $252,000. Attorneys for the utility objected to the addition of new allegations for the upcoming June hearing, and requested more time to address them. Both the utility and the environment department agreed to a calendar extending witness and discovery deadlines into August, with a final date for the new hearing to follow. The utility faces additional court dates beyond the administrative hearing later this year. A 3rd Judicial District Judge ordered parties to submit a further schedule in the civil lawsuit the state brought earlier this month against the utility, requesting the judge appoint a third party to take over the utility's operations. A hearing is scheduled for July in the civil lawsuit brought last year, which alleges the utility violated residents' civil rights. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
State environment department adds terms for Los Alamos National Lab radioactive gas release
A Flanged Tritium Waste Container (FTWC) is a stainless-steel certified pressure vessel designed for long-term storage of tritium-contaminated waste items. The Laboratory is planning to vent headspace gases from four of these containers. (Photo courtesy Los Alamos National Laboratory) The New Mexico Environment Department says Los Alamos National Laboratory will need to meet additional conditions before the state will sign off on a release of radioactive gas, and lambasted the lab for allowing the problem to mount over decades. The issue concerns four containers the lab packed in 2007, which contain radioactive gas tritium and some hazardous waste, and require pressure release by 2028 in order to be transported and disposed of. LANL has requested state officials sign off on a plan to release small amounts of gas over time to relieve the pressure, and said the releases will not harm the environment and human health. Tritium, a radioactive isotope of hydrogen, can be naturally occurring or a byproduct from nuclear research, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The EPA characterizes the gas as a lower threat, emitting radiation that often cannot penetrate the skin and leaves the body quickly when consumed as tritiated water. In a June 9 letter to officials at the National Nuclear Security Administration and private contractor Triad National Security, which operate LANL, NMED Secretary James Kenney decreed the lab will need to hire an independent technical reviewer for the plan; hold public meetings and tribal consultations; and submit to an audit of hazardous waste disposal operations, before approval will be given. 'In closing, the historical gross mismanagement of these waste streams by DOE and NNSA have placed NMED in an untenable situation. Now, the risk of inaction poses a far greater threat than a technical solution, but no technical solution is free from risk,' Kenney wrote. 'Your disregard of state laws and rules governing these wastes for almost 20 years greatly exacerbated this situation and put New Mexicans, tribal communities, and our environment at risk.' The state believes the laboratory can conduct the steps needed for approval within three months, New Mexico Environment Department Resource Protection Division Director Rick Shean said in an interview with Source NM Tuesday. He said the time pressure from LANL on the plan could have been mitigated in the years since the waste containers were found in 2007. 'If they had dealt with that closer to that discovery time, we wouldn't be in this situation right now,' Shean said. 'So it was their lack of action when the problem was identified that has made this problem worse.' The letter accompanied a complaint the New Mexico Environment Department filed over a failure of the federal government to fund the state's independent oversight of national lab activities. While the funding was eventually restored, the complaint said, the department incurred a little more than $8,400 in administrative costs and jeopardized water, air and soil monitoring programs — including for tritium releases. The complaint requests that federal officials sign a commitment for future funds, issue reports to Congress on the funding and explicitly request the NNSA be named as a responsible party. Federal officials have the chance to appeal the complaint in a hearing process before NMED. Source NM emailed officials at Triad and the NNSA for comment late afternoon Tuesday, and will update the stories with further statements as needed.
Yahoo
06-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
New Mexico Environment Department offers free well water testing in Taos on June 14
TAOS COUNTY, N.M. (KRQE) — The New Mexico Environment Department and the New Mexico Department of Health are hosting a free domestic well water testing event in Taos on Saturday, June 14 from 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Taos Farmer's Market. The first 100 participants will receive the free test. Story continues below News: Surveillance video captures crash involving off-duty officer that severely injured man Events: What's happening around New Mexico June 6-12? Albuquerque Pride Parade New Mexico Strange: Holy dirt and healing water: A look at NM's miraculous locations The results will be mailed to their house within two to three weeks. Participants are asked to bring their own water sample to the event. They're also asked to bring basic information such as well depth, depth to water, well casing material, well latitude and longitude and distance from the well to the nearest septic tank or leachfield system. You can find guidelines on how to collect those samples below: 'Let the water run for two to three minutes before collecting the sample Fill a clean glass or plastic container without any odors with at least a quart or liter of your well water If the home has a whole house filtration system, collect the water at the well head prior to any filtration or softener systems, if possible Fill the container with water as close to the time of testing as possible' If someone is unable to attend but wants their well water tested, a family member or neighbor can bring the sample to the event. That sample must be clearly labeled with the owner's name, phone number, address and well information attached. 'Private well owners in Taos County can come to this water fair and find out more about the quality of their household drinking water,' Ground Water Quality Bureau Chief Justin Ball said. 'When we know what's in our well water, we can take action. Free testing helps our communities stay informed and healthy.' You can find upcoming events by the New Mexico Environment Department on their website. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
