New Mexico’s Environment Department held public hearings on proposed rule changes that could impact its oil and gas industry.
While the rules aim to lower ozone pollution, KRQE reported, critics such as Jim Winchester, of the Independent Petroleum Association of New Mexico, feel they’re an overreach.
“Our concerns with independent production is that the rules, as they are proposed, could have a disproportional impact on our smaller producers,” Winchester told the station.
The new rules would regulate pollution in northeast and southeast New Mexico as oil and natural gas is pumped from the ground.
That means it’s on oil and gas producers to perform more self-monitoring of ozone levels.
The New Mexico Environmental Law Center’s Charles De Saillan testified at the hearing on Tuesday that many agencies involved support the regulations, KRQE reported.
“I want to say that we support the agreement that has been reached among OXI USA, EDF, clean air advocates and some of the other organizations,” he told the station. “We commend these parties for reaching an agreement on these issues. We urge the Environment Department to also support this agreement and we urge the board to adopt the terms of this agreement.”