HOUSE BILL 327

57th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - second session, 2026

INTRODUCED BY

Jonathan A. Henry and Elaine Sena Cortez and Cathrynn N. Brown and Mark B. Murphy and Jimmy G. Mason

AN ACT

RELATING TO THE ENVIRONMENT; REQUIRING THE OIL CONSERVATION DIVISION OF THE ENERGY, MINERALS AND NATURAL RESOURCES DEPARTMENT TO REVIEW, GRANT, GRANT SUBJECT TO CONDITIONS OR DENY APPLICATIONS FOR PERMITS FOR PRODUCED WATER DISPOSAL WELLS WITHIN A SPECIFIED TIME PERIOD.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:

     SECTION 1. A new section of the Oil and Gas Act is enacted to read:

     "[NEW MATERIAL] ADDITIONAL DUTIES OF DIVISION--PRODUCED WATER DISPOSAL WELLS--PERMIT REVIEW TIME PERIOD.--The division shall promulgate rules relating to produced water disposal wells that require the division:

          A. within thirty days after receipt of an application for a permit for a produced water disposal well, to review the application, determine whether it is administratively complete and notify the applicant;

          B. if an application is deemed incomplete, to notify the applicant in writing and describe the specific information necessary to complete the application. The:

                (1) applicant shall have thirty days from notice of incomplete application to submit a supplemental filing to complete an application;

                (2) applicant may submit up to two supplemental filings to complete an application;

                (3) permit review time period shall restart each time the division receives a supplemental filing; and

                (4) division shall deny the application if the second supplemental filing is deemed incomplete, and the applicant may submit a new application; and

          C. within fifteen days after the division deems an application for a permit for a produced water disposal well complete, to grant, grant subject to conditions or deny the permit for a produced water disposal well. If the division fails to act on a complete application within fifteen days, the permit shall be deemed granted."

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