The New Mexico Environment Department agreed to settle an air enforcement lawsuit that includes a $950,000 civil penalty. | Unsplash
The New Mexico Environment Department agreed to settle an air enforcement lawsuit that includes a $950,000 civil penalty. | Unsplash
The New Mexico Environment Department (NMED) agreed to settle an air enforcement lawsuit that includes a $950,000 civil penalty, according to a news release.
“The Environment Department is 100% committed to holding polluters accountable,” NMED Cabinet Secretary James Kenney said in the news release. “We will vigorously pursue civil enforcement to the maximum extent the law allows.”
CCI San Juan LLC (CCI) and NMED entered into the settlement agreement to resolve permit violations from the San Juan River Gas Plant in Farmington.
CCI was allegedly illegally emitting pollutants in the amount of more than 1.6 million pounds. It was cited for emitting hydrogen sulfide, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides. The incident occurred between October 2016 and November 2018.
The penalty will be reverted to the general fund for the state, the news release states.
NMED reports that if companies fail to comply with emission limits, the harmful levels of air pollutants can affect public health.
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