NM State Water Commission Proposal Would Open Groundwater Pollution To Mines, Industries

[hatrack]

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The proposed new rule would let copper mine operations contaminate groundwater without variances, as long as the contamination was contained and fully removed up to state standards before the mine closed. Specifically, the change would allow Freeport-McMoRan Copper and Gold to contaminate groundwater beneath any of its Southern New Mexico mining properties, as long as it followed the containment and cleanup regulations.

The copper mining industry and the Cabinet secretary for the state’s Environment Department contend the rule will streamline the permitting process and is more protective of groundwater than current regulations. “The idea that we’re violating the [water quality] law is ridiculous,” said Environment Secretary Ryan Flynn. “Opponents of the proposed rule are fighting for a broken system, which many of them are responsible for designing.”

But a former state regulator, the New Mexico attorney general and environmentalists say the language in the proposed rule sets a dangerous precedent: Other industries, like Los Alamos National Laboratory and a gold mine in the works near Santa Fe, could claim a legal right to pollute groundwater beneath their properties without variances.

The Gila Resource Information Project, the Rio Grande Chapter of the Sierra Club and Amigos Bravos all oppose the proposed copper rule. New Mexico Attorney General Gary King has asked the Water Quality Control Commission to send the copper rule back to the New Mexico Environment Department “on the ground that the rule as proposed violates the Water Quality Act.”

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http://www.santafenewmexican.com/news/local_news/article_2f723104-909d-5b72-ba02-cd7ee2e10ce8.html

[Gidney N Cloyd]

1. The saddest part of this: the acceptance that other industries would jump at the chance to pollute.

In 2013 there's still no common individual restraint against polluting the environment and we have to constantly guard against businesses capitalizing on cracks in the law.

[CrispyQ]

2. Kind of long, but worth the read.

The images at the top of the story are . . . sad. The water wars will make all other wars pale in comparison.

[pscot]

3. We can't stop