HB 327

                                1  HOUSE BILL 327
                                2      57TH LEGISLATURE - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - SECOND SESSION, 2026
                                3  INTRODUCED BY
                                4    Jonathan A. Henry and Elaine Sena Cortez and Cathrynn N. Brown
                                5  and Mark B. Murphy and Jimmy G. Mason
                                6
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                                8
                                9
                                10  AN ACT
                                11   RELATING TO THE ENVIRONMENT; REQUIRING THE OIL CONSERVATION
                                12   DIVISION OF THE ENERGY, MINERALS AND NATURAL RESOURCES
                                13   DEPARTMENT TO REVIEW, GRANT, GRANT SUBJECT TO CONDITIONS OR
                                14   DENY APPLICATIONS FOR PERMITS FOR PRODUCED WATER DISPOSAL WELLS
                                15   WITHIN A SPECIFIED TIME PERIOD.
                                16
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                                17   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:
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                                18        SECTION 1.      A new section of the Oil and Gas Act is
                                19   enacted to read:
                                20        "[NEW MATERIAL] ADDITIONAL DUTIES OF DIVISION--PRODUCED
                                21   WATER DISPOSAL WELLS--PERMIT REVIEW TIME PERIOD.--The division
                                22   shall promulgate rules relating to produced water disposal
                                23   wells that require the division:
                                24  A.    within thirty days after receipt of an
                                25   application for a permit for a produced water disposal well, to
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                                1    review the application, determine whether it is
                                2    administratively complete and notify the applicant;
                                3  B.   if an application is deemed incomplete, to
                                4    notify the applicant in writing and describe the specific
                                5    information necessary to complete the application.       The:
                                6  (1)   applicant shall have thirty days from
                                7    notice of incomplete application to submit a supplemental
                                8    filing to complete an application;
                                9  (2)   applicant may submit up to two
                                10   supplemental filings to complete an application;
                                11  (3)   permit review time period shall restart
                                12   each time the division receives a supplemental filing; and
                                13  (4)   division shall deny the application if the
                                14   second supplemental filing is deemed incomplete, and the
                                15   applicant may submit a new application; and
                                16  C.   within fifteen days after the division deems an
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                                17   application for a permit for a produced water disposal well
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                                18   complete, to grant, grant subject to conditions or deny the
                                19   permit for a produced water disposal well.    If the division
                                20   fails to act on a complete application within fifteen days, the
                                21   permit shall be deemed granted."
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                                     .233004.3