The New Mexico Supreme Court on Monday agreed to consider reviving a lawsuit brought by environmentalists over air pollution from the oil and gas sector.
The lawsuit alleges New Mexico, one of the nation’s top-producing states, is issuing permits for new wells without addressing lingering air quality issues in violation of a part of the state’s constitution requiring pollution control.
Background: The lawsuit was filed in 2023 and argued that continuing failure to meet federal air quality standards violates a 1971 amendment requiring the state to “control of pollution and control of despoilment of the air, water and other natural resources of this state, consistent with the use and development of these resources for the maximum benefit of the people.”
Permitting of new oil and gas wells should be suspended until air quality issues are addressed, the groups argued.
