Dear Environmental Improvement Board:
Please approve the air quality permit fee rules proposed by the New Mexico Environment Department. Our air program needs more inspectors, more monitors, and more capacity to keep up with the rapid growth of oil and gas facilities.
Communities across New Mexico live with flaring, odors, dust, and toxic pollution that affect breathing, headaches, school days, and the ability to enjoy the outdoors. Families deserve real monitoring, timely inspections, and strong enforcement so the air they breathe is actually protected, not just promised on paper.
Permit fees pay for the basic tools that protect communities, including site inspections, compliance staff, air monitoring networks, and enforcement when violations occur. Without updated fees the program faces a funding cliff by 2028, which would mean fewer inspections and less protection for families who live near heavy industry.
Companies that profit from our resources should help cover the real cost of clean air. New Mexico residents should not be asked to accept more pollution because oversight is underfunded.
Please approve the proposed fee update so the Environment Department can protect public health and hold polluters accountable.
