ABQ Journal (August 7, 2022) – The Independent Petroleum Association of New Mexico filed a legal appeal Friday challenging new state regulations aimed at reducing ozone pollution in the oil and gas industry.

New Mexico’s Environmental Improvement Board adopted the new rules in April and they went into effect officially on Friday.

Oil and gas operators in high-ozone counties must now have emissions data certified by an engineer.

IPANM executive director Jim Winchester said the rule contains provisions that will force companies to plug productive wells and “inflict economic hardship” on residents.

“At a time when the public supports responsible domestic production to reduce gasoline prices and a decrease in our dependency on foreign sources of energy that are unquestionably worse for the environment, IPANM strongly feels this is the wrong rule at the wrong time,” he said.

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