The New Mexico Environment Department (NMED) achieved a major milestone in FY24, bringing $30.2M through enforcement actions and surpassing the department’s $25.5M operating budget designated by the Legislature – an 18.43% return on investment at no extra cost to taxpayers. The fines collected by NMED aim to hold polluters accountable, aiding state efforts to improve water systems, reduce climate emissions, and enhance environmental health.
In total, the department completed more than 2,000 enforcement actions, performed nearly 10,000 inspections, and resolved just under 400 polluter violations, resulting in exceedances of compliance goals by the Surface Water Quality Bureau, the Liquid Waste Program, and the Groundwater Quality Bureau. For more information on the state’s enforcement efforts and compliance challenges, see here.
