SENATE BILL 275

54th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - second session, 2020

INTRODUCED BY

Pat Woods and Stuart Ingle

 

 

 

 

 

AN ACT

MAKING AN APPROPRIATION TO THE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT FOR WATER WELL TESTING IN CURRY AND ROOSEVELT COUNTIES TO ASSESS THE EXTENT OF THE POSSIBLE PRESENCE OF PER- AND POLYFLUOROALKYL CHEMICAL SUBSTANCES ASSOCIATED WITH CANNON AIR FORCE BASE IN DRINKING AND AGRICULTURAL WATER.

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:

     SECTION 1. APPROPRIATION TO THE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT.--

          A. Seven hundred thousand dollars ($700,000) is appropriated from the general fund to the department of environment for expenditure in fiscal years 2021 and 2022 to fund a well testing program for signs of contaminated drinking and agricultural water resources in Curry and Roosevelt counties as follows:

                (1) six hundred thousand dollars ($600,000) for the purpose of conducting a series of up to one thousand well water tests, as approved by the well owner, on a quarterly basis for the presence of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, including perfluorooctane sulfonate and perfluorooctanoic acid, by one or more laboratories accredited pursuant to the national environmental laboratory accreditation program in order to determine the proximity, progress and intensity of a per- and polyfluoroalkyl chemical plume known to be present in areas to the east and southeast of Cannon air force base. The information collected from these tests shall be updated and reported quarterly to the legislative finance committee, the appropriate interim legislative committee, the department of environment, the department of health, impacted municipal and county governments and residents of Curry and Roosevelt counties; and

                (2) one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) for public communications and outreach and administrative costs in support of the well testing program conducted pursuant to Paragraph (1) of this subsection.

          B. Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of fiscal year 2022 shall revert to the general fund.

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