Air quality is a significant and growing concern in New Mexico. Experts link exposure to air pollutants to many adverse health effects, including worsening asthma symptoms, diminished lung function, birth deformities, cardiovascular disease and childhood cancer. A key source of air pollutants in the San Juan and Permian oil and gas basins are the many chemicals leaked or vented from facilities. Some are known carcinogens, and others combine to create ozone. Near border crossings and in urban areas, vehicle emissions are another major cause, along with industrial plants.
Getting a handle on the extent of the problem is difficult. According to the American Lung Association, in its annual State of the Air report, only nine of New Mexico’s 33 counties have air quality monitoring programs in place; six of them received an “F” grade.
As many New Mexico families understand all too well, one of the most common health conditions caused or magnified by air pollution is asthma. The problem is even worse in the regions of the state where oil and gas production and coal-fired power plants are concentrated, and in communities located next to industrial facilities.
Children are more affected by air pollution than adults because their bodies are still developing: their airways are narrower and they breathe faster. Childhood asthma has become an epidemic in our state. Of asthma-sufferers in the oil patch of southeastern New Mexico who are children, approximately three out of five are hospitalized annually for their condition. This compares to less than one out of five in the rest of the state.
Poor air quality harms more than our health; it also hurts our finances from lost work time and use of medical facilities. The health care costs of air pollution vary depending on the geographic area and study methodology (no known New Mexico-specific studies are available), but all of the numbers are staggering. Across the US, more people die from air pollution-related illnesses each year than traffic accidents, and the mortality rate due to air pollution equals that of breast cancer and prostate cancer combined. And as we have so tragically witnessed, people living in areas of the state with poor air quality and suffering from respiratory illnesses had much higher rates of hospitalization and death from Covid-19.
Improving the quality of our air can save money and create jobs. An analysis of New Mexico’s proposed methane rules found substantial health and health-cost benefits. An analysis of the Environmental Protection Agency’s rule to reduce toxic emissions from the utility sector concluded that nation-wide there would be:
- Net annual benefits of between $52.5 and $139.5 billion
- Net job increases of 115,520
- Health care savings of $4.513 billion
Sources:
- American Lung Association annual “State of the Air” report (2021). https://www.lung.org/research/sota/city-rankings/states/new-mexico
- New Mexico Department of Health (October 2020). “Asthma Prevalence In New Mexico: A Common Condition On The Rise” Clearing the Air quarterly newsletter. https://www.nmhealth.org/publication/view/report/6581/
- Why EPA’s Mercury and Air Toxics Rule is Good for the Economy and America’s Workforce, Charles J. Cicchetti, Ph.D.
- New Mexico Political Report, Kendra Chamberlain (April 15, 2020) “For Greater Chaco communities air pollution compounds Covid-19 threat”
- “Cost-Effectiveness of Comprehensive Oil and Gas Emissions Reduction Rules in New Mexico”, Synapse (2019)
Franklin Peak
The Franklin Mountains extend from El Paso into New Mexico. They were formed by pressure on the crust from the formation of the Rio Grande Rift and offer sweeping views of the region. Photo: Nate Gillette / No Barriers
Related Votes for Air Quality
Topics:
Air Quality
Effective
Government
Energy &
Climate Change
Environmental
Justice
Land
Water
Wildlife & Habitat
Conservation
| Priority | Bill # | Title | Sponsors | Topics | CVNM Position |
Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HB 41 | Clean Transportation Fuel Standards more |
Kristina Ortez |
|
Support | 2024 | |
| HB 133 | Oil and Gas Act Changes more |
Kristina Ortez |
|
Support | 2024 |
Know the Score > Take Action
Strategies for Air Quality
Actions to improve air quality:
Thank you!
Methane is frequently released into the atmosphere by oil and gas operators when gas is vented or flared during the production process or leaks from well heads, pipes and tanks. Methane is 86 times more potent than carbon dioxide as a greenhouse gas over a 20-year timeframe, making it a major contributor to global warming. Methane along with ozone and other volatile organic compounds released from oil and gas operations also contribute to health problems.
In 2019, the Lujan Grisham Administration launched a process to address the oil and gas industry’s inaction on reducing methane flaring, venting and leaks. Following over two years of deep engagement in the rulemaking process, the Oil Conservation Commission of the New Mexico Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department (EMNRD) adopted the “methane rule” in 2021. It requires that by 2026, 98% of methane gas be captured instead of vented or flared into the atmosphere. The New Mexico Environment Department (NMED) followed with a rulemaking process to address oil and gas facility leaks that emit ozone precursors and other contaminants such as nitrogen oxides. These toxins, emitted alongside methane, can worsen climate change, and also cause smog, and respiratory illnesses. These were among the strongest state-level methane rules at the time, and influenced the Biden administration’s own methane rules on federal lands.
Failures to improve air quality:
No thank you!
The area now called the South Valley of Albuquerque used to be made up of independent villages. These are now neighborhoods that retain a fierce determination to preserve their identities. The east side of the Rio Grande from south of Albuquerque’s downtown to the bridge over I-25 was designated for industrial and manufacturing uses despite the existing residential areas. Over the years, air and water quality have suffered, along with the health of the residents.
For many years, community advocates tried to get the Albuquerque Bernalillo County Air Quality Board (AQB) to limit the number of air quality permits they issue and base them on the principle of cumulative impact – looking at the total amount of permitted emissions and not just each individual permit in isolation. The AQB repeatedly said they couldn’t impose air quality standards stricter than federal standards. Residents successfully sued under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act to force federal regulators to acknowledge that the South Valley is an environmental justice community that experiences disproportionate air quality burdens.
After protracted negotiations and public meetings, in 2023 the AQB proposed new Health Environment and Equity Impact (HEEI) rules that had stricter permit conditions and used the cumulative impact approach. However, a faction of the Albuquerque City Council led an effort to abolish the AQB; Bernalillo County was not consulted and did not agree. In December 2023, before its power officially ended, the AQB passed a narrower version of the HEEI rules. In January 2024, a district judge stayed disbanding the AQB until the legality of the Council’s actions could be determined.
Communicate with the Governor and your Legislators
Whether you’re congratulating them on their score or expressing your disappointment, be direct, courteous and polite.
The most important part is letting them know that you are paying close attention to how they vote or, in the case of the Governor, what actions she takes on legislation that affects our air, land, and water.
Calling your legislator directly and sending letters through regular mail remain by far the most effective ways to communicate with your legislators.
The Governor and Lieutenant Governor can always be contacted at the State Capitol. Except during the legislative session, state legislators should be contacted in their home districts, as listed on the current Legislators page.
To find your House District number and Representative, visit our map here.
To find your Senate District number and Senator, visit our map here.
We take on tough fights to protect New Mexico, but these efforts in the State Capitol and around the state require financial resources. We can only win when we work together. Please join other New Mexicans in becoming a Conservation Voter today!
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