WATER QUALITY & POLLUTION

SB 22 amends New Mexico's Water Quality Act to strengthen pollution controls and fund cleanup efforts. It creates the "Neglected and Contaminated Sites Fund" to address polluted water sources, establishes general permits for multiple dischargers to streamline oversight, and requires permits to be denied if discharges exceed downstream water quality standards set by the state or tribes. The bill updates key definitions (like "water contaminant" and "gray water") and revises how fines and permit fees are distributed to support water quality management. These changes directly affect industrial polluters, municipal wastewater systems, and communities relying on clean water resources.