NMED News:
CARLSBAD: The New Mexico Environment Department is currently reviewing a Stage 1 Abatement Plan. This Plan aims to determine the extent of groundwater contamination by potash mining discharges.
Groundwater monitoring wells revealed groundwater contamination between Laguna Grande River and the Pecos river. NMED requested that Mosaic Potash Carlsbad submit the Plan to determine the extent and nature of groundwater contamination by mine discharges between Laguna Grande, Pecos River.
Mosaic Potash Carlsbad manages a potash mine that is located 16 miles east from Carlsbad, New Mexico. It is located in Eddy County. The mine includes an underground potash mine as well as a surface mill that produces potash products. These include fertilizers and products for animal food. The mill produces potash tailings which are sent to an on-site Salt Stack, where clay and coarse salt settle..
Under normal operating conditions, the salt water and residual clay flow off of the Salt Stack and are discharged to a Clay Settling Pond. The Clay Settling Pond’s brine water is discharged via a brine pipe to Laguna Grande, a naturally occurring salt-lake. The brine in Laguna Grande is used to extract chloride salts by United Salt and New Mexico Salt.
NMED approved the discharge plan and issued the first permit (DP-1399), for Mosaic Potash Carlsbad, in 2004. The permit was renewed in 2011. DP-1399 covers all site discharges and is currently in force. DP-1399 is being renewed under 20.6.2.3108 & 31109 NMAC. For more information on the permit renewal process for Mosaic Potash Carlsbad visithttps://www.env.nm.gov/public-
The Plan provides a summary of site conditions and includes information from previous investigations. It also proposes steps to determine the extent and nature of groundwater contamination. NMED will review and approve the Plan under 20.6.2.4106 (C) NMAC. It will either send a Notification to Deficiency to Mosaic or Potash Carlsbad within 60 days.
Once Mosaic Potash Carlsbad has completed site characterization and NMED has approved Final Site Characterization Report, NMED requires a Stage 2 Abatement plan that outlines strategies for cleaning up groundwater contamination.
See the abatement program athttps://www.env.nm.gov/gwqb/
NMED is notifying you of receipt of the Stage 1 Plan pursuant to 20.6.2.4108 (A) NMAC of New Mexico Ground and Surface Water Protection Regulations (20.6.2 NMAC).