New Mexico Statutes Chapter 74. Environmental Improvement § 74-6C-6. Administrative and civil enforcement

A. Whenever the department or attorney general determines that a person violated or is violating or that a violation may occur of any requirement of the New Mexico Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Act, program, permit or rule, the department or attorney general may:

B. An administrative compliance order shall state with reasonable specificity the nature of the violation.  Civil penalties shall be recoverable for the violation of a provision of the New Mexico Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Act or the program;  a program permit condition;  a program filing requirement;  a duty to allow or carry out inspection, entry or monitoring activities;  or a rule or an order issued by the department.  A civil penalty shall be assessable in at least the amount of five thousand dollars ($5,000) per day for each violation, but shall not exceed twenty thousand dollars ($20,000) per day for each violation.

C. In determining the amount of a civil penalty, the department, attorney general or district court shall consider the seriousness of the violation or violations, as well as the economic benefit, if any, resulting from the violation, any history of such violations, any good-faith efforts to comply with the applicable requirements, the economic impact of the penalty on the violator and other matters as justice may require.  For the purposes of this section, a single operational upset or event that leads to simultaneous violations of more than one pollutant parameter shall be treated as a single violation.

D. An administrative compliance order issued pursuant to Paragraph (2) of Subsection A of this section shall become final unless, no later than thirty days after service, the person issued the compliance order submits a written request to the commission for a public hearing.

E. The commission shall conduct a public hearing no later than ninety days after receipt of the written request for a public hearing.

F. Following a public hearing, the commission shall issue a written decision that shall constitute the final action on the compliance order.

G. If a person fails to comply with the final action on the compliance order, the department or attorney general may file a civil action in the district court to require compliance, modify or terminate the permit, collect the assessed civil penalty and assess an additional civil penalty of not more than twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000) for each day of continued noncompliance with the compliance order.

H. Unless otherwise required by law, money collected pursuant to this section shall be deposited in the general fund.