New Mexico

WQCC commissioner will abstain from final produced water rule vote • Source New Mexico

Published

2 years ago

August 6, 2024

WQCC commissioner will abstain from final produced water rule vote • Source New Mexico

A New Mexico water board member with ties to the oil and gas industry announced Monday she will abstain from a final vote on statewide rules developing additional uses of oil and gas wastewater.

The Water Quality Control Commission (WQCC), an oft-overlooked body of 13 members tasked with shaping and enforcing state water policy, is reviewing proposed rules to expand uses for oil and gas wastewater.

Currently, there are 12 members, with one vacant seat.

Rulemaking on the issue has been a monthslong process. The commission resumed hearing testimony and cross examination of witnesses supporting or challenging proposed rules on Monday, after a week of testimony in May.

In the opening minutes of the meeting Monday, Commissioner Krista McWilliams stopped short of recusing herself, saying there is no basis for allegations of personal or corporate gain from her position on the WQCC. She said she would listen to hearings and offer her opinions, but she’ll abstain from voting.

“If the commission would allow, I intend to remain a participant in the hearing and remain committed to serve New Mexico,” she said. “However, I do not want to stand in the way of due process. In order to allow science to have its day in court, I will abstain from the final vote.”

How did we get here?

McWilliams’ statement follows months of questions about unclear disclosure rules for commission members, and a motion for McWilliams to recuse herself filed by an environmental group opposing the rules’ adoption.

In June, Navajo Nation citizens Daniel Tso and Samuel Sage and New Energy Economy, a nonprofit organization opposing the rules, filed a motion requesting McWilliams recuse herself, alleging conflicts of interest with oil and gas interests.

The issue escalated as additional motions were filed in July.

McWilliams called the allegations “baseless” on Monday, further saying that neither she, her husband, nor their Farmington-based oil and gas company LOGOS Energy receive any gain from her sitting on the rulemaking body.

She said she would not receive a financial benefit from the rulemaking, and said that LOGOS Energy or her husband Jay Paul McWilliams had not participated with the New Mexico Oil and Gas Association since 2022.

“Despite my industry background, I remain committed to the Water Quality Act objective of protecting public health and enhancing water quality,” she said. “My obligation is to serve the public interests, not personal or corporate gain.”

Water Quality Control Commission member Krista McWilliam (left) listens to public comment on Aug. 5, 2024 at the Roundhouse in Santa Fe. (Photo by Austin Fisher / Source NM)

She further said a six-year-old video “aimed to inform the public about fracking,” a process of injecting liquid at high pressures for oil and gas instruction, was done on a voluntary basis and had no relation to the rule-making process.

In the video, which is no longer on the website, McWilliams said she supports the controversial drilling practice, saying at one point: “Fracking, it’s a sensitive subject. I get it. But I feel good about fracking.”

Missi Currier, the president and CEO of the New Mexico Oil and Gas Association, which lobbies on behalf of the industry, filed testimony saying that McWilliams did not know the video was still on the nonprofit’s website.

Mariel Nanasi, the executive director for New Energy Economy, told Source NM that McWilliam’s abstention doesn’t go far enough.

“She’s only abstaining from the vote, she’s not abstaining from the deliberation,” Nanasi said, adding that she feels that could taint the commission’s ultimate decision, and could be brought up in an appeal.

Tso echoed those concerns in a call after the hearing, saying he’s concerned her participation will still “slant the final rules.”

No statements from party members or the public were allowed in the hearing, according to the Hearing Officer Felicia Orth, who’s acting as the judge in the matter.

Orth said in the hearing, that she was deferring any ruling on the recusal issue to the commission, and said the issue may be explored by other state agencies. But it appears the issue is closed before the WQCC.

A mirror complaint that New Energy Economy submitted to the State Ethics Commission is part of a separate proceeding, which is not open to the public at this time.

In a copy of McWilliams’ response to the ethics complaint obtained by Source NM, she requested that a hearing be postponed until after the Aug. 5 WQCC proceedings.

What is produced water?

Oil and gas wastewater, often called produced water, is at the center of the rulemaking.

As New Mexico water sources are expected to become increasingly strained by more demand and shrinking supplies from a hotter, drier climate – the relationship between oil and gas and its wastewater is drawing more public attention to the deliberations.

The state generates billions of gallons of toxic wastewater from oil and gas production. The wastewater is often extremely salty and includes hazardous chemicals used in fracking such as PFAs, arsenic, benzene and more.

Much of the water is currently disposed of by injecting it underground, which has been linked to earthquakes. Some of the wastewater is recycled for further oil drilling.

Currently, there is no approved use for produced water off of the oilfields.

Inside Climate detailed the week’s worth of debate from the hearings in May. Across hours of testimony, New Mexico Environment Department experts proposed using produced water in industrial processes, such as power plant cooling, manufacturing or hydrogen production and developing smaller demonstration projects to study treatments.

Oil and gas industry representatives argued too-restrictive rules, including the proposed rules, will drive companies from New Mexico to other states and environmental groups oppose using the wastewater for industry, citing health and safety concerns.

What’s happening this week?

The Water Quality Control Commission is scheduled to hold rulemaking hearings through the end of the week.

The meetings are held in Committee Room 322 in the Roundhouse. Links to a livestream are available online by visiting the Calendar for New Mexico Environment Department, and using the link to attend the webinar. Public comment can be made in person or online.

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New Mexico

School Danger Zones: Data reveals alarming number of shootings near New Mexico schools

Published

9 hours ago

April 2, 2026

Press Room

School Danger Zones: Data reveals alarming number of shootings near New Mexico schools

On average, more than once a week, there is a shooting near a school in New Mexico, and nearly half the time, someone is killed.According to data obtained by the Get the Facts Data Team, there have been 833 shootings adjacent to New Mexico’s schools in the past ten years, resulting in 526 people killed.”When you first told me the numbers, I thought I heard you wrong,” said Darren White, former Bernalillo County sheriff and public safety director. “I was shocked that there are so many shootings close proximity to our schools,” White said that numerous state laws make penalties harsher for crimes occurring near schools, including firearm possession and drug dealing. “We put laws in place years ago because we recognize that schools should be sanctuaries, right?” White said.La Mesa Elementary in Albuquerque’s International District leads the list. In the past ten years, there have been 24 shootings within 500 yards of this school, resulting in 20 deaths. However, this school is not alone in being close to gunfire.A map from the data team shows that statewide, Missouri Avenue and Valley View Elementary Schools in Roswell had 11 and 8 shootings, respectively, while Las Montanas Charter and Lynn Middle Schools in Las Cruces both had 8 and 8 respectively.”If it’s being reported that it’s over 800 in this period of time, how many more are taking place that haven’t been reported that we didn’t know about?” White asked. “And so I would argue, like in many of our crime stats, that number is even higher. And, uh … It’s chilling, it really is.”These shooting have either occurred at or close to the shools.For instance, 16-year-old Andrew Burson was killed right next to the football field at West Mesa High School. Another incident involved a shooting right outside Sandia High School and Christ Lutheran School, which led to both institutions being locked down in the middle of the day.

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. —

On average, more than once a week, there is a shooting near a school in New Mexico, and nearly half the time, someone is killed.

According to data obtained by the Get the Facts Data Team, there have been 833 shootings adjacent to New Mexico’s schools in the past ten years, resulting in 526 people killed.

“When you first told me the numbers, I thought I heard you wrong,” said Darren White, former Bernalillo County sheriff and public safety director. “I was shocked that there are so many shootings close proximity to our schools,”

White said that numerous state laws make penalties harsher for crimes occurring near schools, including firearm possession and drug dealing.

“We put laws in place years ago because we recognize that schools should be sanctuaries, right?” White said.

La Mesa Elementary in Albuquerque’s International District leads the list. In the past ten years, there have been 24 shootings within 500 yards of this school, resulting in 20 deaths. However, this school is not alone in being close to gunfire.

A map from the data team shows that statewide, Missouri Avenue and Valley View Elementary Schools in Roswell had 11 and 8 shootings, respectively, while Las Montanas Charter and Lynn Middle Schools in Las Cruces both had 8 and 8 respectively.

“If it’s being reported that it’s over 800 in this period of time, how many more are taking place that haven’t been reported that we didn’t know about?” White asked. “And so I would argue, like in many of our crime stats, that number is even higher. And, uh … It’s chilling, it really is.”

These shooting have either occurred at or close to the shools.

For instance, 16-year-old Andrew Burson was killed right next to the football field at West Mesa High School.

Another incident involved a shooting right outside Sandia High School and Christ Lutheran School, which led to both institutions being locked down in the middle of the day.

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New Mexico

New Mexico vs. Tulsa Prediction Odds, Key Player to Watch for NIT Semifinal

Published

22 hours ago

April 2, 2026

Press Room

New Mexico vs. Tulsa Prediction Odds, Key Player to Watch for NIT Semifinal

It’s not just the NCAA Tournament that’s down to the final four teams, but the NIT also has just four teams remaining in its bracket. The semifinals are set to begin on Thursday night, with the first of two games being a showdown between New Mexico from the Mountain West and Tulsa from the American.

Let’s dive into the odds and my best bet for Thursday night’s matchup, with a berth in the NIT final on the line.

New Mexico vs. Tulsa Odds, Spread, and Total

Odds via FanDuel Sportsbook

Spread

New Mexico -3.5 (-118)
Tulsa +3.5 (-104)

Moneyline

New Mexico -178
Tulsa +146

Total

OVER 161.5 (-110)
UNDER 161.5 (-110)

New Mexico vs. Tulsa How to Watch

Date: Thursday, April 2
Game Time: 7:00 pm ET
Venue: Hinkle Fieldhouse
How to Watch (TV): ESPN
New Mexico Record: 26-10
Tulsa Record: 29-7

New Mexico vs. Tulsa Betting Trends

Tulsa is 1-5 ATS in its last six games
The OVER is 8-3 in Tulsa’s last 11 games
Tulsa is 7-3 ATS in its last 10 games as an underdog
New Mexico is 5-0-1 ATS in its last six games
The OVER is 13-7 in New Mexico’s last 20 games

New Mexico vs. Tulsa Key Player to Watch

David Green, F – Tulsa Golden Hurricanes

If Tulsa wants to pull off the upset and win this game, they need David Green to step up in a big way. He’s the team’s leading scorer, averaging 15.7 points per game, but he scored just five points in the NIT quarterfinal. Let’s see if he can bounce back with a strong performance tonight.

New Mexico vs. Tulsa Prediction and Pick

Tulsa has already beaten one Mountain West team in the NIT, taking down UNLV by a score of 77-66, and I think they can at least cover as underdogs against New Mexico.

The Golden Hurricanes are one of the best shooting teams in college basketball, ranking 25th in effective field goal percentage. Well above New Mexico, which comes in at 70th in that metric. Tulsa is also a solid team defensively, ranking 106th in defensive efficiency.

The Mountain West continues to be an overrated conference. Their regular season and tournament champion lost in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament, Colorado State and Wyoming both lost in the first round of the NIT, and UNLV fell in the second round to Tulsa.

I’m going to continue to follow my strategy of fading the Mountain West in postseason tournaments.

Pick: Tulsa +3.5 (-104) via FanDuel

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