The Regional Haze Settlement Agreement Is a Terrible Deal for New Mexico

State Should Continue to Fight EPA in Court

Full Document Available in PDF

After months of negotiation, the New Mexico Environment Department in early October proposed a settlement to end its dispute with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) over haze-causing emissions from the San Juan Generating Station, a 1,770-megawatt (MW) coal-fired power plant near Farmington. The proposal has won praise from many quarters, including advocates for low-income residents. Ratepayers, however, should be wary. This alternative settlement is even worse than the EPA’s draconian regulation.