The New Mexico Environment Department (NMED) Surface Water Quality Bureau (SWQB) invites the public to comment on the draft 2026-2028 State of New Mexico Clean Water Act (CWA) §303(d)/§305(b) Integrated List of Assessed Surface Waters (Integrated List). The Integrated List identifies whether or not a particular surface water of the state is currently meeting its designated uses as detailed in the State of New Mexico Standards for Interstate and Intrastate Surface Waters (20.6.4 NMAC), through application of the Procedures for Assessing Water Quality Standards Attainment for the State of New Mexico CWA §303(d)/§305(b) Integrated Report: Comprehensive Assessment and Listing Methodology (CALM). “Category 5” waters on the Integrated List specifically constitute the CWA Section 303(d) List of Impaired Waters. Copies of the draft list and any of the above supporting documents may be obtained via download from the SWQB website at https://www.env.nm.gov/surface-water-quality/303d-305b/, or by contacting Meredith Zeigler at meredith.zeigler@env.nm.gov (preferred) or (505) 490-5866.

The 45-day public comment period on the draft Integrated List will start December 8, 2025 and end January 22, 2025 at 5:00 p.m. MST. Formal comments for inclusion in the public record must be submitted in writing via the NMED Public Comment Portal at: https://nmed.commentinput.com/comment/search or alternately emailed to: meredith.zeigler@env.nm.gov. For additional questions regarding this public notice or if you have trouble accessing the above web addresses, please contact Meredith Zeigler at (505) 490-5866 or at the above email address.

Following the close of the public comment period, the SWQB will prepare the final draft 2026-2028 Integrated List as amended, including a Response to Comments. The Integrated List, as an appendix of the Integrated Report, will be presented to the New Mexico Water Quality Control Commission (WQCC) for review and approval at their regularly scheduled meeting (tentatively set for March 2026). The Integrated List and Report, including SWQB’s Response to Comments, will be available to the public via download from the SWQB website, or upon request (see above contact information), no later than 10 days prior to the WQCC meeting. The WQCC meeting schedule and agendas are maintained on the WQCC website (https://www.env.nm.gov/water-quality-control-commission/wqcc/). The final Integrated Report and List, as approved by the WQCC, will then be submitted to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 6 for approval under the Clean Water Act.

If any person requires other non-English Language Speaker Assistance, assistance for an interpreter, or auxiliary aid (e.g., accommodations for persons who are disabled) to participate in the public process for the Integrated List, please contact Meredith Zeigler at least 14 days prior to the WQCC meeting date at meredith.zeigler@env.nm.gov; telephone (505) 490-5866; or P.O. Box 5469, Santa Fe, NM 87502. TDD or TTY users please access the number via the New Mexico Relay Network, 1-800-659-1779 (voice); TTY users: 1-800-659-8331.