TIME PERIOD FOR PRODUCED WATER WELL DECISIONS

This bill requires New Mexico's Oil Conservation Division to review and act on applications for produced water disposal well permits within strict timeframes. Within 30 days of receiving an application, the division must determine if it's complete and notify the applicant; if incomplete, the applicant gets up to two 30-day opportunities to fix it, restarting the review clock each time. Once an application is deemed complete, the division must grant, conditionally grant, or deny the permit within 15 days, or the permit is automatically approved. The bill directly affects oil and gas companies seeking these permits and the state agency managing the permitting process.