SANTA FE — New Mexico Attorney General Hector Balderas, Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham, Environment Secretary James Kenney, and Natural Resources Trustee Maggie Hart Stebbins announce an agreement in principle to settle New Mexico’s claims against the federal government in the litigation over the 2015 Gold King Mine disaster. On Wednesday, Feb. 16, 2022, the parties agreed to put the litigation on hold for 90 days so that the terms of the agreement can be finalized in a formal settlement agreement. Final settlement terms will be focused on investing funds into communities in northwest New Mexico to bolster the agriculture and outdoor recreation economies and mitigate the stigma caused by the spill. The settlement will also pay New Mexico’s response costs, restore and conserve riverine and land habitats, provide ongoing monitoring of water quality, and control and mitigate sources of pollution to protect drinking water.
