Ozone 8-hour 4th-highest daily max
Ozone 8-hour 4th-highest daily max in New Mexico statewide reached 0.072 ppm in 2024, 3% above the EPA NAAQS of 0.07 ppm.
State · TRI 2024
New Mexico Pollution
80 TRI facilities, 592 public water systems, and 21 Superfund / NPL sites across 14 counties. Statewide TRI releases fell sharply year over year (-58%). Toxic releases concentrations have more than doubled since 2010.
FIPS 35 · population 2,117,522 · 33 counties total
Anomaly engine
Notable Signals At The State Level
TRI water releases
TRI water releases at New Mexico have more than doubled since 2010 (through 2024).
TRI land + off-site releases
TRI land + off-site releases at New Mexico have more than doubled since 2010 (through 2024).
Total TRI releases
Total TRI releases at New Mexico have more than doubled since 2010 (through 2024).
Where the burden sits
County-Level TRI Choropleth
A color-shaded map of pollution data. Darker counties report more pounds of toxic chemicals released to the EPA's Toxics Release Inventory (TRI).
Shaded by total reported releases for 2024. Counties without a published page render as “no TRI data”. Red dots mark this state's top emitters.
Statewide pollutant pathways
New Mexico Pollutant Multi-Year Trends
PM2.5 annual mean (NAAQS 9 µg/m³ (annual))Health riskFine inhalable particles 2.5 micrometers or smaller. They travel deep into the lungs and into the bloodstream — linked to asthma, heart disease, stroke, and premature death.
PM2.5 annual mean (NAAQS 9 µg/m³ (annual)) concentrations are roughly unchanged from 2010.
PM2.5 24-hour 98th percentile (NAAQS 35 µg/m³ (24-hour))Health riskFine inhalable particles 2.5 micrometers or smaller. They travel deep into the lungs and into the bloodstream — linked to asthma, heart disease, stroke, and premature death.
PM2.5 24-hour 98th percentile (NAAQS 35 µg/m³ (24-hour)) concentrations are up 20% since 2010.
Ozone 8-hour 4th-highest daily max (NAAQS 0.070 ppm (8-hour))Health riskGround-level ozone (smog) forms when vehicle and industrial emissions react in sunlight. Inflames the airways, triggers asthma attacks, and worsens heart and lung disease.
Ozone 8-hour 4th-highest daily max (NAAQS 0.070 ppm (8-hour)) concentrations are roughly unchanged from 2010.
NO₂ annual mean (NAAQS 53 ppb (annual))Health riskA tailpipe and combustion gas. Concentrates near busy roads and industrial sites; raises risk of airway inflammation, asthma, and lower respiratory infections in children.
NO₂ annual mean (NAAQS 53 ppb (annual)) concentrations have fallen 24% since 2010.
Lifetime cancer risk all pollutants (100 in a million (EPA elevated threshold))Health riskEPA-modeled added cancer cases per million residents from a lifetime of breathing local air toxics. EPA flags 100-in-a-million as elevated.
Single-vintage exposure modeling — EPA cadence is multi-year, so no trend line yet.
Formaldehyde ambient mean (0.077 µg/m³ (1-in-a-million URE))Health riskAn air toxic emitted by refineries, wood products, and combustion. EPA classifies it as a known human carcinogen — long-term inhalation raises cancer risk.
Single-vintage exposure modeling — EPA cadence is multi-year, so no trend line yet.
Benzene ambient mean (0.13 µg/m³ (1-in-a-million URE))Health riskAn air toxic from gasoline, refineries, and tobacco smoke. A known human carcinogen — chronic exposure is linked to leukemia and other blood cancers.
Single-vintage exposure modeling — EPA cadence is multi-year, so no trend line yet.
TRI air releases (5.1 fugitive + 5.2 stack)Health riskToxic chemicals reported by industrial facilities as released into the air — fugitive leaks plus smokestack emissions. Higher pounds means more inhaled exposure for nearby residents.
TRI air releases (5.1 fugitive + 5.2 stack) concentrations are up 10% since 2010.
TRI water releases (5.3)Health riskToxic chemicals reported by industrial facilities as discharged to surface waters (rivers, lakes, the ocean). Affects fishing, recreation, and downstream drinking-water intakes.
TRI water releases (5.3) concentrations have more than doubled since 2010.
TRI land + off-site releasesHealth riskToxic chemicals released to land on-site or transferred off-site for disposal — landfills, deep-well injection, and similar. Risks groundwater contamination over time.
TRI land + off-site releases concentrations have more than doubled since 2010.
Greenhouse gases (GHGRP large emitters, through 2023)Health riskGreenhouse gases reported by large industrial emitters under EPA's GHGRP, in metric tons of CO₂ equivalent. Drives climate warming and the heat-related health effects that follow.
Greenhouse gases (GHGRP large emitters, through 2023) concentrations have fallen 21% since 2010.
| County | Population | Facilities | Total releases | YoY | Top chemical |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lea CountyFIPS 35025 | 73,103 | 13 | 29.0M lb | -70% | Hydrogen sulfideHealth riskAcutely toxic at high concentrations (paralyzes the olfactory nerve, then respiratory failure); chronic low-level exposure causes eye and respiratory irritation. (NIOSH) |
| Eddy CountyFIPS 35015 | 61,264 | 15 | 12.8M lb | -2% | Hydrogen sulfideHealth riskAcutely toxic at high concentrations (paralyzes the olfactory nerve, then respiratory failure); chronic low-level exposure causes eye and respiratory irritation. (NIOSH) |
| Grant CountyFIPS 35017 | 28,006 | 2 | 2.4M lb | +57% | Lead And Lead CompoundsHealth riskNeurotoxin. Even low childhood exposure impairs cognitive development; chronic adult exposure damages kidneys and the cardiovascular system. (EPA, ATSDR) |
| Curry CountyFIPS 35009 | 48,327 | 2 | 2.0M lb | -3% | Nitrate compounds (water dissociable; reportable only when in aqueous solution)Health riskDrinking-water nitrate causes methemoglobinemia ('blue-baby syndrome') in infants; EPA MCL is 10 mg/L as N. (EPA) |
| San Juan CountyFIPS 35045 | 121,798 | 8 | 1.8M lb | -2% | Barium And Barium CompoundsHealth riskSoluble barium compounds are toxic if ingested, affecting the heart, kidneys, and nervous system. Insoluble forms (e.g. barium sulfate) are far less toxic. (EPA) |
| Bernalillo CountyFIPS 35001 | 674,692 | 23 | 341k lb | -6% | Lead And Lead CompoundsHealth riskNeurotoxin. Even low childhood exposure impairs cognitive development; chronic adult exposure damages kidneys and the cardiovascular system. (EPA, ATSDR) |
| Otero CountyFIPS 35035 | 67,850 | 1 | 212k lb | +11% | Nitrate compounds (water dissociable; reportable only when in aqueous solution)Health riskDrinking-water nitrate causes methemoglobinemia ('blue-baby syndrome') in infants; EPA MCL is 10 mg/L as N. (EPA) |
| Valencia CountyFIPS 35061 | 76,613 | 1 | 54k lb | +2762% | Manganese compoundsHealth riskExcess inhalation can cause manganism, a Parkinson-like neurological disorder. (ATSDR) |
| Sandoval CountyFIPS 35043 | 149,460 | 3 | 20k lb | +41% | N-Methyl-2-pyrrolidoneHealth riskReproductive and developmental toxicant; absorbed through skin. (EPA) |
| Los Alamos CountyFIPS 35028 | 19,253 | 1 | 14k lb | -11% | LeadHealth riskNeurotoxin. Even low childhood exposure impairs cognitive development; chronic adult exposure damages kidneys and the cardiovascular system. (EPA, ATSDR) |
| Facility | City | Top chemical | Total releases | YoY |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eunice Gas PlantTarga Resources CORP | Eunice | Hydrogen sulfideHealth riskAcutely toxic at high concentrations (paralyzes the olfactory nerve, then respiratory failure); chronic low-level exposure causes eye and respiratory irritation. (NIOSH) | 12.2M lb | -1% |
| Dagger Draw Gas PlantKinetik Holdings LP | Artesia | Hydrogen sulfideHealth riskAcutely toxic at high concentrations (paralyzes the olfactory nerve, then respiratory failure); chronic low-level exposure causes eye and respiratory irritation. (NIOSH) | 12.2M lb | -3% |
| Maljamar Gas Processing PlantKinetik Holdings LP | Maljamar | Hydrogen sulfideHealth riskAcutely toxic at high concentrations (paralyzes the olfactory nerve, then respiratory failure); chronic low-level exposure causes eye and respiratory irritation. (NIOSH) | 11.2M lb | +115% |
| East Vacuum Liquid Recovery Plant/Co2 PlantDiversified Energy Co PLC | Lovington | Cyclohexane | 4.5M lb | — |
| Chino Mines CO Mine Concentrator-Sxew PlantsFreeport-Mcmoran INC | Vanadium | Lead And Lead CompoundsHealth riskNeurotoxin. Even low childhood exposure impairs cognitive development; chronic adult exposure damages kidneys and the cardiovascular system. (EPA, ATSDR) | 2.0M lb | +84% |
| Southwest Cheese LLCSouthwest Cheese LLC | Clovis | Nitrate compounds (water dissociable; reportable only when in aqueous solution)Health riskDrinking-water nitrate causes methemoglobinemia ('blue-baby syndrome') in infants; EPA MCL is 10 mg/L as N. (EPA) | 2.0M lb | -3% |
| Four Corners Steam Electric StationPinnacle West Capital CORP | Fruitland | Barium And Barium CompoundsHealth riskSoluble barium compounds are toxic if ingested, affecting the heart, kidneys, and nervous system. Insoluble forms (e.g. barium sulfate) are far less toxic. (EPA) | 1.4M lb | -9% |
| Red Hills Gas PlantTarga Resources CORP | Jal | BenzeneHealth riskIARC Group 1 carcinogen. Long-term inhalation causes leukemia and bone-marrow disorders. (IARC, EPA) | 562k lb | +12% |
| Freeport-Mcmoran Tyrone INC.Freeport-Mcmoran INC | Tyrone | Lead And Lead CompoundsHealth riskNeurotoxin. Even low childhood exposure impairs cognitive development; chronic adult exposure damages kidneys and the cardiovascular system. (EPA, ATSDR) | 307k lb | -21% |
| Chaco Gas PlantEnterprise Products Operating LLC | Bloomfield | n-HexaneHealth riskPeripheral neurotoxin. Chronic exposure causes numbness and paralysis in the extremities. (ATSDR) | 275k lb | +7% |
Water utilities to watch
Largest Water Systems With Unresolved Health-Based Violations
Sorted to surface utilities serving the most people that still have an active health-based SDWIS violation on the record. Systems in compliance with no unresolved issues fall to the bottom of the ranking.
| Water system | PWSID | Population served | Health-based · 5yr | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Fe Water System (City Of) Municipal | NM3505126 | 90,810 | 1 | UNRESOLVED |
| Roswell Municipal Water System Municipal | NM3520203 | 54,025 | 2 | UNRESOLVED |
| Farmington Water System Municipal | NM3510224 | 47,655 | 1 | UNRESOLVED |
| Camino Real Regional Utility Authority Municipal | NM3502507 | 19,466 | 102 | UNRESOLVED |
| Dona Ana Mdwca Municipal | NM3554307 | 17,067 | 29 | UNRESOLVED |
| Lake Section Water Company Private | NM3529207 | 14,619 | 1 | UNRESOLVED |
| Las Vegas (City Of) Municipal | NM3518025 | 14,530 | 143 | UNRESOLVED |
| Lovington Municipal Water Supply Municipal | NM3521813 | 13,539 | 25 | UNRESOLVED |
| Belen Water System Municipal | NM3524932 | 10,830 | 66 | UNRESOLVED |
| City Of Raton/Raton Water Works Municipal | NM3526704 | 9,733 | 10 | UNRESOLVED |
Superfund / NPL sites
Federal Cleanup Sites In New Mexico
Sites on EPA's Superfund National Priorities List, plus deleted sites whose cleanup objectives EPA has finalized. Federal-facility sites (defense, DOE, etc.) are flagged separately. Each link routes to a per-site page.
| Site | City | Status | Federal facility | Primary contaminant |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| At&Sf (Albuquerque) | South Valley | NPL FINAL | No | 2-Methylnaphthalene |
| Carlisle Village Cleaners | Albuquerque | NPL FINAL | No | — |
| Chevron Questa Mine | Questa | NPL FINAL | No | AluminumHealth riskInhaled aluminum fumes can cause lung scarring (aluminosis); high cumulative exposure has been linked to neurological effects. (NIOSH) |
| Eagle Picher Carefree Battery | Socorro | NPL FINAL | No | 1,1-DichloroetheneHealth riskVinylidene chloride; IARC Group 3 (inadequate evidence in humans) but liver toxic in animal studies; common TCE/PCE biodegradation product. (IARC, EPA) |
| Fruit Avenue Plume | Albuquerque | NPL FINAL | No | TrichloroetheneHealth riskTCE. IARC Group 1 carcinogen — kidney cancer; suspected liver cancer and non-Hodgkin lymphoma. EPA MCL 5 µg/L; common DNAPL groundwater plume contaminant. (IARC, EPA, ATSDR) |
| Grants Chlorinated Solvents | Grants | NPL FINAL | No | BenzeneHealth riskIARC Group 1 carcinogen. Long-term inhalation causes leukemia and bone-marrow disorders. (IARC, EPA) |
| Griggs & Walnut Ground Water Plume | Las Cruces | NPL FINAL | No | TetrachloroetheneHealth riskPCE / 'perc'. IARC Group 2A probable carcinogen; central-nervous-system effects; common dry-cleaning solvent and DNAPL plume contaminant. EPA MCL 5 µg/L. (IARC, EPA) |
| Homestake Mining Co. | Milan | NPL FINAL | No | Radon |
| Jackpile-Paguate Uranium Mine | Laguna Pueblo | NPL FINAL | No | — |
| Lea And West Second Street | Roswell | NPL FINAL | No | — |
Showing the top 10 sites by status priority. 11 additional NPL-relevant sites in New Mexico have entity pages — browse them via the host-county or host-city page rollups.
Equity context · ACS 2018-2022 · USEPA-clone EJ disparity
Statewide Population Characteristics
All New Mexico block groups: 2,117,522 residents. Statewide disparity score for pm2.5 (fine particulate) sits well below the reference (23). Why we surface this →
State-level percentiles are aggregated from block-group EJScreen data. The EJ pattern within the state will be sharper at the county level — drill down for the meaningful spatial detail.
18.3%
Low-income
64.4%
People of color
6.1%
Under age 5
18.1%
Over age 64
- PM2.5 (fine particulate)Health riskFine inhalable particles 2.5 micrometers or smaller. They travel deep into the lungs and into the bloodstream — linked to asthma, heart disease, stroke, and premature death.7below the national median
- OzoneHealth riskGround-level ozone (smog) inflames the airways. Even short exposures trigger asthma attacks and worsen chronic lung and heart disease.72above the national median
- Nitrogen dioxide (NO₂)Health riskA tailpipe and combustion gas. Concentrates near busy roads and industrial sites; raises risk of airway inflammation, asthma, and lower respiratory infections in children.57near the national median
- Diesel particulateHealth riskSoot from diesel engines (trucks, trains, ports, construction). EPA classifies it as a likely human carcinogen and a major driver of childhood asthma near freight corridors.63above the national median
- Toxic releases (RSEI)Health riskEPA's Risk-Screening Environmental Indicators score — weights TRI chemical releases by toxicity, where they go, and how many people are nearby. Higher means greater modeled cancer and chronic-health risk.14below the national median
- Traffic proximityHealth riskPopulation-weighted distance to high-volume roads. Living close to heavy traffic raises exposure to PM2.5, NO₂, and diesel exhaust — and the cardiovascular and asthma risks that follow.48near the national median
- Lead-paint risk (pre-1960 housing)Health riskShare of housing built before 1960, when lead-based paint was common. Dust from deteriorating paint is the leading cause of childhood lead poisoning, which permanently impairs cognitive development.51near the national median
- Superfund site proximityHealth riskPopulation-weighted distance to NPL Superfund sites — the most contaminated waste sites in the country. Nearby groundwater, soil, and air can carry industrial solvents, metals, and other long-lived contaminants.77above the national median
- RMP-facility proximityHealth riskDistance to facilities holding chemicals at quantities large enough to require an EPA Risk Management Plan (refineries, fertilizer plants, etc.). These pose acute exposure risk during accidental releases.47near the national median
- Hazardous-waste site proximityHealth riskDistance to RCRA hazardous-waste handlers (treatment, storage, disposal facilities). Indicates potential exposure to industrial chemicals in air, soil, and groundwater.49near the national median
- Underground storage tanksHealth riskDensity of underground tanks (gasoline, heating oil, industrial fluids). Leaking tanks are a leading source of benzene and other volatile organic compounds in groundwater drinking-water supplies.69above the national median
- NPDES wastewater proximityHealth riskDistance to permitted industrial wastewater dischargers. Closer proximity raises exposure to pollutants released into surface waters used for fishing, recreation, and downstream drinking-water intakes.100in the highest 5% nationally
- Drinking-water non-complianceHealth riskEPA score for public water systems with health-based Safe Drinking Water Act violations. Higher means more residents on systems that recently exceeded safe limits for contaminants like lead, arsenic, or nitrate.92in the highest 10% nationally
| Indicator | Disparity score | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| PM2.5 (fine particulate) | 23 | well below the reference |
| Ozone | 177 | well above the reference burden |
| Nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) | 104 | near the reference |
| Diesel particulate | 86 | below the reference |
| Toxic releases (RSEI) | 19 | well below the reference |
| Traffic proximity | 64 | below the reference |
| Lead-paint risk (pre-1960 housing) | 69 | below the reference |
| Superfund site proximity | 63 | below the reference |
| RMP-facility proximity | 54 | below the reference |
| Hazardous-waste site proximity | 61 | below the reference |
| Underground storage tanks | 85 | below the reference |
| NPDES wastewater proximity | 88 | below the reference |
| Drinking-water non-compliance | 52 | below the reference |
Source: Census ACS 2018-2022 (5-year) + USEPA-clone EJ blockgroup stats (raw indicators + EJ disparity mirror). EJ disparity scores via the USEPA-clone GitHub mirror after EPA deprecated the public EJScreen tool in 2025; demographics from Census ACS.
Browse
All 14 New Mexico Counties With TRI Data
Pollution trends and TRI 2024 pages for every tracked county. Alphabetical.
- Bernalillo County pollution· 23 facilities
- Chaves County pollution· 1 facility
- Curry County pollution· 2 facilities
- Dona Ana pollution· 7 facilities
- Eddy County pollution· 15 facilities
- Grant County pollution· 2 facilities
- Lea County pollution· 13 facilities
- Los Alamos County pollution· 1 facility
- McKinley County pollution· 1 facility
- Otero County pollution· 1 facility
- Roosevelt County pollution· 2 facilities
- San Juan County pollution· 8 facilities
- Sandoval County pollution· 3 facilities
- Valencia County pollution· 1 facility
Sources.
- EPA Toxics Release Inventory · retrieved 2026-05-07.