Taos landfill officials say most NMED violations have been addressed; permitting and fencing remain

Assistant Manager Mark Flores told the Taos Regional Landfill Joint Powers Authority on Feb. 1 that a New Mexico Environment Department inspection on May 15, 2024, recorded 31 deficiencies at the regional landfill and that staff have worked to correct nearly all of them.

"On 05/15/2024, the New Mexico environment department conducted an inspection of the Taos Regional Landfill," Flores said, and listed shortfalls that included compaction and daily cover, litter control, intermediate cover, certified operator presence, leachate monitoring and reporting, and incomplete documentation such as financial-assurance records. He said staff have provided updated records and documentation to the environment department.

Director Vasquez told the board the authority has five certified operators assigned to the landfill and that staff are conducting required load inspections, training and contingency‑plan drills. "We have been working for the past 6 months very hard in trying to get all of this stuff straightened out," Vasquez said.

Flores said many of the operational deficiencies have been resolved: intermediate and daily cover are being applied, load inspections and training are documented, leachate sampling and monthly monitoring have recommenced, and signage has been replaced. He identified outstanding items that still require work, notably renewal of the landfill permit and improvements to perimeter fencing to limit access by dogs and other animals.

On permitting, Flores said the town is working with its environmental consultant, Sauter Miller, on an application that has undergone multiple revisions and is nearing final internal review before submission to the environment department. He cautioned that the state agency’s review will take additional time.

Board members pressed staff for specifics about timelines and what remains to be completed. Flores said the town has met with environment department staff and has prepared an affirmative action plan that details corrective actions, responsibilities and timelines; he estimated about 95% of NOV items have been addressed and said the remaining actions will be tracked and reported.

The discussion underscored remaining budget and staffing implications: staff are obtaining quotes for fencing and expect some work to be included in upcoming fiscal-year budgets, and they are coordinating with the landfill’s environmental contractor on permitting deliverables. The board took no formal action but directed staff to continue implementing corrective steps and to return with timelines and cost estimates as permitting and fencing work progress.