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NM To Hold Meetings On Dairy Rule

Mixxie Sixty Seven via Flickr
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Environmentalists are taking aim at efforts to revamp rules that govern how the New Mexico dairy industry deals with waste water.

The Environment Department is planning the first of two meetings this Friday to address changes proposed by the industry, but a coalition of environmental groups claims the meetings are exclusive and may be a violation of state law.

State officials have said the meetings by the advisory committee will help flush out technical issues and other concerns before the matter goes before the Water Quality Control Commission later this year.

The state, dairy farmers and environmentalists have been wrangling for years over how to best manage waste produced by the industry while protecting New Mexico's limited groundwater supplies.

The proposed changes would affect requirements for monitoring wells and liners.