Legal Notices-Non-government

Valencia and Socorro Counties are the Counties affected by the diversion and in which the water has been or will be put to beneficial use. This notice is ordered to be published in the Valencia County News-Bulletin and the El Defensor Chieftain.

Under the subject application, applicants seek to temporarily, for a period of three (3) years, commencing on date of approval from the state Engineer to June 30, 2026, change the place and purpose of use of a water right associated with wells RG-75126 located at X=340,638.777 and Y=3,824,031.365; RG-75126-S located at X=340,626.495 and Y=3,824,022.231; RG-75126-S-2 located at X=340,648.753 and Y=3,824,031.354; and RG-75126 POD4 located at X=340,642.504 and Y=3,824,015.405 UTM (NAD83, Zone 13N, meters), used for dairy and related purposes, on 200 acres of land, described as within Tract 1 of the Exempt Land Division Upper Dairy Tract, Pareo Farms, Inc. Wells and place of use are on land owned by T. Scott Edeal and Patricia A. Welk, in Valencia County, New Mexico. Applicants propose to change the place and purpose of use of the above described right so that it may be use for Commercial purposes described as Dust Control/Construction of SunZia Transmission line on private land in Valencia and Socorro Counties along the SunZia Transmission Line.

This is a temporary lease of 35 acre-feet per annum (afa) consumptive use groundwater rights. This application has been granted partial, preliminary approval for 14 acre-feet until February 29, 2024, to enable continued construction of the SunZia Transmission Line. No new appropriation of water is sought by this application. Upon termination or expiration of the desired permit, the subject water right will automatically revert to the original place and purpose of use.

To view the application and supporting documentation contact the State Engineer District 1 Office at (505) 383-4000, to arrange a date and time for an appointment. The District 1 Office is located at 5550 San Antonio Dr. NE, Albuquerque, NM 87109.

Any person, firm or corporation or other entity asserting standing to file objections or protests shall do so in writing (objection must be legible, signed, and include the writer’s complete name, phone number, email address, and mailing address). If the protest does not include the complete name, phone number, email address, and mailing address, it may be deemed invalid and not accepted for filing unless Protestant provides with the protest an affidavit stating that it does not have one of the above-listed elements/requirements (phone number, mailing address, email address, etc.). The objection to the approval of the application must be based on: (1) Impairment; if impairment, you must specifically identify your water rights; and/or (2) Public Welfare/Conservation of Water; if public welfare or conservation of water within the state of New Mexico, you shall be required to provide evidence showing how you will be substantially and specifically affected. The written protest must be filed, in triplicate, with the State Engineer, 5550 San Antonio Dr. NE, Albuquerque, NM 87109, on or before January 31, 2024. Facsimiles (faxes) will be accepted as a valid protest if the hard copy is hand-delivered or mailed and postmarked within 24-hours of the facsimile. Mailing postmark will be used to validate the 24-hour period. Protests can be faxed to the Office of the State Engineer, (505)-383-4030. A copy of the written protest filed with the State Engineer must also be sent to the applicant by certified mail. If no valid protest or objection is filed, the State Engineer will evaluate the application in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 72 NMSA 1978.