The authority to pursue natural resource damages lies in the State’s Natural Resource Trustee Act and the following federal statutes: the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) of 1980, the Oil Pollution Act (OPA) of 1990 and the Clean Water Act (CWA) of 1972.
- New Mexico Natural Resources Trustee Act [NMSA 1978, §§ 75-7-1 et seq]
- Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (CERCLA) [42 USC §§ 9601 et seq]
- Oil Pollution Act of 1990 [33 USC §§ 2701 et seq]
- Federal Water Pollution Control Act or Clean Water Act of 1972 [33 USC §§1321 et seq]
Note: Links to legal documents are provided as references only. Online materials should not be considered official or legally-binding copies.