August 8, 2023
Mewbourne Oil Company has agreed to pay a
$5.5 million penalty and spend at least
$4.6 million on environmental projects to settle claims of violating the Clean Air Act and New Mexico state law. A complaint filed on behalf of the Environmental Protection Agency and New Mexico Environment Department alleged the company failed to obtain required state and federal permits, capture and control air emissions, and comply with inspection, monitoring, and recordkeeping requirements from at least 2019 to 2022. As a result, more than 11,000 tons of pollutants, including more than 9,900 tons of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and 1,300 tons of methane, were released into the air each year.
DOJ