A. Upon approval of replacement, the permittee shall implement the plan with all deliberate speed and within such time as will prevent impairment of existing water rights.
B. If the owner of a water right protected by a plan of replacement asserts that the permittee has failed or refused to implement or maintain the plan, such owner shall file a written notice with the state engineer specifying the manner or method by which the permittee has failed or refused to implement or maintain the plan. Upon the filing of such notice, the state engineer may require the permittee to show cause why the permit should not be suspended or terminated.
C. If the owner of a prior water right not previously protected by a plan of replacement asserts that his water right is or may be impaired by the permittee's mine dewatering, such owner shall file a written notice with the state engineer specifying the manner or method by which the permittee's mine dewatering is or may impair his water right. Upon the filing of such notice, the state engineer may require the permittee to show cause why the permit should not be suspended or terminated pending submission or amendment of a plan of replacement to provide protection against the claimed impairment.
History: Laws 1980, ch. 148, § 9.
ANNOTATIONSLaw reviews. — For comment, "New Mexico's Mine Dewatering Act: The Search for Rehoboth," see 20 Nat. Resources J. 653 (1980).
For article, "Prior Appropriation, Impairment, Replacements, Models and Markets," see 23 Nat. Resources J. 25 (1983).