Any person drilling a mine lode discovery or mine drill hole to a depth of ten feet or more who encounters or whose drill cuts into a water body or water-bearing stratum shall:

1. A. plug at a horizon and in the manner provided by the rules of the state engineer; and
2. B. within ninety days from the date of the discovery, report in writing the depth, location and manner of plugging the water body or water-bearing stratum to the state engineer at the state capitol and to the director of the bureau of geology and mineral resources at Socorro, New Mexico.

History: 1953 Comp., § 63-2-3.3, enacted by Laws 1957, ch. 108, § 1; 1967, ch. 128, § 1; 2001, ch. 246, § 9.

ANNOTATIONS

Cross references. — For the appointment and qualifications of the state engineer, see 72-2-1 NMSA 1978.

The 2001 amendment, effective June 15, 2001, substituted "reports" for "report to state engineer and to director of the state bureau of mines and mineral resources" in the section heading; and substituted "bureau of geology" for "bureau of mines" in Subsection B.