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Lea, NM

Moderate Risk (58/100)

Transparent derived index from EPA TRI / SDWIS / Superfund extracts: not an official EPA rating. Fixed caps: facilities ≤25 pts (50+ = max), log10 releases ≤25 pts, Superfund ≤25 pts (5/site), health-violation systems ≤15 pts (3/system), high-chemical facilities ≤10 pts. Bands: High ≥60, Moderate ≥30. See methodology. This is a different measure than the EJ Screening score for this county, which ranks it by percentile against other tracked counties rather than against these fixed caps.

Environmental data for Lea in New Mexico · Population: 73,154

TRI sites such as Dark Horse Treating Facility; Jal 3 Gas Plant; Eunice Gas Plant; SDWIS systems such as HOBBS MUNICIPAL WATER SUPPLY; LOVINGTON MUNICIPAL WATER SUPPLY; JAL WATER SUPPLY SYSTEM anchor Lea, NM's EPA extract. Derived burden score 58/100 (Moderate Risk) uses fixed national caps on density, log release volume, Superfund count, and health-flagged systems - not an official EPA rating.

Health-flagged SDWIS rows in Lea include LOVINGTON MUNICIPAL WATER SUPPLY; JAL WATER SUPPLY SYSTEM; EUNICE WATER SUPPLY SYSTEM, while Dark Horse Treating Facility leads reported TRI pounds among local Form R filers. AQS median AQI 44 / peak 150 in 2024.

Burden score 58/100 (Moderate Risk) is the only weighted composite on this page. The tables below list every TRI facility, SDWIS system, and Superfund site EPA has on record for Lea -- not just the names called out above -- reproducing the disclosure history as filed, not a current-safety verdict. Extract current as of 2026-08-25.

Release-over-release change

What changed for Lea, NM: EPA TRI 2023 reporting year

2022 → 2023

Same facilities, both years

+49.9%

14 facilities that filed in 2022 and 2023

Whole inventory

+49.9%

64.5 million lb → 96.7 million lb, every facility that filed

  • Lea, NM's total reported releases rose from 64.5 million lb in 2022 to 96.7 million lb in 2023, based on EPA TRI filings.
  • Lea, NM's off-site transfers rose from 354.1 thousand lb in 2022 to 12.5 million lb in 2023, based on EPA TRI filings.
  • Lea, NM's air releases rose from 182.2 thousand lb in 2022 to 440.7 thousand lb in 2023, based on EPA TRI filings.
  • Lea, NM's land releases rose from 64.0 million lb in 2022 to 83.7 million lb in 2023, based on EPA TRI filings.
County population (Census ACS)
73,154
TRI Facilities
15
Water Systems
8
Superfund Sites
0
Total Releases
183.3M lbs

Air Quality History (2020–2024)

EPA Air Quality Index (AQI) data showing how many days per year fall into each air quality category.

Year Good Moderate Unhealthy (SG) Max AQI
2024 255 (70%) 104 5 150
2023 235 (65%) 122 7 133
2022 237 (65%) 123 5 126
2021 257 (70%) 105 2 151
2020 310 (85%) 56 0 79
2024 Good Air Quality: 70% of days
Unhealthy days: 5
Median AQI: 44

Source: EPA Air Quality System (AQS) Annual AQI by County AQI categories: Good (0-50), Moderate (51-100), Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups (101-150), Unhealthy (151-200), Very Unhealthy (201-300), Hazardous (301+)

For real-time air quality readings and pollutant breakdowns in New Mexico, see the EPA's AirNow.gov.

Water Systems (8)

System System pop (SDWIS) Violations
HOBBS MUNICIPAL WATER SUPPLY 40,418 0
LOVINGTON MUNICIPAL WATER SUPPLY 13,539 27
JAL WATER SUPPLY SYSTEM 5,500 24
EUNICE WATER SUPPLY SYSTEM 4,487 2
TATUM MUNICIPAL WATER SYSTEM 948 2
MONUMENT MDWCA 279 3
MESCALERO RIDGE WATER CO-OP 76 20
TERRELLS MOBILE HOME PARK 60 109

TRI Facilities (15)

# Facility Total Releases
1 Dark Horse Treating Facility 131.3M lbs
2 Jal 3 Gas Plant 22.1M lbs
3 Eunice Gas Plant 12.6M lbs
4 Maljamar Gas Processing Plant 11.2M lbs
5 Monument Gas Plant 4.8M lbs
6 Red Hills Gas Plant 685.5K lbs
7 Occidental - North Hobbs Unit Rcf & Wib 137.9K lbs
8 Zia II Gas Plant 126.2K lbs
9 Dkl Libby Gas Plant 56.9K lbs
10 Eunice Plant 52.6K lbs
11 Hollyfrontier Navajo Refining LLC - Lea Refinery 46.7K lbs
12 Championx-Hobbs 42.5K lbs
13 Coastal Chemical Co. LLC 29.6K lbs
14 Linam Ranch Plant 6.4K lbs
15 Buckeye CO2 Plant 2.7K lbs

Cities in Lea (8)

Hobbs
5 facilities · 2 water
Lovington
3 facilities · 2 water
Jal
3 facilities · 1 water
Eunice
1 facilities · 1 water
Maljamar
1 facilities · 1 water
Monument
1 facilities · 1 water
Oil Center
1 facilities · 0 water
Tatum
0 facilities · 1 water

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the environmental risk level in Lea, New Mexico? ▼
Lea, NM has an environmental risk score of 58/100 (Moderate Risk), based on 15 TRI facilities, 0 Superfund sites, and 8 water systems on record. 7 water systems have health-based violations. Source: EPA TRI, SDWIS, and Superfund NPL.
Are there Superfund sites in Lea? ▼
No Superfund National Priorities List (NPL) sites are currently registered in Lea, NM in the EPA database.
How many toxic release facilities are in Lea? ▼
Lea, NM has 15 TRI-reporting facilities on record with the EPA Toxic Release Inventory, with a combined total of 183.3M lbs in reported toxic releases. TRI facilities self-report annual chemical release data to the EPA.
What is the air quality in Lea? ▼
In 2024, Lea, NM recorded a median AQI of 44 and a peak AQI of 150. 70% of monitored days had "Good" air quality (AQI 0–50). Source: EPA Air Quality System (AQS) Annual AQI by County.
Is the drinking water safe in Lea? ▼
Lea, NM has 8 EPA-regulated water systems. 7 systems have reported health-based violations (MCL exceedances). A past violation does not necessarily mean water is currently unsafe. For current water quality, contact your local water utility. Source: EPA SDWIS.
What environmental agencies cover Lea? ▼
Environmental compliance in Lea, New Mexico is overseen by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) at the federal level and the New Mexico state environmental agency. Facilities report to the EPA Toxic Release Inventory, water systems are regulated under the Safe Drinking Water Act, and contaminated sites are managed under the Superfund program. Contact your state environmental agency for local concerns.

What does this county environmental profile show?

This county environmental profile rolls up EPA Toxics Release Inventory facility reports, Safe Drinking Water Information System public-water-system filings, and Superfund National Priorities List sites for the county boundary defined by the U.S. Census Bureau. Facility counts reflect facilities with a reporting address inside the county, not where downstream environmental effects may be observed. Population figures are from the most recent Census ACS 5-year estimate. The county detail page is updated whenever the upstream EPA programs publish revised data; see the methodology page for the documented ingest cadence and the editorial choices governing how aggregations are computed.

Related Guides

Understanding EPA Data
How EPA collects and publishes environmental data
Environmental Justice
Who lives near polluters and environmental hazards
How to Check Environmental Quality
Step-by-step guide to checking your local environment

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

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Data sourced from U.S. EPA environmental datasets. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainEnviro