New Mexico Federal Judge Remands Oil Contamination Dispute To State Court

Mealey's (May 30, 2023, 2:04 PM EDT) -- ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — An operating company that allegedly failed to maintain oil wells that contaminated a nearby ranch is not entitled to severance of its claims because its operations were not completely separate from those of other parties that purportedly contributed to the contamination, a New Mexico judge held in granting a motion to remand filed by a conservation company that initiated the action in state court on behalf of the owners of the ranch....