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Eddy County, New Mexico: environmental and disease records

Cancer mortality in Eddy County is 153.1 deaths per 100,000 people per year against a U.S. rate of 143.2. The strongest disease signals are Kidney & renal pelvis deaths at 1.8 times the U.S. rate. Federal databases place 2,046 regulated facilities, sites and hazards inside the county, led by Air permit holder (minor source) (1,624), NPDES wastewater discharge permit (153), Rail grade crossing (100). One correctional facility operates in the county. EPA AirToxScreen estimates a lifetime cancer risk from outdoor air toxics of 40 in a million, driven mainly by formaldehyde.

Rates are age-adjusted per 100,000 people. A cancer signal is marked significant when the lower bound of its 95 percent confidence interval is above the U.S. rate. Facility counts use active federal records located inside the county boundary. Approximate county center: 32.4462, -104.2872.

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Cancer deaths and new cases versus the United States

Source: NCI and CDC State Cancer Profiles, both sexes, all ages. Sorted by the ratio of the county rate to the U.S. rate.

Cancer rates for Eddy County compared with the United States
Cancer	Measure	County rate	U.S. rate	Times U.S.	95% interval	Years
Kidney & renal pelvis	Deaths	6.1	3.4	1.79xSignificant	3.7 to 9.5	2020-2024
Liver & bile duct	New cases	14.9	8.7	1.71xSignificant	11.1 to 19.6	2019-2023
Kidney & renal pelvis	New cases	25.3	17.9	1.41xSignificant	20.1 to 31.5	2019-2023
Liver & bile duct	Deaths	8.9	6.6	1.35x	6.1 to 12.7	2020-2024
Brain & nervous system	Deaths	5.5	4.4	1.25x	3.2 to 8.9	2020-2024
Esophagus	New cases	5.3	4.6	1.15x	3 to 8.5	2019-2023
All cancer	Deaths	153.1	143.2	1.07x	139.9 to 167.2	2020-2024
Brain & nervous system	New cases	6.3	6.2	1.02x	3.8 to 9.8	2019-2023
Pancreas	Deaths	11	11.3	0.97x	7.8 to 15.2	2020-2024
Thyroid	New cases	12.1	13	0.93x	8.4 to 16.9	2019-2023
Melanoma of the skin	New cases	22	23.8	0.92x	17.1 to 27.8	2019-2023
Lung & bronchus	Deaths	26.7	30.2	0.88x	21.4 to 32.9	2020-2024
Pancreas	New cases	12.2	13.9	0.88x	8.8 to 16.6	2019-2023
Stomach	New cases	5.7	6.6	0.86x	3.4 to 9.2	2019-2023
Leukemia	Deaths	4.9	5.7	0.86x	2.8 to 8.1	2020-2024
All cancer	New cases	374	453.4	0.82x	353.1 to 395.8	2019-2023
Lung & bronchus	New cases	41.4	51.8	0.8x	34.7 to 49	2019-2023
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma	New cases	14.3	18.5	0.77x	10.5 to 19.1	2019-2023
Bladder	New cases	12.5	18.7	0.67x	9 to 16.9	2019-2023
Leukemia	New cases	8.8	14.5	0.61x	5.8 to 12.7	2019-2023

Mortality measures versus the U.S. county median

Source: County Health Rankings, built from CDC National Vital Statistics System death records. The comparison value is the median of all U.S. counties.

Mortality measures for Eddy County
Measure	County	U.S. median	Difference	Unit
Premature death	12,798.1	9,842.6	+30%	years of life lost before age 75 per 100,000
Life expectancy	72.7	75.3	-3%	years
Child mortality	50.8	59.8	-15%	deaths under age 18 per 100,000
Infant mortality	5.8	6.2	-6%	deaths under age 1 per 1,000 live births
Injury deaths	131.7	96.9	+36%	deaths per 100,000
Drug overdose deaths	30.6	28.6	+7%	deaths per 100,000

Air toxics and air quality

EPA AirToxScreen 2020

Lifetime cancer risk from outdoor air toxics: 40 in a million. EPA treats 100 in a million as the upper end of acceptable risk and 1 in a million as the goal.

Formaldehyde25.3 per million
Benzene4.58 per million
Carbon Tetrachloride2.64 per million
Acetaldehyde1.42 per million

EPA Air Quality Index 2025

Monitored on 365 days: 196 good, 25 unhealthy for sensitive groups or worse. Median AQI 49, peak 168.

Regulated facilities, sites and hazards by type

2,046 active records inside the county from EPA ECHO, TRI, Superfund, Brownfields, NPDES, EIA, FAA, FRA and corrections data.

Air permit holder (minor source)1,624
NPDES wastewater discharge permit153
Rail grade crossing100
Gas station (mapped facility)51
Major air pollution source27
TRI reporting facility17
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI)16
Small hazardous waste generator14
Large greenhouse gas emitter13
Auto repair or body shop (mapped facility)7
Hazardous waste transporter6
Large hazardous waste generator4
EPA air quality monitor3
Commercial airport2
Dry cleaner (mapped facility)2
Landfill (mapped facility)2
Scrapyard (mapped facility)2
Public airport1
Correctional facility (prison or jail)1
Solar power plant1

Highest-severity records

The 25 records with the highest Envyrofax severity in the county, with the agency identifier to cite in a records request.

Artesia Refinery, Artesia
TRI reporting facility. Penalties $33,916,450.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000472630 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 10
Artesia Gas Plant, Artesia
TRI reporting facility. Penalties $33,504,866.
EPA FRS registry ID 110043804096 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 9.8
Hollyfrontier Navajo Refining Llc - Artesia Refinery, Artesia
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Ammonia, Ethylene, n-Hexane, Sulfuric acid (acid aerosols including mists, vapors, gas, fog, and other airborne forms of any particle size) and 4 more. Reports carcinogens. 1,212,112 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 88210NVJRF501EA (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 9.2
Us Doe Waste Isolation Pilot Plant, Carlsbad
TRI reporting facility. Penalties $2,637.
EPA FRS registry ID 110060818735 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 8.8
Black River Processing Plant, Loving
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Benzene, n-Hexane, Toluene, Xylene (mixed isomers) and 2 more. Reports carcinogens. 57,553 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 8825WBLCKR978BU (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 8.2
Us Doe Waste Isolation Pilot Plant, Carlsbad
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Lead And Lead Compounds, Lead compounds, Polychlorinated biphenyls, Mercury And Mercury Compounds and 1 more. Reports carcinogens. 44,168 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 88220SDWST3MILE (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 8.1
Artesia Gas Plant, Artesia
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Formaldehyde, n-Hexane, Methanol, Benzene and 4 more. Reports carcinogens. 37,670 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 8821WRTSGS32756 (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 8
Cowboy Cdp, Malaga
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: n-Hexane, Xylene (mixed isomers), Toluene, Benzene and 2 more. Reports carcinogens. 31,882 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 8826WCWBYC932BU (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 8
Coastal Chemical Co. Llc- Loving, Loving
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Methanol, Toluene, Ethylbenzene, Xylene (mixed isomers) and 1 more. Reports carcinogens. 30,425 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 8825WCSTLC63EAS (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 7.9
Sendero Carlsbad Plant, Loving
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Cyclohexane, n-Hexane, Benzene, Ethylbenzene and 4 more. Reports carcinogens. 15,241 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 8825WSNDRC125BU (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 7.7
Marlan Gas Plant, Carlsbad
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: n-Hexane, Benzene, Toluene, Methanol and 2 more. Reports carcinogens. 13,865 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 8822WMRLNG25MIN (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 7.7
Roadrunner Gas Plant, Loving
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Toluene, Benzene, Xylene (mixed isomers), n-Hexane and 4 more. Reports carcinogens. 12,767 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 8825WRDRNNBUNDS (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 7.7
Enterprise Products - Chaparral Gas Plant, Loco Hills
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: n-Hexane, Benzene, Methanol, Cyclohexane and 3 more. Reports carcinogens. 12,477 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 8825WNTRPR124MI (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 7.6
U.S. Dhs Federal Law Enforcement Training Center Artesia, Artesia
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Copper, Lead compounds, Lead And Lead Compounds. 818,584 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 88210STRSR1300W (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 7.5
Artesia Gas Plant, Artesia
Major air pollution source. Penalties $33,504,866.
EPA FRS registry ID 110043804096 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 7.5
Artesia Refinery, Artesia
Major air pollution source. Penalties $33,916,450.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000472630 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 7
Dagger Draw Gas Plant, Artesia
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110071231746 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 7
South Eddy Gas Plant, Malaga
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: n-Hexane, Benzene, Toluene, Cyclohexane and 3 more. Reports carcinogens. 1,085 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 8826WSTHDD81BUC (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 6.8
Cowboy Cdp, Malaga
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110070671361 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 6.8
Artesia Refinery, Artesia
Large hazardous waste generator. Penalties $33,916,450.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000472630 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 6.5
Artesia Refinery, Artesia
NPDES wastewater discharge permit. Penalties $33,916,450.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000472630 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 6.5
Agave Dagger Draw Gas Plant, Artesia
Major air pollution source.
EPA FRS registry ID 110010658252 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 6.5
Artesia Gas Plant, Artesia
Large greenhouse gas emitter. Penalties $33,504,866.
EPA FRS registry ID 110043804096 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 6.5
U.S. Dhs Federal Law Enforcement Training Center Artesia, Artesia
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000472649 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 6.4
Artesia Refinery, Artesia
Large greenhouse gas emitter. Penalties $33,916,450.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000472630 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 6

Correctional facilities

Prisons, jails and corrections operations with an EPA facility record, and the drinking water and wastewater compliance attached to them.

Eddy County Detention Center, Carlsbad
EPA FRS registry ID
110072177782
Wastewater permit
Yes
EPA detailed facility report

Discovery / public records

Records to request for Eddy County

New Mexico state cancer registry
Cancer incidence counts by census tract or ZIP code, by cancer type and year (de-identified). Any cancer cluster inquiries or investigations in Eddy County, and their findings.
New Mexico vital statistics office
Death certificate counts by cause of death and residence tract or ZIP code, and the years behind the mortality measures above.
New Mexico health department, environmental epidemiology
Health consultations or assessments by ATSDR or the state health department covering the county, and any exposure investigations.
New Mexico environmental agency and the U.S. EPA regional office
Compliance history, inspection reports, notices of violation, penalties and enforcement actions for each facility above, cited by EPA FRS registry ID.
New Mexico drinking water program
Violation notices, sampling results and sanitary surveys for the public water systems serving the county, including any system serving a correctional facility.
Department of corrections or county sheriff
Water testing, grievances and environmental health inspections for the correctional facilities listed above.

Each Envyrofax address report includes a printable records request worksheet with the custodian and the exact request wording per finding.

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