Expo, Downs ordered to clean manure

ALBUQUERQUE (KRQE) - Expo New Mexico and the downs at Albuquerque are being ordered to clean up massive mounds of manure.

The Environmental Protection Agency claims animal waste on the grounds is getting into the Rio Grande.

"It’s like having a horse in your backyard,” Julia C De Baca said. "That you never clean that crap up."

Neighbors are complaining about the smell coming from the state fairgrounds, the extremely high piles of manure and swarms of flies.

The complaints prompted the Environmental Protection Agency to get involved.

They ordered an inspection this past November. The inspection found that during heavy rains some of that manure was making its way into storm drains, which lead right to the Rio Grande.

The report says between 2007 and 2011, it happened 18 times.

That animal waste can contain everything from nitrogen and phosphorus to dangerous bacteria like coliform.

The EPA is now ordering both The Downs at Albuquerque and Expo New Mexico to do whatever they need to keep this out of the river. And the EPA has given the agencies 30 days to do it.

The EPA says while they won't be fining Expo or The Downs at this point. However if they don't fix the problem, they could face fines ranging from several thousand dollars to millions of dollars.

KRQE News 13’s request for an interview with The Downs was answered with this statement.

"The Downs at Albuquerque is already working with Expo management to mitigate the issues identified by the EPA regarding the discharge of manure."

The city of Albuquerque could face a financial burden because of the mess.

In 1982 , workers built a flood control project on the state fairgrounds to deal with neighborhood runoff.

Its ponds sit near where the manure runs and may have to be altered or relocated.