N.M. Stat. § 70-3-8
[Application for use of highway for pipeline; investigation;
rejection; appeal; permit; bond.]
Applicants for any such right-of-way shall present to the county commissioners of
the county in which such right is desired an application in writing giving the name and
address of both the applicant and the person, or persons, who will own said pipeline or
lines when installed, the highway or highways where it is desired to locate such pipeline
or lines, and whether the same will be in, on or over such highway or highways, the
place of beginning and ending of such line or lines; the purposes for which the same are
to be used; and such further information as the county commissioners may deem to be
necessary to enable them to take proper action on said application. The application
shall contain an agreement by the applicant to pay all expenses which may be incurred
by the county commissioners in making such examination as they shall deem necessary
to determine whether the right-of-way applied for should be granted. Upon receipt of
such application by the county commissioners, they shall determine the probable
expense which it will be necessary for them to incur to enable them to properly pass
upon such application, and shall require the applicant to deposit for their use the
amount of such probable expenses before taking further action on said application. After
such deposit has been made, the county commissioners shall take such action and
make such investigation as they may deem necessary to enable them to properly pass
upon such application, and they shall, without unnecessary delay, pass upon such
application and allow the same upon such reasonable requirements as they find will
adequately safeguard and protect the highway or highways where such pipeline or lines
are to be located, and that will fairly compensate the county for the use and occupancy
of such highway or highways by said pipeline or lines, unless the county commissioners
find that said application cannot be granted without impairing the usefulness of such
highway or highways for purposes of travel by the public. In the event that such
application is rejected, the county commissioners shall enter of record their reasons for
such action, and such action shall be subject to review, reversal or modification by the
district courts of this state on appeal by the aggrieved party in the same manner as
provided for appeals from orders of the board of county commissioners by Sections 4-
45-5 and 4-45-6 NMSA 1978.
Where an application is allowed, the county commissioners shall, before the
issuance of a permit, require the applicant to enter into an undertaking with adequate
sureties conditioned that the applicant, his, her or its successors or assigns will pay all
extra expense which the county shall incur by reason of the location of said pipeline or
lines in, on or over such highway or highways, and that applicant will save the county
harmless from any and all damage it may be caused to pay, or sustain by reason of the
laying or maintaining of such pipeline or lines upon said highway or highways, and that
the applicant will pay all sums due, or to become due, the county, for the use of said
highway or highways, and such other conditions as may be found necessary to fully
protect the interests of the county issuing the permit. Upon the presentation of such
undertaking and the approval thereof by the county commissioners, they shall issue to
the applicant a permit to lay and maintain a pipeline or lines in, on or over the highways
and for such period of time, not to exceed ten years, as shall be designated in said
permit, and such permit so issued shall operate to give the one to whom it shall be
issued, or assigned, with the consent of the county commissioners, full right and
authority to use the highway or highways in the manner and for the purpose designated
in such permit.