The Augustin Plains Ranch, LLC (APR) announced that the New Mexico Office of the State Engineer (OSE) has instructed it to publish notice of its application for a permit to pump, reclaim and then transport 54,000 acre-feet of water per year (AFY) from its location near Datil, NM to those Rio Grande River communities that are most in need. The application was initially filed with the OSE on July 14, 2014. This action by the State Engineer will allow the project to move forward to the hearing phase, where the details and benefits of the proposal will be thoroughly evaluated. The hearing phase will include a full and comprehensive study of the area’s hydrology and the presentation of a plan to maximize the project’s benefits to the local communities.