State environmental regulators are stepping up efforts to treat Albuquerque groundwater contaminated by a jet fuel spill at Kirtland Air Force Base.
Environment Secretary Ryan Flynn says an aggressive approach is needed because the contamination could continue to spread and jeopardize drinking water.
A study released in July shows the spill has not yet reached drinking water.
Cleanup efforts so far haven't been working as well as expected, and the state is setting deadlines for Kirtland to pump contaminated water from the ground.
It's the first such approach to the problem since the spill was first discovered in 1999.
Ryan calls the spill his department's top priority.
Air Force officials endorse the state's plan and say the military service accepts responsibility for the leak and its cleanup.
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