Carlsbad council votes to pay to help fix underground cavern

CARLSBAD, N.M. (AP) — Carlsbad may pay $125,000 toward a fund to fix a man-made underground cavern that is in danger of collapse. The Current-Argus reports (http://bit.ly/2nPBe9e ) that the City Council has approved a budget adjustment that includes the $125,000 the state has requested Carlsbad contribute to fixing the cavern. Experts and city officials have worried for years that the I&W brine well could collapse, costing up to $1 billion in damaged infrastructure. City and Eddy County officials lobbied the state to create an authority to study the well and to appropriate $500,000 for the efforts. The state requested the city and county contribute $125,000 each. Carlsbad officials will set a date for a special council meeting to discuss the contribution and funding. Eddy County officials have not indicated if they intend to match the contribution.