NMED News:
TAOS — The New Mexico Environment Department’s Brownfields Program is supporting the transformation of a blighted mechanic shop in El Prado, near Taos, into a new distillery and tasting room.
Taos-based Rolling Still Distillery will build the project on a former neglected and contaminated site through a $452,309 low-interest loan issued through NMED’s Brownfields Program.
NMED’s Brownfields Program offers funding for cleanup and reinvestment in properties where redevelopment is complicated by the presence of contamination or perceived contamination. Cleaning up and reinvesting in these properties can restore the environment, reduce health risks, eliminate blight, revitalize downtowns, create jobs, and increase local tax bases.
The funding for Rolling Still Distillery will support environmental cleanup, making the site safe for reuse and revitalizing a long-neglected property.
“Brownfields funding gives communities the tools to turn neglected and contaminated sites into safe, thriving places that contribute to local economies,” Environment Secretary James Kenney said. “This project is a prime example of how environmental protection and economic development can go hand in hand in New Mexico.”
“This project represents more than just a building renovation for us—it’s an investment in environmental responsibility, local jobs and long-term economic resilience in Taos County,” said Dan Irion, managing partner of Rolling Still Distillery. “The Brownfields RLF allows us to remediate a contaminated site and transform it into a productive community asset that supports sustainable manufacturing, family-wage jobs and responsible growth. We’re deeply grateful for the partnership with NMED and the EPA in making this transformation possible.”
Cleanup and redevelopment of the site will take place throughout 2026. Rolling Still will rehabilitate the 5,500-square-foot building and expand manufacturing after outgrowing its current facility. The project benefits the wider community by improving infrastructure, supporting nearby businesses and revitalizing a key region of El Prado.
Additional support for the project includes a $199,000 USDA Rural Business Development Grant for infrastructure, $50,000 from the New Mexico Local Economic Development Act for relocation and expansion, and $88,309 from the New Mexico Economic Development Department’s Job Training Incentive Program (JTIP) for workforce training.
Rolling Still Distillery, founded in 2018, is a woman-owned, family-run business that currently supports 17 local jobs, including six created by the new El Prado facility. The company distributes handcrafted spirits across New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Texas, and operates a tasting room at Taos Ski Valley.
For more information about the New Mexico Environment Department’s Brownfields Program, visit https://www.env.nm.gov/gwqb/brownfields-program/.