Wednesday, April 23, 2008

"Rancher's road slimed by drilling fluid; produce(r) says it will be cleaned"

"FARMINGTON — Río Arriba County rancher Bill Smith lost his patience with the oil and gas industry shortly before noon Tuesday.


He's shared the 4,140 acres his family homesteaded near Gobernador in 1910 for years, but he's kept his mouth shut about the industry that generates a lot of money for New Mexico.

But Smith had quite a few things to say when he discovered a quarter mile-long, six- to 12-inch wide swath of drilling fluid leading to a Paul and Sons-owned oil field water truck at about 11:30 a.m.

"ConocoPhillips just drilled a well that has a reserve pit," Smith said. "When I came out here on my motorcycle I found a truck that looked like it dumped this on the road."...

..."Río Arriba County commissioners vote Thursday on a resolution proposing a six-month moratorium on all new drilling in the county, with the exception of American Indian land."

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