Tecton Energy, LLC Threatens to Sue Santa Fe County

From the SantaFeNewMexican.com, "We are currently exploring our legal options to counter the actions being taken by the county and the state," Tecton's statement says. "They do not comply with state law. ... They ignore our company's legal right to pursue oil and gas operations in the area, and they violate federal and state law prohibiting takings of private property without just compensation." (click here for full article).

Takings? If Tecton were to begin drilling for gas and oil in the Galisteo Basin, the "takings" would be our groundwater aquifer, our property values, our health, our safety, the destruction of our cultural-historical archaeological heritage, our fiscal and economical engine, and be a public nuisance. Tecton is only leasing oil & gas minerals. Tecton has not demonstrated that there is viable oil & gas development in the Galisteo Basin from those leases. Tecton has not demonstrated that there would be "a huge blow to a key source of state revenue."

We have the right to protect our resources.

Emergency Interim Development Ordinance

On February 26, 2008, the Santa Fe County Board of Commissioners (BCC) will vote on an Emergency Interim Development Ordinance. The ordinance, which would prohibit development approvals for oil, gas and geo-thermal grading, drilling and extraction within the Galisteo Basin for twelve months and provide a six month extension. The Emergency Interim Development Ordinance would be in effect "until the adoption of a general plan amendment, a Galisteo Basin Area Plan, a capital improvement and public services program, creation of a special improvement district for the code addressing and resolving the health, safety, cultural-historical archaeological, fiscal, economic, planning, infrastructure and services, groundwater aquifer, environmental and public nuisance impacts of such grading and drilling."

The ordinance will be posted on the Santa Fe County website (click here) and there will be a map of the target area. The BCC would hire experts to discern the compatibility of oil & gas activity in the Galisteo Basin and to conduct baseline studies. The target area of the map can be expanded to other areas in Santa Fe County, if needed. The BCC has hired Dr. Robert H. Freilich (click here) as special counsel to help rewrite development codes.

According to the SantaFeMexican.com (click here), "Part of the process of developing these plans will be to conduct studies of these issues. Freilich said he will also use the draft ordinance already created by Ross, and results from studies of the Galisteo Basin area ordered by Richardson, to inform his own plans. He hopes to have a draft by November.

Freilich promised stakeholders would be included in every step of the planning process."

"Hauled It Away" by Kim Sorvig

Hauled It Away

(with apologies to John Prine & Woody Guthrie)

by Kim Sorvig

When I was a child, we lived near the mountains.
The place I grew up was in New Mexico.
Our house is still there, on the edge of a mesa,
but now only memories of a long time ago

Chorus: Daddy won’t you take me back to Santa Fe County,
to the mountains and mesas where paradise lay?
I’m sorry my son, but you’re too late in asking --
Ten thousand tank trucks have hauled it away.

Sometimes we’d hike on down the arroyo
to the ruins of a pueblo beside an old spring.
My grandfather taught me the Indians loved nature.
My mom just said Johnny, now don’t touch a thing.

The oil companies came with a thousand huge oil rigs,
polluted the water and tortured the land.
Drilled for their oil till the land was deserted
and wrote it all down to the progress of man.

My dad tried to stop them, they took him to prison.
They took all the money he’d made in his life.
My mom she got sick from drinking well-water
and breathing the gas fumes she took down and died.

Daddy won’t you take me back to Santa Fe County,
to the mountains and mesas where paradise lay?
I’m sorry my son, but you’re too late in asking --
Ten thousand oil trucks have hauled it away.

"Drilling Albuquerque" and other articles

From the alibi.com January 31 - February 6, 2008, "Drilling Albuquerque" (click here):
"Tecton knew it could expect controversy by looking for oil near Santa Fe. “Without tooting our horn,” says Dirks, “we did our homework. We spent months meeting with state and county government officials. The initial reception we received was quite favorable. Most people expressed some amount of support and/or curiosity. We didn’t encounter anyone who said ‘No! And go away forever!’ ”

Dirks says the company worked closely with the county to figure out the best way to introduce the project to the public, which resulted in two public meetings at the end of 2007 in Santa Fe County. "At those meetings we began to get a new perspective on how vigorously this would be opposed.”

Great video at YouTube - "Hardrock Minining - Re-think; Reform" (click here).

High Country News, "Time to call the gas industry's bluff" (click here):
"This year, Rifle, Colo., the epicenter of a $2 billion-a-year gas play, will receive less than $500,000 in state severance taxes, a pittance given the tens of millions the city must invest to deal with the social and infrastructure impacts caused by the gas industry.

The citizens of Colorado have no control over whether we get gouged at the gasoline pump. But we do have the power to insist that an industry this large and profitable pay its fair share."

The Coalition for Energy Accountability renamed CommonGround United

The growing list for CommonGround United:

Non-Profit Organizations:

Amigos Bravos
Arroyo Hondo Land Trust
Cimarron Sky-Dog Reserve
Commonweal Conservancy
Concerned Citizens of Cerrillos
Drilling Santa Fe (DSF)
Earth Works Institute
Environment New Mexico
Ecoversity
Galisteo Community Assocation
Madrid Cultural Projects
Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC)
National Wildlife Federation
New Energy Economy
New Mexico Environmental Law Center (NMELC)
New Mexico Wilderness Alliance
New Mexico Wildlife Federation
Oil & Gas Accountability Project/EARTHWORKS (OGAP)
Physicians for Social Responsibility
Recursos de Santa Fe
Renewable Energy Partners of New Mexico
The San Marcos Association
Santa Fe Conservation Trust (SFCT)
Southwest Seminars
WildEarth Guardians
The Wilderness Society
Wild Prairie Partners

Businesses:

Althouse, Inc.
BJ Briggs, LLC
Confluence Mediation & Counseling
Coulter-Brooks Art & Antiques
High Feather Ranch Bed and Breakfast
Janine Lehmann Design
The Janis Group, Inc.
Lone Mountain Ranch
New Mexico Biotech, Inc.
OpenMake Software
Rush Creek Editions
Saltamontes on Grasshopper Hill Retreat
Santa Fe Permaculture
Thal Equine, LLC & Thal Boarding Training, LLC


Citizens' Activists Groups (not 501(c)):

Santa Fe Not Oil

Individuals:

Tweeti Blancett, plus many others.

Click here for the position paper.

The Coalition for Energy Accountability has been renamed, CommonGround United, P.O. Box 23150, Santa Fe, New Mexico, 87502.

Contact: Johnny Micou, drillingsantafe@earthlink.net, 505-474-3061.

Governor Richardson Issues Executive Order Imposing a Six Month Moratorium on New Oil and Gas Drilling in Santa Fe County and the Galisteo Basin

Press Release:

SANTA FE - Governor Richardson today issued an Executive Order imposing a six-month moratorium on new oil and gas drilling in Santa Fe County and the Galisteo Basin. The moratorium will allow more time for government agencies to gather information and formulate public policy to protect water aquifers, archeological and cultural resources, and wildlife in this ecologically fragile area.

"Places like the Galisteo Basin must be fully evaluated and understood before any new oil and gas drilling moves forward,” said Governor Bill Richardson. “Ground water, archeological, cultural and wildlife areas must be protected.”

The Oil Conservation Division of the New Mexico Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department shall temporarily suspend the processing and granting of applications for permits to drill for oil and gas in Santa Fe County and the Galisteo Basin.

The New Mexico Energy, Mineral and Natural Resources Department, the New Mexico Department of Indian Affairs, the New Mexico Environment Department, the Office of the State Engineer, the New Mexico Department of Cultural Affairs, the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish, and other executive agencies are instructed to conduct an assessment of all existing laws, regulations, policies, and planning documents to ensure that no oil and gas drilling activity occurs in Santa Fe County and the Galisteo Basin that would be detrimental to the interests of the State of New Mexico and its citizens.

“Careful examination of the Galisteo Basin is warranted,” said Joanna Prukop, Cabinet Secretary for the New Mexico Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department. “More time to gather information on this ecologically fragile and resource-rich area will ensure proper protection of human health, the environment, and water.”

Executive Agencies affected by this Executive Order shall report to Office of the Governor and the Secretary of the New Mexico Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department no later than June 24, 2008.

Extend the County Drilling Permit Moratorium for Land Use Planning

The next Board of County Commissioners meeting is January 29th. It is extremely important to extend the moratorium on applications to drill oil or natural gas wells until baseline studies for hydrology, geology, groundwater, surface water, archaeology and others are conducted for proper land use planning, so please take time NOW to write, email and call all five of the County commissioners about an O&G drilling moratorium extension. Our resources must be protected!

House Bill 248 by Representative Peter Wirth

Click here for pdf version. Rep. Wirth had called for a six month oil & gas drilling moratorium in Santa Fe County.

SantaFeNewMexican.com list of Galisteo Basin Oil & Gas articles

Click here for the SantaFeNewMexican.com Galisteo Basin Oil & Gas articles combined or go to http://www.santafenewmexican.com/oil/.

House Bill 125 Alert!

From the Oil & Gas Accountability Project (OGAP) House Bill 125 alert (click here).

"This bill is widely recognized as the oil and gas industry’s retaliation against the Oil Conservation Division’s rulemaking to establish a strong rule protecting soil, water and public health from oil and gas waste pits. Last fall the industry launched a high profile campaign to oppose the pit rule claiming it is unnecessary and will simply cost operators too much to haul their waste or used closed-loop/pitless drilling systems."

"Tabled" January 21,2008

Santa Fe County Cancels Public Hearing

From a Santa Fe County email:
"Santa Fe County

Contact: Stephen Ulibarri - Public Information Officer - 505.986.6353 - sulibarri@co.santa-fe.nm.us

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

COUNTY CANCELS PUBLIC HEARING FOR OIL & GAS ORDINANCE

Santa Fe, NM – January 16, 2008 – Santa Fe County has cancelled the first public hearing on the proposed new oil and gas ordinance. The hearing was slated for January 22^nd at Santa Fe Community College. The public hearing schedule has been pushed back and is currently being revised.

# # #

www.santafecounty.org"

Tell Santa Fe County No to Fast-Tracking of the Oil & Gas Ordinance

Since Gov. Richardson's moratorium on OCD permits extends until mid July, and since he is calling for studies to discern the threats of O&G activity throughout the Galisteo Basin, there is more time to adequately address the ordinance drafting. As it stands, the revised draft ordinance is cobbled together from ordinances around the country, which raises concerns about it coming together as a collective whole. There are concerns about the revision in and of itself; however, review of the revised draft is not complete. Demand that the public hearings be postponed until after all of the studies are completed. In the meantime, work on the revised draft could continue as the needed studies to further understanding of the geology, hydrology, archaeology, adverse economic impacts, and other critical studies for the County and the Galisteo Basin are conducted. Studies need to be done for the basin as a whole. The interconnectivity probably spans beyond the basin. If so, then the studies would need to be broadened to better protect resources throughout the County.

Although oil & gas production has been the leading economic driver in New Mexico, once the resource is severed, it is severed permanently. Oil & gas depletion rates are rising. New Mexico must replace the oil & gas industry with sustainable economic drivers and clean renewable tax sources. The oil & gas extraction industry is not our future. To gamble the Galisteo Basin for a marginal, speculative, non-renewable gas & oil play would be reckless.

The critical management areas should be identified before the ordinance adoption. We also must learn more about the complex faults, fractures and the interconnected hydrogeology. There may be other areas along with the Galisteo Basin that should be absolutely protected from oil & gas activity in Santa Fe County. It is hoped that the County and the community can work on these critical issues together to protect the vibrant economy of Santa Fe County, as we protect our irreplaceable resources and our residential areas.

So, please write the County Commissioners, the County Attorney and the County Manager about the following:

• Demand the County stop the fast-tracking oil & gas ordinance drafting process and postpone the two official public hearings about the ordinance until baseline studies are conducted and a long-term management plan for the County is in place. The County should work with the State to coordinate the necessary studies of hydrology and geology. In addition, U.S. Senator Bingaman and Representative Udall sponsored the Galisteo Basin Archeological Sites Protection Act that has not been funded. Until a comprehensive study of the archeology in the Galisteo Basin is conducted and incorporated into the County management plan, all oil & gas activity in the basin should be deferred.
• The County should extend the County moratorium to match the State moratorium, at a minimum.

Governor Richardson Announces Six Month Oil & Gas Drilling Moratorium in the Galisteo Basin

From a SantaFeNewMexican.com article:

"Gov. Bill Richardson didn't waste any time diving back into New Mexico politics after dropping out of the presidential race. Friday afternoon, he called for a six-month ban on oil and gas drilling in the Galisteo Basin.

"I feel that there shouldn't be drilling in the Galisteo Basin. In my judgment, it's a very fragile ecosystem that has archaeological and groundwater issues," Richardson told a group of reporters during a news conference Friday at the Roundhouse. He said the ban will allow time to study the water systems and archaeological resources of the area."

New Mexico PBS: New Mexico InFOCUS

Episode 119 click here:

"A hard look at the future of the oil and gas in New Mexico and the latest battleground in the fight over this precious resource: the Galisteo Basin. David Alire Garcia sits down with the head of the Oil and Gas Association and one of the leading voices of opposition, former green party candidate for the PRC, David Bacon."

From the discussion in Episode 119, see Tweeti Blancett in the Sierra Club "Episode 4: Range Wars Rage On" (Click here).

" They [citizens] don’t have a democratic right to decide what goes on in the county." -- Bob Gallagher, President of the New Mexico Oil and Gas Association from Episode 119 InFOCUS.

County Ordinance to Prohibit Drilling in Culturally Significant Areas

From a Santa Fe County emai:

Santa Fe County’s proposed new oil and gas drilling ordinance will prohibit any drilling and exploratory activities that have the potential to disturb or destroy historic artifacts. The ordinance will require extensive archaeological surveys be submitted to both the Federal and State government as part of any permit application. In a letter to Santa Fe County Commissioners, Sen. Jeff Bingaman and Rep. Tom Udall ask the Commission to “delay issuing leases for any activities, such as exploration or drilling, that have the clear potential to permanently disturb or destroy irreplaceable artifacts.” The revised ordinance is being reviewed to ensure compliance with the Congressional request.

“The new ordinance will provide the maximum safeguards permitted by State law” said County Commissioner Chairman Jack Sullivan, “No permit will be granted without the collaboration of both State and Federal regulatory agencies ensuring that no culturally or archaeologically significant areas will be disturbed.” County officials are forwarding the letter from the Congressional Delegation to the local State Legislative Delegation and the State’s oil and gas drilling regulatory agency, the Oil Conservation Division (OCD) for appropriate action at the State level.

New Date for Oil & Gas Drilling Ordinance Hearing Set

From a Santa Fe County email:

The new date for Santa Fe County’s first public hearing for the proposed oil and gas drilling ordinance will be on January 22^nd beginning at 3:00 PM in Santa Fe Community College’s Jemez room. The Jemez room can seat approximately 250 people and there is an overflow room that will have a live video feed of the meeting that holds an additional 250 people. The meeting will continue through the evening hours to guarantee the input of residents who work past 3:00 PM. The 2^nd public hearing is slated for February 12^th at 6:00 PM in the Commission Chambers.

Public hearing cancelled due to winter storm

January 7, 2008

Oil & Gas Drilling Ordinance Public Hearing Cancelled Due to Winter Storm

The first public hearing on Santa Fe County’s proposed new oil and gas drilling ordinance slated for this afternoon at Santa Fe Community College has been cancelled due to the winter storm. The hearing will be rescheduled for a later date.


###

Contact: Stephen Ulibarri, Public Information Officer (505) 986-6353/795-0828

http://www.santafecounty.org/news_events/news.php?id=352

For excellent legal comments and hydrology report (click here).

Tony Bonanno Photography photographs from the December 6, 2007 public hearing: (click here).

Public hearing about the revised oil & gas ordinance 1st revised draft and letters to the editor

Revised Draft 1 of the Santa Fe County Oil & Gas Ordinance released January 4, 2008 (click here).

County sponsored public hearing about the revised draft of the oil & gas ordinance to be held Monday, Jan. 7th, 3:00pm at Santa Fe Community College, the William C. Witter Fitness Education Center gymnasium at Santa Fe Community College, 6401 Richards Ave. (click here for map)(click here for campus map)

A New Mexican letter to the editor:
"Citizens must act
The will of the people is loud and clear: Santa Fe County must be protected from the devastation gas and oil activities would bring. If corporations are allowed to ruin our lives and environment, against the will of the people, then democracy is dead. If our elected officials trounce the democratic process with secret meetings and a weakened ordinance, against the will of the people, then Santa Fe County is dead.

According to Noam Chomsky, "the political system is carefully managed to prevent the threat of democracy." That's only true if we don't take action.

Bob Gallagher of New Mexico Oil and Gas Association has stated: "We will not sit back and allow our industry to be vilified and subject to unlawful actions of any individual, private or public body." To that, I respond: We the people will not sit back and allow our democracy to be undermined and subject to the unlawful actions of politicians and corporations.

Ellen Cavalli
Dixon "
Letters to the editor (click here to read this and other letters)

Letters to Santa Fe County regarding 1st draft of the Oil & Gas Ordinance and a letter to Tecton Energy, LLC regarding OCD applications to drill

This post will likely grow.

December 21, 2007:
Joint letter to Santa Fe County from Santa Fe Conservation Trust and Earthworks Institute (click here for the letter, large file).

Letter from the Forest Guardians to Tecton Energy, LLC regarding the Oil Conservation Division applications to drill and the County-sponsored work group (click here for the letter).

Some great oil & gas articles in the Sierra Club Rio Grande Chapter Rio Grande Sierran (direct link: Rio Grande Sierran) .

December 22, 2007:
Santa Fe Basin Water Association (click here for position paper).

Fred & JJ Milder (click here for letter).

The Cerrillos Hills Parks Coaltion (click here for position paper).

The Acoustic Ecology Institute (click here for position paper).

Santa Fe Councilor Patti Bushee (A Resolution Opposing Oil & Gas Exploitation Within Santa Fe County)

December 24, 2007:
Press Release: Forest Guardians: (Click here to read the press release, "Tecton says 'Frack You' in Denying Request from Groups and Residents to Withdraw Drilling Applications.)

December 27, 2007:
Letter to Commissioner Campos from Forest Guardians, Drilling Santa Fe, Sierra Club and individuals of the Oil & Gas Advisory Committee regarding the meeting scheduled for December 28th (click here to read the letter).

Governor Richardson Issues Statement on Proposed Plans for Oil and Gas Drilling in Galisteo Basin

(Santa Fe, NM) Today Governor Richardson issued the following statement on the proposed oil and gas drilling in the Galisteo Basin:
“I’m skeptical that oil and gas drilling can be conducted in the Galisteo basin without placing our environment and water quality at risk,” said Governor Richardson.
Last month, I asked Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department Secretary Joanna Prukop to ensure that the permit process be open and transparent with full opportunity for public input, and guarantee that any possible drilling have the maximum protections for health and environment and minimum ecological footprint on our community.
She has already negotiated an agreement by Tecton to honor the Santa Fe County moratorium, to use closed loop systems in their drilling like we require on Otero Mesa, and not to dispose of their waste on site.
I’m confident Secretary Prukop and her department will assure our state’s obligations under the law and to our citizens are met.” (click here for the original press release.)

This statement is very disappointing. There is no mention of County authority to regulate and to protect our resources from the adverse impacts of oil & gas activity. There is no mention of the comprehensive survey of the Galisteo Basin's environment, natural resources, hydrology, geology, archaeology, and ground and surface water quality that must be completed prior to authorizing any oil & gas exploration or development. The Galisteo Basin must be protected.

Coalition formed due to the possibility of oil & gas drilling in Santa Fe County

A coalition has formed in regards to the possibility of oil & gas drilling in Santa Fe County. The purpose of the coalition to protect the resources of Santa Fe County from the possibility of oil & gas extraction and will offer positive alternative solutions. In alphabetical order (click on the name below to go to the respective websites):

Commonweal Conservancy
Drilling Santa Fe
Earthworks Institute
IATSE Local 480
New Mexico Environmental Law Center
Oil & Gas Accountability Project (OGAP)
Santa Fe Conservation Trust
Wildlife Federation

Santa Fe County Adds 2nd Written Comment Period for Second Oil & Gas Ordinance

December 18, 2007

County Adds 2nd Written Comment Period for Oil & Gas Ordinance

The Santa Fe County Board of County Commissioners, responding to resident requests for an extension of time for public comment, will be adding more time for written public input on the new oil and gas drilling ordinance. The written comment period on the revised draft of the oil and gas drilling ordinance being presented at a January 7th public hearing will be from January 8th through January 23rd. The deadline for written comment for the first draft is December 21st. The purpose of the December 21st deadline is to ensure County staff will have time to adequately process and include as much public contribution as possible before presenting the revised version on January 7th. Receiving 500 letters with technical comments two days before the public hearing does not allow enough time for staff to give them the consideration they deserve. The December 21st deadline also provides a holiday break for residents analyzing the ordinance and writing comments.

“Inviting written comment on the revised draft creates another opportunity for public input” said Roman Abeyta, Santa Fe County Manager. “Every call, letter and email is significant to us and it’s our job to create opportunities for productive public engagement.”



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Contact: Stephen Ulibarri, Public Information Officer (505) 986-6353/795-0828

Santa Fe Reporters David Alire Garcia and Dave Maass

Journalists David Alire Garcia and Dave Maass of the Santa Fe Reporter spent many laborious hours researching and interviewing about the proposed oil & gas drilling in Santa Fe County for the article "Mother Frackers." (click here to link to the article "Mother Frackers").

Oil Conservation Division receives 3 applications from Tecton Energy, LLC to drill in Santa Fe County

"The New Mexico Oil Conservation Division received three applications for permits to drill in Santa Fe County (County) today from Tecton Energy, LLC (Tecton). Before accepting these applications to drill, the Oil Conservation Division negotiated a strict agreement with Tecton on how and when it would proceed in the County if any application to drill was approved." (click here for full press release)

The three wells are: Tecton Ortiz 26-1; Tecton State 16-1; & Tecton Bruce Black 1-2.
For a link to the application with survey maps and aerial views, click here. Warning, it is a large file and will take a long time to open.

Rocky Mountain News, "Beyond the Boom," four days of special reports

"In 'Beyond the Boom,' four days of special reports beginning Dec. 10, the Rocky Mountain News will examine whether Colorado is ready to deal with the phenomenon that could shape its future for decades to come."

Click here for "Beyond the Boom."