Artifacts at risk?

Members of the Galisteo Coordination Commitee walk part of the vast Galisteo Basin in search of archaeological evidence. (© 2008 Photos by Denise Tessier)

By Denise Tessier 09/04/2008

The New Mexico Independent:

Prospect of drilling in the Galisteo Basin puts pressure on protected archaeological sites.

"GALISTEO -- Four years ago, when a group of about a dozen individuals and agencies succeeded in gathering enough evidence to prompt passage of the Galisteo Basin Archaeological Sites Protection Act, they had no idea the land surrounding the 24 sites they sought to preserve would be eyed for potential oil and gas drilling down the road.

Today, thanks to passage of that protection, the sites listed in the act are outside any direct danger of being exploited for mining or drilling, a Bureau of Land Management archaeologist told the New Mexico Independent (NMI).

But there are hundreds -- even thousands -- of other archaeological sites in the basin, according to state officials.

And as this committed group methodically continues to assess the 24 protected sites and identify other sites that merit protection in the basin, state and Santa Fe County officials scramble under the blanket of a drilling moratorium to put into place regulations that would offer some semblance of protection for portions of this vast archaeological resource not covered by the act -- sites that in some cases are not yet known.

The pressure is on because the Texas company Tecton Energy has been exploring the basin for its potential as an oil and gas site. Because of that pressure, Gov. Bill Richardson's Jan. 24 moratorium was extended for another six months on July 24.

A report on the basin by the state Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department says more than 3,000 archaeologically significant sites and 160 historic structures have been documented in the basin, and "these represent only a fraction of the resources expected to be present."

The election-year mantra that is pushing for domestic oil and gas drilling is putting pressure on archaeology-rich sites across the West, many of which have not yet been mapped and inventoried.

And, as in much of the West, mapping and discovery efforts are being conducted in the Galisteo Basin without federal funding." More>>>>

Anti-Sprawl Bill Passes California Legislature, Next Stop is Governor's Desk

Common Ground United: Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) Press Release:

"SACRAMENTO - September 2 - Saturday, the California State Senate passed Senate Bill 375, a bill designed to reduce global warming pollution through improved land use and transportation planning."...

..."to provide local governments across the state with incentives to align smart growth and transportation planning." More>>>>

Land Office puts acres up for lease (in Mora County)

Santa Fe New Mexican:

"The State Land Office will offer more than 12,000 acres of state land in Mora County for lease Sept. 16.

The news has a group of Mora residents opposed to drilling in the rural Northern New Mexico county spoiling for a fight. An e-mail sent out over the weekend by Drilling Mora County calls on Mora residents to show up at the lease sale and protest.

Sealed bids on the leases will be accepted until 9:30 a.m. Sept. 16. The leases are for 10 years with the state receiving one-eighth of the royalty for public schools and other entities."

N.M. Adds Wildlife Protections

Albuquerque Journal North :

Monday, September 01, 2008

By Susan Montoya Bryan
Associated Press

"With the oil and gas boom spreading across the West, New Mexico officials are taking an unprecedented step to get federal and state land management agencies to think about wildlife before opening up public land to energy development.

New Mexico is the first state to adopt a set of recommendations developed by Sportsmen for Responsible Energy Development, a national coalition of groups dedicated to preserving public lands for hunting and fishing.

The recommendations, adopted by state game commissioners at their last meeting, seek to balance conservation with responsible energy development.

Game Commissioner Oscar Simpson of Albuquerque described the recommendations as "a commonsense approach."

"Several of the things identified in there go right along with the state Game and Fish Department's mandate, what they should be doing all along, fighting for wildlife and making sure there's habitat for wildlife," he said.

"You don't have habitat, you ain't going to have wildlife," he added.

The sportsmen say drilling on federal public land has increased by 260 percent in just under a decade while declines in big game and other species have been documented from Wyoming to southeastern New Mexico.

In northern New Mexico, drilling has been proposed for the Galisteo Basin south of Santa Fe and in the mountains east of Chama, but permit applications are temporarily on hold."...

..."Simpson said he hopes that, by adopting the sportsmen's recommendations, Game and Fish will be able to push harder for protection of wildlife. He said there have been past instances of the department "ducking its head in the sand" when it came to wildlife and energy issues." More>>>

Common Ground United and Drilling Santa Fe Worksheet for Santa Fe Co. Community Outreach

Common Ground United and Drilling Santa Fe have composed a county outreach worksheet for the Santa Fe County Oil & Gas Ordinance. The worksheet is a basic suggested guide and may not be fully comprehensive. It is designed for citizens' participation in the planning process. Feedback is welcome.

Link>>>>

Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, IOGCC Chairman & McCain's VP Choice Coming to Santa Fe

An eariler Drilling Santa Fe post:

Thursday, August 7, 2008

"The Challenges of Unconventional Oil & Natural Gas"

Thanks to Environmental News for New Mexicans for informing us about the upcoming event, "in Santa Fe, New Mexico, Nov. 16 - 18, 2008 for the IOGCC (Interstate Oil & Gas Compact Commission) Annual Meeting. The overall theme of this year’s meeting is 'The Challenges of Unconventional Oil & Natural Gas' a topic at the forefront of national attention." Wonder if the "challenges" will fully address the adverse impacts?

Small world.

More Palin/IOGCC information, go to a post at Environmental News for New Mexicans.

Nearly 13,000 acres of Mora County state trust land being offered for oil & gas leasing

Recently, Pat Lyons, Commissioner of Public Land, wrote an Op Ed calling for drilling of Otero Mesa.

Now, the State Land Office has put nearly 13,000 acres of the beautiful, agricultural land in Mora County up for oil & gas lease auction. Mora County residents had requested that this not occur. Oil & gas drilling activity poses threats to this agricultural county. More information will be forthcoming, along with action alerts.

Related links:

State Land Office (SLO)

SLO sale of oil & gas lease notice

Drilling Mora County

A few related DSF posts:

Otero Mesa's resources needed now

New Mexico State Land Office & "Satanic Gases: Clearing the Air About Global Warming"

JOIN LIZ STEFANICS IN A SEPTEMBER 11 COMMUNITY DIALOGUE

Please join us (EGOT!) on

Thursday, September 11^th - 7pm

at the Eldorado Community Center Railroad Room for a dialogue with incoming County Commissioner-elect (dist 5) Liz Stefanics and invited guests Commissioner Jack Sullivan and Commissioner-elect (dist 4) Kathy Holian

Liz and guests will discuss

areas of mutual concern. Our primary focus will be on energy issues - potential gas and oil drilling in Santa Fe County, and developing a local sustainable energy future. This is an extraordinary opportunity to talk with our elected representatives about the future of our community.

Hosted by the Eldorado Gas & Oil Team (EGOT!), the meeting

is part of their Resident Information Program. Space is limited to 60 people.

Further information: Deborah Boldt, 466-2295

Flyer

Feel The Heat

Santa Fe Reporter :

Behind the headlines, scientists warn that climate change is already hitting New Mexico

By: Laura Paskus 08/27/2008

..."Last year, the New Mexico Environmental Improvement Board created a new rule mandating the oil and gas industry report its carbon emissions. That rule is just a first step; it still doesn’t require that industry actually reduce its emissions.

According to Schlenker-Goodrich—who represented a coalition of environmental groups that worked with the state and industry to create the new rule—the oil and gas industry has a significant footprint in terms of greenhouse gas pollution and has an obligation to reduce those emissions. Beyond that, however, he says that if industry leaders start tracking emissions, they will have further incentive to keep those waste gases, particularly methane, within the system and make the energy production system more efficient.

“So when we’re talking about greenhouse gas pollution from the oil and gas industry, the solutions to that problem not only deal with climate, but they also deal with energy,” he says. “In terms of that, if you put those solutions into motion, into practice—if you implement them on the ground in the gas patch, in the oil patch—then you put more of the product in the pipeline for consumers.”

Schlenker-Goodrich also represents activists trying to change how the federal government allows oil and gas development on public lands to occur. (Currently, the US Bureau of Land Management has 5.4 million acres of public lands leased to oil and gas companies in New Mexico alone.)

Activists have asked the BLM to quantify greenhouse gas pollution from federally-authorized oil and gas operations and consider measures to reduce that pollution. Although the agency rejected the coalition’s challenge to the April oil and gas lease sale, activists have now contested the July sale.

Despite the magnitude of the problem—and the federal government’s stubborn resistance to confronting climate change—Schlenker-Goodrich harbors a fiercely optimistic streak. “We’ve become a nation of pessimists at some level—and that’s only a recent phenomenon,” he says. ‘We truly are a nation that has historically prided itself on being self-reliant, prided itself on having a can-do attitude—and perhaps at no time in our history, have those two values, our self reliance and our can-do attitude, been more important.”

Being engaged and educated on the issue of climate change is crucial, he says. But focusing on local community is important as well. People can make use of energy resources available in their own backyards—such as solar and wind—and stop relying on coal-fired power plants hundreds or thousands of miles away whose electricity is transmitted across inefficient lines. Working with local and state governments—and forcing them to become accountable—is key to a sustainable future.

“If we think long term, if we get out of this vicious trap of crisis-by-crisis management and really take in the long view, I think we can really do it here in New Mexico,” Schlenker-Goodrich says. “Frankly, I’m optimistic…It’s going to be a lot of hard work, but its going to be a lot of good work.”' Full article>>>>

KSFR News: Group questions Santa Fe County

KSFR Local

Group questions Santa Fe County -------------------- Catch the news director's blog -------------------- SANTA FE (2008-08-25) -- A local citizens group says it has found an anomaly with the way Santa Fe County is reporting the meetings it's having with local groups on oil and gas drilling. © Copyright 2008, KSFR Download the free Real Audio Player. Find a free MP3 Audio Player.

Santa Fe County Missing Minutes?

This morning I sent the following email to the County Attorney's office and Dr. Freilich:

"Would like to point out that the Out Reach Meeting List and the Focus Group Minutes do not match. Are these two document sets suppose to match? Are there minutes from the meetings especially with NMOGA (New Mexico Oil & Gas Association) and IPANM (Independent Petroleum Association New Mexico)? What about the second set of minutes for the "Santa Fe Friends of Capitalism"?

A few quick corrections that jumped out at me: The grassroots organization is Drilling Santa Fe at drillingsantafe.org. It was listed as No Drilling Santa Fe on the Santa Fe County documents. Also, when I spoke of a county energy plan, it was not to be in lieu of a growth management plan, but as part of the growth management plan.

It would behoove us all to expand the outreach. For example, Drilling Santa Fe is part of a broader coalition, Common Ground United at commongroundunited.org . As Common Ground United has done, local businesses need to be part of the mix. Also, other organizations such as the Oil & Gas Accountability Project (Gwen Lachelt, Oil & Gas Accountability Project (OGAP)) and the National Wildlife Federation (Oscar Simpson, The New Mexico Wildlife Federation and National Wildlife Federation) should be brought in. At the bottom of this email will be a list of the coalition members to date."

Sincerely,

Johnny Micou

Co-Founder, Drilling Santa Fe

Executive Director, Common Ground United

505-474-3061

COUNTY PREPARES FOR NEW OIL & GAS ORDINANCE DRAFT RELEASE; OUTREACH

Santa Fe County Email:

"Santa Fe - August 22, 2008 - Santa Fe County anticipates a first draft of a new ordinance concerning oil and gas extraction within 60 days and an Area plan for the Galisteo Basin in late September. Once the draft is complete, it will be made available for public comment and then dates will be set for at least two public hearings.

Lists of individuals/organizations met with during public outreach, copies of sign-in sheets, and minutes of meetings with community stakeholders and other groups are available for review at www.santafecounty.org/oilandgas. Documents being reviewed by County staff and the consultant team (www.ourplanningworks.com/santafe/SantaFeDataLog%207.10.08.pdf) during this process are available for public review in the County legal office. Documents on the list that are not available in the County legal office can be obtained from Planning Works via public records request (click here)."

"The Great Global Warming Scandal," a film to debunk global warming, was shown today at the New Mexico State Land Office

This is a review of the “documentary,” "The Great Global Warming Scandal," a film shown today at the New Mexico State Land Office. According to Wikepdia, “Documentary film is a broad category of visual expression that is based on the attempt, in one fashion or another, to "document" reality.” This film might be closer to the opposite. It is thick with sarcasm and thin on fact.

Even Dr. Robert Balding, author of “The Satanic Gases: Clearing the Air About Global Warming,” commented afterwards that he did not agree with the film in some areas. One of the core arguments was that rising temperature precedes elevated CO2 levels. Dr. Balding disagreed.

Another core argument in the film is that sun spots was the climate change culprit. Dr. Balding suggested that sun spots are not solely responsible for climate change. In fact, he can not predict what will happen. He allowed that the dynamics are complex.

The main thrust of the film is to cast doubt upon climate change and the harmful impacts of CO2. If climate change does not exist and anthropogenic CO2 emissions are safe, then there need not be regulations or penalties for industry. Consequently, efforts to limit, reduce or eliminate anthropogenic CO2 emissions is anti-capitalistic, even neo-Marxist. Yet, those of faux-free-enterprise do not embrace the green entrepreneurship that is occurring globally.

Beyond blaming the media for the “global warming scandal,” the film is aggressively anti-environmentalist. In fact, it blames environmentalism for the poverty in third worlds.

In an impoverished area in off-the-grid Africa, there was a scene where a doctor had a choice between using a light or a refrigerator that contained medications. The building only had two small, under-producing solar panels, so it had little electric power for either. With strained logic, the film implied that solar power was “experimental” and only for the rich.

The film indicates that environmentalism denies Africans the use of their own resources and was perpetuating poverty. However, there was not a connection made between poverty and environmentalism. It was more a leap of logic. One such leap is that fossil fuel must be used to generate electricity in Africa and create prosperity.

Yet, who benefits from the oil drilling, such as in Nigeria?

Reality check. See video below:

County might have violated state's Open Meetings Act

Santa Fe New Mexican:

Phaedra Haywood | The New Mexican

8/21/2008 - 8/22/08

"Santa Fe County spokesman Stephen Ulibarri admitted Thursday that the county has not been following its own rules when it comes to properly posting agendas for upcoming meetings.

Ulibarri's statement came after local radio station KSFR alleged the county violated the Open Meetings Act by failing to post a notice or agenda for a Community Development Review Committee meeting held Aug. 5.

The station's reporters missed attending the CDRC meeting — at which an attorney hired to advise the county on oil and gas development spoke — because information about the meeting was not posted on the county's Web site, KSFR said Thursday.

When first contacted by The New Mexican, Ulibarri said the county did not have a legal obligation to post notices on the Web site. He said the county had complied with the law by posting a legal notice in the newspaper.

But upon closer examination of the county's own resolution on the topic, Ulibarri acknowledged it requires agendas be posted online three days before meetings. " More>>>>

Newsweek: A Toxic Spew?

Newsweek :

Robert Nickelsberg / Getty Images

Pumped: Workers release carbon-dioxide vapor after 'fracking' a natural-gas well in eastern New Mexico

PROJECT GREEN

A Toxic Spew?

Officials worry about impact of 'fracking' of oil and gas.

By Jim Moscou | Newsweek Web Exclusive

Aug 20, 2008 | Updated: 5:26 p.m. ET Aug 20, 2008

"Cathy Behr says she won't forget the smell that nearly killed her. An emergency-room nurse in Durango, Colo.'s Mercy Regional Medical Center, Behr was working the April 17 day shift when Clinton Marshall arrived complaining of nausea and headaches. An employee at an energy-services company, Weatherford International, Marshall, according to Behr, said that he was caught in a "fracturing-fluid" spill. [Fracturing chemicals are routinely used on oil and gas wells where they are pumped deep into the ground to crack rock seams and increase production.] The chemical stench coming off Marshall's boots was buckling, says Behr. Mercy officials took no chances. They evacuated and locked down the ER, and its staff was instructed to don protective masks and gowns. But by the time those precautions were enacted, Behr had been nursing Marshall for 10 minutes--unprotected. "I honestly thought the response was a little overkill, but good practice," says Behr, 54, a 20-year veteran at Mercy.

A few days later, Behr's skin turned yellow. She began vomiting and retaining fluid. Her husband rushed her to Mercy where Behr was admitted to the ICU with a swollen liver, erratic blood counts and lungs filling with fluid. "I couldn't breath," she recalls. "I was drowning from the inside out." The diagnosis: chemical poisoning. The makers of the suspected chemical, Weatherford, tell NEWSWEEK that they aren't sure if their brand of fracking fluid can be blamed for her illness."...

..."And the stakes are getting higher. Last week, against public protests by much of the state's congressional leadership and governor, the federal Bureau of Land Management sold off drilling leases in a wilderness area called one of the region's most pristine ecosystems and which is home to enough natural gas to power Colorado for 34 years. "It's just huge," says Gwen Lachelt, executive director of the Oil and Gas Accountability Project (OGAP), a nonprofit regional watchdog group, of the recent oil and gas plays in the state. "All eyes are on Colorado right now."' More>>>>

KSFR News: Questions raised about Santa Fe County violating Open Meetings Act

KSFR Local

SANTA FE (2008-08-21) -- KSFR News has asked the state attorney general's office to investigate whether Santa Fe County has violated terms of the New Mexico Open Meetings Act. News Director Bill Dupuy says KSFR reporters missed attending an open public meeting of the County Development Review Committee because the time, date and agenda for the August 5th meeting were not posted on the county's website. KSFR had attempted to find out about a rumored discussion of oil and gas drilling in Santa Fe County. It was not until after the meeting had taken place that the reporters found the discussion had taken place at the open meeting. The county commission requires that notices of regular and special meetings of all committees be posted in advance on the county's website in addition to newspaper legal notices. On further investigation, KSFR News discovered that there were no such meeting notices for that committee for the period between March 2007 and August of this year. An earlier analysis by KSFR News found that Santa Fe County's efforts to communicate publicly about its work on an oil and gas drilling ordinance have been far less robust than similar planning projects underway in Boise, Idaho, and Grand Junction, Colorado. © Copyright 2008, KSFR

DW Turner, Anne Potter Russ & New Mexico Oil & Gas Association

Not long after the front page Santa Fe New Mexican article on Anne Potter Russ, we were contacted by DW Turner for a meeting with her. Since then, there has been a change. There have been several letters to the editor printed in the Santa Fe New Mexican from curious sources. There was the Albuquerque Journal article on Tecton Energy, LLC, "Tecton faces tough time in New Mexico," in which Tecton makes the claim, '"We already know there is oil present and producible there because we've re-entered an existing well in the Galisteo Basin (and it is) producing commercial quantities"' (highlight added). Yet, that well has been temporarily abandoned and only produced less 30 barrels in the last four months of production! DW Turner lists the New Mexico Oil & Gas Association (NMOGA) as a client.

There was a Santa Fe New Mexican article on the Rio Grande Foundation, a group that is co-sponsoring the showing of "The Great Global Warming Swindle" to be followed by a presentation by Robert Balling, author of the book "Satanic Gases: Clearing the Air About Global Warming" to be held at the New Mexico State Land Office. CARE (Citizens' Alliance for Responsible Energy) was in part founded by Ron Arnold (see quotes below). The Rio Grande Foundation and CARE are aggressive oil & gas industry advocates.

Yesterday, in a unanimous vote the Rio Arriba Board of County Commissioners extended the expiring oil & gas drilling moratorium for an additional 180 days. The story was carried in the Santa Fe New Mexican under news in brief. Also yesterday, the Las Cruces City Council adopted a resolution to protect Otero Mesa. Yet, Pat Lyons, Commissioner of Public Lands, says drill the Otero Mesa. The Las Cruces resolution adoption story was carried by KSFR and AP.

Energy may be one the biggest issues facing New Mexico and beyond. There are profound events in regards to energy happening in New Mexico. And beyond New Mexico, there are citizens protesting that industry has gone too far in Fort Worth and in the Delaware Basin.

Some related recent posts:

Tecton faces tough time in New Mexico

Otero Mesa's resources needed now

Texas residents want gas drilling permits stopped

New Mexico State Land Office & "Satanic Gases: Clearing the Air About Global Warming"

A Crude Awakening

"The Great Global Warming Swindle" showing at the New Mexico State Land Office

Rio Arriba County Board of County Commissioners Extends Countywide Drilling Moratorium for 180 Days

Shock doctrine opens way for oil drilling, Naomi Klein on disaster capitalism

CARE & the letter to the Gang of Ten Coalition

Ron Arnold quotes from SourceWatch:

"We want to destroy environmentalists by taking away their money and their members,"

"If chlorflourocarbons really destroy ozone, why isn't there a hole over chlorflourocarbon factories, he asks". As for the greenhouse effect he was emphatic: "There isn't any such thing".

"We are sick to death of environmentalism and so we will destroy it. We will not allow our right to own property and use nature's resources for the benefit of mankind to be stripped from us by a bunch of eco-facists,"

"And that sword has two purposes: to carve out a niche for your agenda, to reshape the American law in your image; and, kill the b(lank)s."[5] Asked to describe how he would like others to think of him, he said "People in industry, I'm going to do my best for you. Environmentalists, I'm coming to get you."

"We're out to kill the fxxxers. We're simply trying to eliminate them. Our goal is to destroy environmentalism once and for all"

CARE & the letter to the Gang of Ten Coalition

"The point is, ladies and gentleman, that greed -- for lack of a better word -- is good.

Greed is right.

Greed works.

Greed clarifies, cuts through, and captures the essence of the evolutionary spirit."

Gordon Gekko, Wall Street (1987).

CARE, Citizens' Alliance for Energy Responsible, founded in part by Ron Arnold, and other aggressively pro oil & gas drilling advocates, have sent a letter to the "Gang of Ten Coalition," promoting more drilling: "Any legislation which rejects proposals to expand oil and gas drilling, and other energy development on federal lands, prevents progress towards lessening America’s dependence on foreign oil."

In short, expanding domestic drilling will not make America foreign oil independent. If one word were to sum up the impetus for more off shore drilling and costly oil shale mining and drilling -- greed. Also, see post:

Shock doctrine opens way for oil drilling, Naomi Klein on disaster capitalism

NoDirtyEnergy.org

Please check out Earthwork's new site, nodirtyenergy.org :

Got Tar in Your Tank?

Chances are you have some dirty tar sands oil in your car's gas tank. Find out why you should care... and how to stop it. More

Tar sands oil is spreading across the U.S. thanks to an expanding network of refineries. More

Uncle Sam wants you to take the No Dirty Energy pledge. Use your consumer power! More

On the Dirty Energy Trail

The Dirt on Tar Sands">The Dirt on Tar Sands
Also known as oil sands, tar sands are grains of sand intermixed with bitumen (heavy, black, asphalt-like oil). The oil locked up in tar sands requires drastic efforts to extract, and the result is a particularly dirty form of energy production.
The Dirt on Tar Sands">More

Fuel Efficiency">Fuel Efficiency
The most effective way to cut our dependence on dirty fuels -- like tar sands oil -- is to use less gasoline and diesel. If all vehicles in the U.S. averaged 40 mpg, there wouldn't be a need for tar sands oil.
Fuel Efficiency">More

Energy News

08.18.08
Natives unite to fight oilsands">Natives unite to fight oilsands
Chiefs from three provinces and the Northwest Territories made the joint declaration Sunday at the conclusion of a water conference in Fort Chipewyan. They say Alberta's oldest European settlement is on the brink of catastrophe.
Natives unite to fight oilsands">More
07.20.08
Clean-tech pacesetters for a low-carbon California">Clean-tech pacesetters for a low-carbon California
LA Times' Edward Silver looks at some of the private companies that could become big players in the search for energy solutions -- and eventually make their way to the public market.
Clean-tech pacesetters for a low-carbon California">More

• Contact Us
• Privacy Policy
• Copyright 2008 EARTHWORKS

Sign the pledge to end dirty energy!

Sign Now

The Dirt on Energy

08.18.08
It's interesting how $4 per gallon focuses the mind...

What You Can Do

• Take Action

  Help put an end to Dirty Energy!

• @home

  Help end dirty energy by making responsible choices in your home, as a consumer and in your community.

• Share your story

  Share your personal story of how dirty energy affects you.

Join Our Action List

Email Address:

Rio Arriba County Board of County Commissioners Extends Countywide Drilling Moratorium for 180 Days

Just in from Viva Rio Arriba:

In a unanimous vote the Rio Arriba Board of County Commissioners extended the expiring drilling moratorium for an additional 180 days. The extension will continue to apply countywide. John Zent, speaking for ConocoPhillips, several residents of the Lindrith area plead before the Commission to limit the moratorium to the Rio Chama watershed area. Stephanie Reed speaking on behalf of the New Mexico Oil and Gas Association echoed support for a division of the County into an eastern and western area to differentiate between the watershed (east) and developed (west) areas.

However, Gabriel Boyle, representing the County Planning and Zoning department reccomended to the Commission that the moratorium extension not be amended and apply to all "...surface over which the County has jurisdiction, including the developed areas." Attorney's Adan Trujillo and Frank Herdman summarized the progress to date on drafting the governing ordinance for oil and gas, and each recommended that the process go forward in a deliberate manner so as to allow time for careful consideration of all elements, including cultural issues. Mr. Boyle also emphasized the importance of the planned workshops for public and industry output, "...as a critical part of the process."

Commissioner Felipe Martinez discussed the length to which the Commissioners had worked and wrestled with the considerations of individuals affected, such as the Lindrith contracting concerns, and the overall responsibility to insure public water source safety and environmental impact. "Yes, the Rio Chama is a critical watershed, and perhaps parts of the County should just not ever be drilled. But, really, the entire County is a watershed. We must consider that as we move forward.

Both Commission Chairman Alfredo Montoya and County Manager Lorenzo Valdez expressed optimism that industry and government could work together and used the recent County Fair and 4-H Livestock sale in which the energy contributors have begun supporting the youth. "In 2006, we had only minimum participation from the oil and gas community, about $2,700. Last year, in response to a County outreach project, industry greatly increased their participation, to $26,000 and this year, another big increase to a total of over $37,000," said Montoya. Manager Valdez added that in addition to the huge increase, two of the energy contributors, Devon Energy and M&R Trucking were donating three steers back to community service organizations. "El Mirador for the handicapped; Esperanza for domestic violence; Hoy Recovery for substance abuse, all very important and deserving programs for the community. It's just an example of how we can work together for mutual benefit," said Valdez.

Shock doctrine opens way for oil drilling, Naomi Klein on disaster capitalism

The Real News Network:

"August 18 - In the most recent segment of his interview, The Real News senior editor Paul Jay discusses disaster capitalism with Naomi Klein, author of The Shock Doctrine.

Using the current high oil prices as an example, Klein explains that disaster capitalism is what she calls the ideological political strategy in which politicians use disasters to help push through unpopular policies, such as privatization and cuts to government spending. There is "a very deliberate change of topic coming from the oil and gas industry to get all of the focus on high gas prices and present a policy alternative that will not solve the prices, but will be certainly in the economic interest of the oil and gas industry, which is to allow drilling the continental shelf in Anwar."

Previous efforts to gain support for drilling in Anwar have failed because there could be serious environmental repercussions, but Klein believes that will soon change. "If you get all the people on corporate TV just reiterating the talking points of the oil and gas industry, and then you get a couple of presidential candidates also doing it then people will start to say 'Yeah! Drill now, drill now! Pay less!'" Klein says that this creates "an illusion that [drilling in Anwar] will actually help your gas prices before you go on vacation next week" when the reality is that the drilling would not even take place for a minimum of 5 years from now." Link>>>>

Taos Resource Management Plan Revision (RMPR)

BLM Website :

"The BLM in Taos is updating land use plan decisions for public lands managed by the Taos Field Office in Rio Arriba, Santa Fe, Taos, Colfax, Harding, Los Alamos, Mora, San Miguel, and Union counties.

The RMPR will address at least six major issues of high public interest in the Taos Field Office planning area , including land tenure adjustment, land uses (rights-of-way), special area designations, visual resource management, off-highway vehicles, and mineral materials. Of these issues, off-highway vehicle area designations and the locations of minerals materials available for extraction are likely to be of most interest."

Taos Field Office

Contact:

For anyone wishing to be placed on the mailing list as the Taos Field Office develops the Resource Management Plan (RMP) which includes BLM administered lands in Santa Fe County; they should send or email their name and address to:

Evelyn Rodriguez

email:
evelyn_rodriguez@blm.govThis e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
Taos Field Office - BLM
226 Cruz Alta
Taos, NM 87571

575-758-8851

Eminent Domain

From westandclear.com:

(Below) "is a short film that West and Clear collaborated on with Fort Worth filmmaker James M. Johnston. Eminent domain abuse is an abstract problem, but Ms. Horton’s plight puts a very human face on this issue. James and I wanted Ms. Horton to be able to tell her story in her own words and show you what it is like to have a pipeline literally coming to your front porch." More>>>>

Related posts:

Texas residents want gas drilling permits stopped

Urban Gas Drilling Causes Backlash In Boomtown

KSFR News: Santa Fe County planning effort lags behind work in other municipalities

"(SANTA FE -- Aug. 15, 2008) -- Despite promises, efforts by Santa Fe County lag behind similar efforts by two governments in other states to involve citizens in creating new regulations to govern drilling and other development."

Full story at: KSFR, click here

A Crude Awakening

From an earlier post, "a documentary "The Great Global Warming Swindle" to be followed by a presentation by Robert Balling, author of the book "Satanic Gases: Clearing the Air About Global Warming" to be held at the New Mexico State Land Office." (See New Mexico State Land Office & "Satanic Gases: Clearing the Air About Global Warming") What if "A Crude Awakening - The Oil Crash" were to be shown? What about all of the real scientific works on global warming, climate change and greenhouse gases? Will such works receive an unbiased airing? Why are some of the efforts to transition to clean, renewable energy being thwarted? Why is the dirty fossil fuel industry subsidized? (See Oil & Gas IndustryTaxpayer Derived Welfare at Common Ground United) (Click here for a DSF Global Warming Swindle flyer)