State Proposal Clamps Down on Oil Drilling (NM, Otero Mesa)

The Santa Fe New Mexican ^ | Tuesday, March 9, 2004 | Associated Press

[BOBTHENAILER]

A Few Facts About Otero Mesa And Oil & Gas Development
Independent Petroleum Association of New Mexico

· Of the 1.2 million acres in the BLM’s Otero Mesa plan, approximately 100,000 acres (less than one-tenth) are grassland. The remaining 1.1 million acres are comprised of various types of terrain—mostly desert landscape commonly seen in southern NM, west Texas, and Arizona.

· Under the BLM’s plan, only 5% of the 100,000-acre grassland would be open to development at any given time. This is a landmark concession to conservation activists who don’t want any development on the mesa. It marks the first time that the BLM has ever implemented a 5% surface disturbance requirement. This Otero Mesa plan sets a dangerous precedent that could have a long-term impact on how oil and natural gas companies to do business.

· Otero Mesa will not be “destroyed” by oil and natural gas production. State and federal authorities closely regulate all petroleum production activities. Regular inspections are performed by both state and federal regulators to make sure all requirements are being followed.

· Oil and natural gas exploration on Otero Mesa (or anywhere else) will not contaminate the groundwater. The industry has been safely extracting petroleum products for a century and newer technologies ensure careful preservation of our natural resources. For example, tens of thousands of oil and natural gas wells operate above the Ogalala aquifer, which is the nation’s largest underground fresh water reserve. The Ogalala aquifer stretches for hundreds of square miles beneath Kansas, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Texas, and New Mexico. Millions of people get their drinking water from the Ogalala every day.

· In the process of conducting a “wilderness review” the BLM determined that Otero Mesa is robust land that exists in a harsh environment. The BLM determined it is not “fragile” and therefore should not be classified as a wilderness area.

· The McGregor Bombing Range—comprising 606,000 acres—sits adjacent to Otero Mesa. The not-so-quiet range is managed jointly by the BLM and the Ft. Bliss training complex.

· Production of oil and natural gas does disturb the surface temporarily. However, once drilling operations have concluded, the site is “reclaimed”, which means returned to its natural state. In many cases well sites naturally reclaim themselves while the well is still in operation.

· When oil and natural gas companies buy mineral leases, they own the right to extract those minerals. Therefore, they are simply exercising their private property rights—a concept fundamental to American liberty. In the case of Otero Mesa, these private property rights are being greatly restricted, if not denied.

· Otero Mesa is designated as “multiple use”—which means the land is capable of handling many activities including oil and natural gas production, ranching, and recreation.

· Obstructionists are fond of calling Otero Mesa “pristine”. That’s an interesting description considering approximately 100 wells have already been drilled in the planning area established in the BLM’s Resource Management Plan. The anti-drilling lobby has made our point for us. We can drill for petroleum and protect the environment. We do it every day. Interestingly, Otero Mesa sits adjacent to the McGregor Bombing Range.

· More than 600,000 state acres will be impacted in the federal BLM plan, which restricts the ability of oil and gas companies to do business. What this means to New Mexico is fewer tax dollars. The sacrifice in lost tax dollars is difficult to quantify, but could be in many millions of dollars.

· The United States imports 60% of its oil from foreign sources, mostly from the Middle East. Restricting domestic production makes us even more reliant on nations and cultures that hate America and its values.

· Without oil and natural gas, the modern world would come to a screeching halt. Every aspect of our daily lives is completely dependent on petroleum products. Wood, glass, steel, plastics, paper, rubber, clean water, plentiful food, heating, cooling, transportation and all other necessities for modern living are simply not possible without petroleum products.

· Conservation activists describe hydrocarbons (products derived from the production of oil and natural gas) as “dirty” and “harmful to the environment.” But just imagine what your world would be like without some of the modern necessities for our own health that we take for granted every. Here are just a few of the things that could not exist without “harmful” petrochemicals.
o All medications, healthcare machines and modern hospitals
o garbage trucks to remove refuse and heavy equipment to dispose of it
o sewage systems that stretch from your home to a treatment facility
o filtering systems for every kind
o household and industrial cleaning products
o deodorant, lipstick, makeup