Northern New Mexico Conservation Project

tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27192883352923217072011-07-28T15:14:27.856-06:00Northern New Mexico Conservation ProjectA blog of thoughts, news, and current events, for people who are concerned about the impacts of oil and gas development in Northern New Mexico.Northern New Mexico Conservation Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01371941468595392855noreply@blogger.comBlogger2191100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2719288335292321707.post-83830806762259519422010-07-23T07:03:00.002-06:002010-07-23T07:08:59.940-06:00Posting Hiatus

I apologize for the unannounced hiatus in posting. It will continue until I get a new motherboard for my computer. Please check back in a couple of weeks.Until then, local and international events regarding oil and gas development can be found at Common Ground United and the Drilling Santa Fe Blog. They are both great sites and are updated regularly.

Northern New Mexico Conservation Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01371941468595392855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2719288335292321707.post-21958068556382617002010-07-07T16:06:00.002-06:002010-07-07T16:13:36.843-06:00ProPublica Photographer: I Was Followed by BP Security and Then Detained by Police

Welcome to the corporate land of the free...by Lance Rosenfield, Special to ProPublica Today, 10:37 a.m.Freelance photographer Lance Rosenfield was working on assignment for ProPublica in Texas City, Texas, last week, when a BP security guard began following him. Rosenfield was later detained by police after taking photos for two ProPublica stories. One revealed that BP’s Texas City refinery had

Northern New Mexico Conservation Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01371941468595392855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2719288335292321707.post-51556248193888256732010-07-02T12:23:00.003-06:002010-07-02T12:39:11.087-06:00Denver Post--Millions of gallons spilled in Colo. over 2½ year period

Your water is safe...really, we promise! The sad thing is, these are number provided by the oil and gas industry itself.Post analysis of state accident reportsBy Burt Hubbard The Denver PostPosted: 06/28/2010 01:00:00 AM MDTUpdated: 06/28/2010 02:53:25 PM MDTOil and gas companies have reported almost 1,000 spills to Colorado regulators over the past 2 1/2 years, totaling 5.2 million gallons of

Northern New Mexico Conservation Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01371941468595392855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2719288335292321707.post-75953415651815211682010-07-02T09:32:00.002-06:002010-07-02T09:34:21.968-06:00[San Miguel] County changes panel after criticism

By David Giuliani, Las Vegas OpticThe San Miguel County Commission this week decided to change the composition of its oil gas task force after some contended that it was heavily weighted toward the industry. County officials said they wanted to change the makeup of the 10-member task force after they received disclosure forms from applicants. In April, the commission formed the task force to make

Northern New Mexico Conservation Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01371941468595392855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2719288335292321707.post-5396300563247672492010-06-18T15:33:00.002-06:002010-06-18T15:38:55.173-06:00ProPublica--New Documents Show BP Made Little Progress on Alaska Safety Issues From 2001 to 2007

by Abrahm Lustgarten, ProPublica - June 18, 2010 3:28 pm EDT Six years after a scathing 2001 internal review of BP's Alaska operations found that the company wasn't maintaining safety equipment and faced "a fundamental lack of trust" among workers, a follow-up study concluded BP had made little headway in addressing those concerns.The 2007 review, obtained by ProPublica, is based on a survey of

Northern New Mexico Conservation Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01371941468595392855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2719288335292321707.post-22379131367152489852010-06-18T10:46:00.001-06:002010-06-18T10:57:30.413-06:00EPA Press Release--EPA Announces a Schedule of Public Meetings on Hydraulic Fracturing Research Study

CONTACT: Enesta Jones jones.enesta@epa.gov 202-564-7873 202-564-4355 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE June 18, 2010 EPA Announces a Schedule of Public Meetings on Hydraulic Fracturing Research Study WASHINGTON - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is hosting four public information meetings on the proposed study of the relationship between hydraulic fracturing and its potential impacts

Northern New Mexico Conservation Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01371941468595392855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2719288335292321707.post-21291939556746235792010-06-17T14:06:00.003-06:002010-06-17T14:13:09.750-06:00ProPublica--Gulf Cleanup Training Ignores Advice From Health Agency, Official Says

by Sasha Chavkin, ProPublica - June 17, 2010 2:05 pm EDT As we've reported, workplace safety experts have expressed concern that Gulf oil spill responders aren't getting enough safety training. On Wednesday, we spoke with a federal official who said the four-hour safety course that BP is providing to Gulf cleanup workers lacks basic information on health risks and is too short to cover the

Northern New Mexico Conservation Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01371941468595392855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2719288335292321707.post-66750889834124867292010-06-15T16:25:00.003-06:002010-06-15T16:51:21.530-06:00WFFA--Flower Mound parents worried about gas drilling near schools

I think most of us tend to assume that there are some places drilling just wouldn't ever occur. But the more I learn, the more aware I become that nothing is sacred any more. From war veteran graveyards surrounded by waste pits, to gas wells next to your kids elementary school, the oil and gas industry will set up shop anywhere that offers a profit.Flower Mound parents worried about gas drilling

Northern New Mexico Conservation Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01371941468595392855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2719288335292321707.post-71056851386184919592010-06-14T13:37:00.004-06:002010-06-14T13:43:45.477-06:00Onshore accidents add to concerns

Onshore accidents involving oil and gas extraction are nothing new. Unlike the BP disaster; however, they usually get little to no attention outside the immediate area where the accident or problem occurs.By BRETT CLANTONHOUSTON CHRONICLEJune 13, 2010, 5:10PM A string of accidents this month at natural gas operations on land could not have come at a worse time for Houston’s vast energy industry.

Northern New Mexico Conservation Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01371941468595392855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2719288335292321707.post-52305359638290712182010-06-14T13:32:00.002-06:002010-06-14T13:37:18.424-06:00The Daily Sentinel--Silt-area drilling report contentious

For more information about the Divide Creek seep, please visit Lisa Bracken's website, Journey of The Forsaken.By Dennis WebbMonday, June 14, 2010GLENWOOD SPRINGS — Garfield County commissioners want the state to take another look at their consultant’s concerns about the West Divide Creek natural gas seep as yet more drilling is being proposed in that area.Commissioners decided to make the

Northern New Mexico Conservation Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01371941468595392855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2719288335292321707.post-83923249826181709642010-06-13T13:06:00.002-06:002010-06-13T13:10:14.682-06:00TCEQ botches air quality oversight

Decisions about Texas air quality ought to be made in Texas, not in Washington. Unfortunately, the bumbling efforts of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality under Gov. Rick Perry have invited an Environmental Protection Agency takeover of the air-pollution permitting process in the Lone Star State.For 15 years, Texas has operated an air-pollution-permitting program that lacks EPA approval

Northern New Mexico Conservation Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01371941468595392855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2719288335292321707.post-8088258941524711522010-06-13T13:00:00.002-06:002010-06-13T13:04:11.962-06:00The Huffington Post--Utah Oil Spill 500 Barrels Spill Into Red Butte Creek After Pipeline Breaks

First Posted: 06-13-10 12:34 AM. Updated: 06-13-10 02:55 PM SALT LAKE CITY (AP)— A leaked pipeline sent oil spilling into a Salt Lake City creek, coating geese and ducks and closing a park, officials said Saturday as they started a cleanup effort expected to last weeks.At least 400 to 500 barrels of oil spewed into Red Butte Creek before crews capped the leak site. Nearly 50 gallons of crude oil

Northern New Mexico Conservation Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01371941468595392855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2719288335292321707.post-15134885848124775522010-06-11T09:54:00.002-06:002010-06-11T10:02:44.708-06:00ProPublica--Rise in Offshore Spills Raises Wider Questions on Drilling

by Sasha Chavkin, ProPublica - June 10, 2010 2:59 pm EDT The catastrophe unfolding in the Gulf of Mexico has been portrayed as a one-of-a-kind disaster, a perfect storm of bad equipment, bad planning and bad luck.But it’s far from the only spill that’s taken place this year – or even the only spill occurring in the Gulf right now.On June 7, the Mobile Press-Register reported that the Ocean

Northern New Mexico Conservation Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01371941468595392855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2719288335292321707.post-5742443242844368442010-06-10T10:59:00.002-06:002010-06-10T11:02:55.194-06:00Rio Grande Sun--Commission Sides With Landowner Over Drilling (Rio Arriba County)

Normally I try to make very up-to-date posts. This article is about a week old but, as it is very close to home, I decided to post it.Landowner does not want Texas oil/gas company to drill on his propertyBy Joe CrawfordSUN Staff WriterPublished:Thursday, June 3, 2010 1:09 PM MDT6/3/10A Texas oil company was lectured on being “neighborly” last week as its request to drill on a northern Rio Arriba

Northern New Mexico Conservation Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01371941468595392855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2719288335292321707.post-32888576633118093882010-06-09T12:47:00.002-06:002010-06-09T12:52:33.095-06:00.Blast in Texas Panhandle kills 2, injures 3

Well...Just wow. Accidents like this are becoming way to common place. I think they highlight the importance of county-based regulations. Mora and San Miguel Counties currently lack the resources to respond to events like these. In such remote areas that lack both manpower and equipment, a pipeline explosion would be extremely dangerous, causing fires that could spread far beyond the accident

Northern New Mexico Conservation Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01371941468595392855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2719288335292321707.post-24757087004310868172010-06-08T16:28:00.002-06:002010-06-08T16:33:17.844-06:00Salazar Declares Shallow Water Drilling “Safe,” Lifts Drilling Injunction, Conceals Shallow Water Oil Spill Currently Fouling Gulf

Really?!FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEJune 8, 20103:10 PMTaylor Energy Spill Has Caused 10-mile Slick, Is Still Spewing OilTUSCON, AZ - June 8 - On May 6, 2010, the U.S. Department of the Interior placed a partial moratorium on shallow and deepwater drilling in response to the April 20, 2010 explosion of BP’s Deepwater Horizon drilling project. Interior defines “shallow-water drilling” as occurring in

Northern New Mexico Conservation Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01371941468595392855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2719288335292321707.post-39895810207499215402010-06-08T15:25:00.002-06:002010-06-08T15:28:36.842-06:00Accidents bring calls to suspend shale drilling

Tuesday, June 08, 2010By Don Hopey, Pittsburgh Post-GazetteSerious accidents at Marcellus shale natural gas drilling operations in Pennsylvania and West Virginia over the past five days have prompted sanctions against one Texas-based drilling company, support for tighter federal regulations and even calls for a moratorium on drilling.Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection Secretary

Northern New Mexico Conservation Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01371941468595392855noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2719288335292321707.post-3676873446141220712010-06-08T13:29:00.003-06:002010-06-08T13:37:38.770-06:00ProPublica--Years of Internal BP Probes Warned That Neglect Could Lead to Accidents

by Abrahm Lustgarten and Ryan Knutson, ProPublica - June 7, 2010 10:00 pm EDT A series of internal investigations over the past decade warned senior BP managers that the company repeatedly disregarded safety and environmental rules and risked a serious accident if it did not change its ways. The confidential inquiries, which have not previously been made public, focused on a rash of problems at

Northern New Mexico Conservation Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01371941468595392855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2719288335292321707.post-62665212510243497692010-06-07T15:33:00.003-06:002010-06-07T15:38:31.991-06:00Natural gas facility explodes in Johnson County killing three

WFAAPosted on June 7, 2010 at 3:14 PMUpdated today at 4:11 PM JOHNSON COUNTY - A natural gas facility has exploded near Cleburne in Johnson County killing three, according to the Cleburne city manager.At least 10 people are missing, Chester Nolen said.A lot of people have been transported to hospital with burn injuries.A massive fireball and a huge plume of smoke can be seen in the area.“About 2:

Northern New Mexico Conservation Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01371941468595392855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2719288335292321707.post-53625182500652061092010-06-07T10:41:00.000-06:002010-06-07T10:43:06.167-06:00Las Vegas Optic, Letter: Secret deliberations cut into credibility

By Kate DanielI read, with disbelief, County Planning and Zoning Supervisor Alex Tafoya’s comment in your article, “(Task Force) Panel’s Makeup in Dispute.” He said, “....it’s not like we’re building a new nuclear bomb....”Really? How would he characterize the impact to the Gulf of Mexico from the ongoing “natural disaster,” as the culpable British Petroleum calls it? I know that Mr. Tafoya’s

Northern New Mexico Conservation Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01371941468595392855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2719288335292321707.post-49600472977042045882010-06-06T10:09:00.001-06:002010-06-06T10:13:55.162-06:00Denton Record-Chronicle, Filmy water vexes family

11:51 PM CDT on Saturday, June 5, 2010By Peggy Heinkel-Wolfe / Staff Writer DISH — Amber Smith no longer takes soaking baths, one of the young mother’s favorite ways to unwind at the end of the day. Since early May, she and her husband, Damon Smith, and their two children, Hannah, 8, and Bryson, 3, use bottled water to cook with and drink. She has her children use bottled water to brush their

Northern New Mexico Conservation Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01371941468595392855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2719288335292321707.post-54473167339312784342010-06-05T14:08:00.002-06:002010-06-05T14:12:51.821-06:00New York Times: Op-Ed Columnist, Disaster in the Amazon

By BOB HERBERTPublished: June 4, 2010BP’s calamitous behavior in the Gulf of Mexico is the big oil story of the moment. But for many years, indigenous people from a formerly pristine region of the Amazon rainforest in Ecuador have been trying to get relief from an American company, Texaco (which later merged with Chevron), for what has been described as the largest oil-related environmental

Northern New Mexico Conservation Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01371941468595392855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2719288335292321707.post-23569315996203415222010-06-04T19:21:00.002-06:002010-06-04T19:24:04.584-06:00Las Vegas Optic Letter to the Editor: Let's prevent bomb with good process

By Pat LeahanI am writing in response to a recent Optic article about the lop-sided membership of the San Miguel County Oil and Gas Ordinance Task Force.Planning and Zoning supervisor Alex Tafoya was quoted as saying, in relation to the work of the task force, “It’s not like we’re creating a new nuclear bomb.” Mr. Tafoya is correct. We want an ordinance to prevent a bomb, not create one.When I

Northern New Mexico Conservation Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01371941468595392855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2719288335292321707.post-53284352877800684572010-06-04T15:57:00.003-06:002010-06-04T16:11:26.578-06:00Oil Spill Could Bring Mass Extinction to the Gulf Coast

While BP plays the influence game, environmentalists and scientists are contemplating the possibility of mass marine and wildlife extinctions as a result of the ongoing oil spill.Published on Friday, June 4, 2010 by The Media ConsortiumOil Spill Could Bring Mass Extinction to the Gulf Coastby Sarah LaskowA cap placed over a severed pipe is siphoning some oil from the broken BP well in the Gulf

Northern New Mexico Conservation Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01371941468595392855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2719288335292321707.post-11041188595740287012010-06-04T13:00:00.007-06:002010-06-04T14:29:48.907-06:00Gas Well Blowout In Clearfield County [PA]

The BP offshore oil rig blowout is a disaster of catastrophic proportions, it is obvious and impossible to ignore; however, accidents happen onshore with disturbing frequency and get very little attention. There has been a gas well blowout in Clearfield County Pennsylvania. Officials say it took sixteen hours to get under control after spewing an approximate one million gallons of hydraulic

Northern New Mexico Conservation Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01371941468595392855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2719288335292321707.post-47013688723254814852010-06-03T14:13:00.002-06:002010-06-03T14:17:47.251-06:00Center for Biological Diversity to Sue EPA

For Immediate Release, June 2, 2010Contact: Andrea Treece, Center for Biological Diversity, (415) 378-6558; atreece@biologicaldiversity.orgLawsuit Seeks Full Disclosure of Dispersant Impacts on Gulf's Endangered Wildlife SAN FRANCISCO— The Center for Biological Diversity today filed an official notice of its intent to sue the Environmental Protection Agency for authorizing the use of toxic

Northern New Mexico Conservation Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01371941468595392855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2719288335292321707.post-26665176123250775162010-06-03T14:01:00.002-06:002010-06-03T14:10:46.366-06:00Oil and gas drilling still going strong in New Mexico

There has been a lot of trash talking about the pit rule and its "negative" impacts on oil and gas development in New Mexico. I think the following press release from Governor Bill Richardson clearly shows that is not the case. So, protective regulations an economy killer, or simply conducive to human and environmental safety?For Immediate Release

Northern New Mexico Conservation Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01371941468595392855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2719288335292321707.post-87236205057870761132010-06-03T12:15:00.002-06:002010-06-03T12:23:52.100-06:00Gulf of Mexico Oil Well Approved

While it is quite true that to err is human, if we do not learn from our mistakes, we really are doomed to repeat them. By STEPHEN POWER WASHINGTON - Federal regulators approved the first new Gulf of Mexico oil well since President Barack Obama lifted a ban on drilling in shallow water last week, angering environmentalists even as business groups urged his administration to relax a moratorium on

Northern New Mexico Conservation Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01371941468595392855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2719288335292321707.post-68003907604793560732010-06-02T18:02:00.002-06:002010-06-02T18:12:10.018-06:00U.S. Rep. Michael Burgess calls on Texas AG to investigate state's environmental agency

I have heard a lot of reassurances from oil and gas industry representatives. The most common is in regards to a lack of need for county-based regulations. This comes in the form of a statement like "there are already regulations and entities that enforce them, so why on earth would you want unnecessary regulations that will negatively impact business?" Well, I think the article below is a clear

Northern New Mexico Conservation Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01371941468595392855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2719288335292321707.post-80265569590538121022010-05-31T20:58:00.002-06:002010-05-31T21:08:05.450-06:00Panel's makeup in dispute

Luckily Drilling Santa Fe has been keeping up with the local news. Anyways, onwards with today's news.Las Vegas Optic31 May 2010HeadlinesPanel's makeup in disputeBy David GiulianiSome are alleging that San Miguel County’s new task force on oil and gas regulations is heavily weighted toward the industry.Of the 10 members, four of them have ties to oil and gas. In April, the County Commission

While polished executives are getting cozy with your county commission, their companies are practicing a different kind of business.

Northern New Mexico Conservation Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01371941468595392855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2719288335292321707.post-11190613942134892462010-05-23T08:39:00.003-06:002010-05-23T08:44:50.895-06:00More state land oil and gas leases being sold in Mora, San Miguel, Colfax

The State land office will be offering more Northeastern New Meexico land up for oil and gas. The auction is to be held on June 15,2010. The tracts are in Mora, San Miguel, and Colfax Counties.Click here to view listing of tractsTo map the leases, click here. Choose New Mexico, and enter the tract data.

Northern New Mexico Conservation Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01371941468595392855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2719288335292321707.post-88642436646291447282010-05-21T16:57:00.000-06:002010-05-21T17:00:38.819-06:00EPA Officials Weigh Sanctions Against BP’s U.S. Operations

by Abrahm Lustgarten, ProPublica - May 21, 2010 1:27 pm EDT Officials at the Environmental Protection Agency are considering whether to bar BP from receiving government contracts, a move that would ultimately cost the company billions in revenue and could end its drilling in federally controlled oil fields.Over the past 10 years, BP has paid tens of millions of dollars in fines and been

Northern New Mexico Conservation Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01371941468595392855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2719288335292321707.post-60213809572581019472010-05-21T09:12:00.002-06:002010-05-21T09:16:48.116-06:00The City of Las Vegas [NM] passes moratorium

Yesterday, the Las Vegas City Council unanimously passed a two year moratorium on oil and gas development within city limits.

Northern New Mexico Conservation Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01371941468595392855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2719288335292321707.post-63847731987190042752010-05-19T14:58:00.002-06:002010-05-19T15:02:37.047-06:00Santa Fe Reporter--Trust Issues

Two sides have locked horns over white peak—which land commissioner candidate can sort out the tangle?By Alexa Schirtzinger In the far northeast corner of New Mexico, there’s a rugged sanctuary where eagles wing silently overhead and elk roam unmolested through forests of pine and juniper—at least until hunting season begins. Come autumn, this place roars to life with all-terrain vehicles and

Northern New Mexico Conservation Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01371941468595392855noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2719288335292321707.post-40749960034097166002010-05-18T12:40:00.002-06:002010-05-18T12:44:00.319-06:00It's a gas for pols, lobbyists

'Tis the season for voting and it's also the season to ask, who is paying for all those shiny flyer's and television ads for political hopefuls?Published: May 18, 2010 thetimes-tribune.com On the theory that a modest tax on extraction of natural gas somehow could deter development of one of the world's largest natural gas fields, some Pennsylvania lawmakers have thwarted such a tax even as the

Northern New Mexico Conservation Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01371941468595392855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2719288335292321707.post-50643711322816142762010-05-17T13:50:00.003-06:002010-05-17T13:55:36.209-06:00ProPublica--Whistleblower Sues to Stop Another BP Rig From Operating

by Abrahm Lustgarten, ProPublica - May 17, 2010 1:27 pm EDT A whistleblower filed a lawsuit today to force the federal government to halt operations at another massive BP oil platform in the Gulf of Mexico, alleging that BP never reviewed critical engineering designs for the operation and is therefore risking another catastrophic accident that could "dwarf" the company's Deepwater Horizon spill.

Northern New Mexico Conservation Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01371941468595392855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2719288335292321707.post-81070567653912047892010-05-17T13:20:00.003-06:002010-05-17T13:28:22.626-06:00Resident refuses gas company's right-of-way request to run pipeline

Many of us don't give natural gas pipelines much thought; however, they are an inevitable part of the development process. Unfortunately, allowing a pipeline to be installed across your property is not always a choice. Pipelines inherently pose hazards of their own because they transport such a volatile substance. I have been told by a New Mexico rancher who lives with wells and pipelines on his

Northern New Mexico Conservation Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01371941468595392855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2719288335292321707.post-55469047299908434862010-05-17T12:30:00.002-06:002010-05-19T15:03:49.797-06:00Public News Service--Former Land Managers: Look at Onshore Drilling Safety, Too

May 17, 2010CASPER, Wyo. - The Gulf of Mexico oil spill has led Interior Secretary Ken Salazar to announce there will be reforms on how leases are granted for offshore drilling. Meanwhile, 60 former land managers have sent him a letter about onshore drilling, asking him to finalize reforms he announced in January. Gloria Flora formerly supervised the largest national forest in the Lower 48 states

Northern New Mexico Conservation Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01371941468595392855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2719288335292321707.post-12229646267860797682010-05-15T08:49:00.001-06:002010-05-15T08:55:24.058-06:00the contrarian: Republicans Move To Protect BP

by Dave McGill May 14, 2010 08:03 PM EDT It seemed like a no-brainer, yesterday, when Democratic leaders tried to raise the liability limit for companies involved in drilling operations from $75 million to $10 billion. But that was before it ran into Republican opposition and failed to pass.The American Petroleum Institute had vigorously opposed the effort claiming that it would increase the cost

Northern New Mexico Conservation Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01371941468595392855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2719288335292321707.post-12900862644213459892010-05-15T07:22:00.002-06:002010-05-15T07:30:23.012-06:00Community Peace Radio Show

I got busy and let this announcement slip through the cracks. Community Peace Radio airs "live" every Saturday from 10-11:00AM on KFUN-AM1230 and KLVF-FM100.7. Today's show will feature Gilbert Armenta and Debra Anderson of "Split Estate"If you miss the live show, they are all are archived at http://lvpeacecenter.org/ (just click on "radiocasts").

Northern New Mexico Conservation Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01371941468595392855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2719288335292321707.post-71938052726757402842010-05-14T20:03:00.002-06:002010-05-14T20:07:21.431-06:00San Miguel County Commission Candidate Forum

A few quotes from the Las Vegas Optic:By David Giuliani"QUESTION: All of you have said you are against oil and gas drilling in the county. But some people argue that property right issues are at stake and would say they can do what they want on their land. How do you approach that issue?Ortega: I’m a property owner, but we’ve got to use some common sense here. For example, there is no scientific

Northern New Mexico Conservation Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01371941468595392855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2719288335292321707.post-21404078436643441452010-05-14T12:44:00.002-06:002010-05-14T12:49:46.191-06:00New York Times--Obama Vows End to ‘Cozy’ Oversight of Oil Industry

Promises sound really good...By HELENE COOPER and JOHN M. BRODERPublished: May 14, 2010WASHINGTON — President Obama angrily denounced the finger-pointing among the three companies involved in the Gulf of Mexico oil spill as a “ridiculous spectacle,” and vowed on Friday to end what he called the “cozy relationship” between the government and the oil industry that has existed for a decade or more.

Northern New Mexico Conservation Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01371941468595392855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2719288335292321707.post-68217235011514054712010-05-13T12:50:00.003-06:002010-05-13T12:57:33.171-06:00Venezuela Offshore Rig Sinks

Two in one month?!New York Times:By SIMON ROMEROPublished: May 13, 2010LIMA, Peru — An offshore natural gas exploration rig leased to Venezuela’s national oil company sank off the coast of northeastern Venezuela and forced the rig to evacuate all 95 of its workers, President Hugo Chávez announced early Thursday. In an attempt to calm nerves after the explosion of an offshore drilling rig last

Northern New Mexico Conservation Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01371941468595392855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2719288335292321707.post-55708095927568238502010-05-12T19:36:00.002-06:002010-05-12T19:43:13.577-06:00New Mexico Independent--In oil and coal disasters, parallel tales of lax regulation

I'm an advocate for regulation and have been told many times that the oil and gas industry is regulated, so what's my problem. My problem is this: Not only are existing regulations insufficient, they are not properly enforced. All the regulations in the world aren't going to make a bit of difference if they are not enforced.Laws intended to prevent recent tragedies went largely unenforcedBy Mike

Northern New Mexico Conservation Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01371941468595392855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2719288335292321707.post-38354835426329734372010-05-12T15:07:00.003-06:002010-05-12T15:12:57.706-06:00Worker believes cancer caused by fracking fluids

Many people feel that oil and gas development will benefit the individual counties in which it takes place because everybody needs work these days. In areas where drilling is common, residents often say that the labor force is imported from other locations. Either way, we need to closely examine what it means to work for the oil and gas industry and decide if those jobs are really worth it.Worker

Northern New Mexico Conservation Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01371941468595392855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2719288335292321707.post-9205523198628086922010-05-12T11:35:00.001-06:002010-05-12T11:38:31.542-06:00Las Vegas Optic--City oil and gas moratorium urged

By David GiulianiOil and gas drilling just doesn’t occur in rural areas; it happens in cities, too.As such, the City Council is considering passing a moratorium on such activity in the city limits. The county already did so a few months ago, so it could have time to draft a more detailed ordinance dealing with energy development. Some New Mexico towns, including Carlsbad, Hobbs and Artesia, have

Northern New Mexico Conservation Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01371941468595392855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2719288335292321707.post-38291469956640975422010-05-11T13:24:00.002-06:002010-05-11T13:37:40.301-06:00Tests show high levels of air-borne chemicals at Venice

I doubt that many coastal communities have really thought about what they might now be breathing thanks to the BP disaster.Written by Walter PierceMonday, 10 May 2010Tests conducted last week in Venice by environmental chemist Wilma Subra show highly elevated levels of hydrogen sulfide and other volatile organic chemicals, according to the Louisiana Environmental Action Network. Subra monitored

AlbuquerqueWednesday, May 12, 4-6 PMAssemble at corner of Copper and 2nd St., Galleria Plaza at office of Rep. Heinrich.March to offices of Senators Udall and Bingaman to demand action against BP pollutersTo endorse, or for more information, call 505 268-2488 or email abq@answercoalition.orgSeize BP website

Northern New Mexico Conservation Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01371941468595392855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2719288335292321707.post-73882127107738431922010-05-11T07:50:00.002-06:002010-05-11T07:56:19.676-06:00The New Mexico Independent--Businesses at site of PNM gas leak were not warned of explosive hazard

By Bryant Furlow 5/10/10 12:13 PM At Albuquerque’s busy Montgomery and Carlisle Blvd. intersection, managers of a hair salon and flower shop expressed shock Saturday over news reports that the PNM work crews that had dug up their parking lot in 2008 were responding to a potentially explosive natural gas pipeline leak.The leak had been allowed to languish without repair for two months, between

Northern New Mexico Conservation Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01371941468595392855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2719288335292321707.post-17887875280110084852010-05-10T14:57:00.000-06:002010-05-10T14:59:47.357-06:00Common Dreams.org: BP, US Search for New Fix to US Oil Spill

BP, US Search for New Fix to US Oil SpillNEW ORLEANS, Louisiana - BP officials desperately searched Monday for a new fix to the enormous Gulf of Mexico oil spill after efforts to cap a gushing leak with a containment dome hit a perilous snag.British energy giant BP, which owns the lion's share of the leaking oil and has accepted responsibility for the clean-up, is facing the jaw-dropping

Northern New Mexico Conservation Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01371941468595392855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2719288335292321707.post-51996251425600089082010-05-10T14:24:00.004-06:002010-05-10T14:51:45.815-06:00Commissioner [San Miguel County], state representative forums this week

As I have said before, oil and gas development is very much a political issue. It's important to keep up with the various candidates and know their positions because they have a tremendous impact on regulations.Published in the Las Vegas Optic:By Las Vegas OpticForums for San Miguel County Commission and state representative candidates are planned for Wednesday and Thursday. The forum for

Industry representatives will say anything to landowners. I do mean Anything. And if you think your health department, public officials, and regulating bodies are any better, you may want to think again.A Colorado resident was told something that would be completely laughable if the situation wasn't so serious. She was complaining about emmissions "you know, VOC's and stuff" and the county health

Northern New Mexico Conservation Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01371941468595392855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2719288335292321707.post-85146326387131049712010-05-07T08:48:00.003-06:002010-05-07T08:52:06.768-06:00Dispersant 'may make Deepwater Horizon oil spill more toxic'

It seems pretty counter-productive to be using a substance more hazardous than oil in an attempt to clean up the mess.Guardian, May 5, 2010Dispersant 'may make Deepwater Horizon oil spill more toxic'Scientists fear chemicals used in oil clean-up can cause genetic mutations and cancer, and threaten sea turtles and tunaBy Suzanne GoldenbergChemicals used to break up the Deepwater Horizon oil spill

Northern New Mexico Conservation Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01371941468595392855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2719288335292321707.post-75489113878824635212010-05-06T12:33:00.005-06:002010-05-06T13:06:32.341-06:00ProPublica--Congressmen Raised Concerns About BP Safety Before Gulf Oil Spill

I think I need a label titled "incompetence." I have this feeling it would have to be applied to just about every post though...by Abrahm Lustgarten, ProPublica - May 4, 2010 5:30 pm EDT May 5: This post has been corrected.A 2006 oil leak in Alaska, which temporarily shut down the Prudhoe Bay drilling field pipeline, was referenced in a letter dated Jan. 14, 2010, from two congressman to BP

Northern New Mexico Conservation Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01371941468595392855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2719288335292321707.post-4430144844396244742010-05-06T10:32:00.002-06:002010-05-06T10:40:53.125-06:00Concerned Citizens of Wagon Mound and Mora County Educational Forum

The Concerned Citizens of Wagon Mound and Mora County will be having an educational forum regarding the issue of oil and gas development on Tuesday, May 11th, 6:30 P.M at the Wagon Mound school auditorium.Their presenter is Mr. Gilbert Armenta, a San Juan County rancher. He will be speaking about the impacts of natural gas development and the difficulty of living with it in daily life. Having

Northern New Mexico Conservation Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01371941468595392855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2719288335292321707.post-5515321227731257932010-05-06T10:23:00.003-06:002010-05-06T10:28:32.757-06:00Mora County Commission Meeting

The May Mora County Commission meeting will be held on Tuesday, May 11, 10:00 AM at the Mora County High School administration building. Agendas are available 24 hours in advance at the county manager's office.The Concerned Citizens of Wagon Mound will be doing a ten minute presentation with examples of why unregulated oil and gas development is incompatible with Mora County. Royal Dutch Shell

Northern New Mexico Conservation Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01371941468595392855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2719288335292321707.post-22211688275565645802010-05-06T10:16:00.002-06:002010-05-06T10:21:47.869-06:00BP: Billionaire Polluter

BP has a really stellar operating record...In an imaginary universe where all oil companies are responsible and honest.Posted on May 4, 2010By Amy GoodmanLess than a week after British Petroleum’s Deepwater Horizon drilling platform exploded in the Gulf of Mexico, killing 11 workers and unleashing what could be the worst industrial environmental disaster in U.S. history, the company announced

Northern New Mexico Conservation Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01371941468595392855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2719288335292321707.post-56889297814768342262010-05-06T09:38:00.002-06:002010-05-06T10:23:33.125-06:00Kirtland Air Force fuel leak in Exxon Valdez oil spill category

By Marjorie Childress 5/5/10 9:22 AM The jet fuel leak that has been slowly creeping off Kirtland Airforce Base, and contaminating Albuquerque’s water supply while its at it, is “massive.” So massive that it’s in the Exxon Valdez oil spill category, said Albuquerque Journal science writer John Fleck yesterday in a column. And state officials think its a very serious problem.The numbers are in

Northern New Mexico Conservation Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01371941468595392855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2719288335292321707.post-48114991286191686352010-05-04T14:31:00.003-06:002010-05-04T14:42:15.293-06:00ProPublica Continues Coverage Related to BP Oil Spill

If you pay attention to the fines issued to oil and gas companies when they mess up (sometimes), you quickly catch on that the fines amount to basically nothing. Usually ranging in the low thousands, they are nothing more than a minor slap on the wrist. A story published today by ProPublica, raises the issue of this in relation to offshore drilling. To read the article, click here.Another story

Northern New Mexico Conservation Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01371941468595392855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2719288335292321707.post-30571139797992925402010-05-04T11:03:00.002-06:002010-05-04T11:07:57.586-06:00EARTHWORKS Press Release

Natural Gas Drilling Toxics Exceed State StandardsAir quality testing shows extreme greenhouse gas and chemical emissions; debunks clean energy mythDISH, TX, 5/4 -- Final results released today indicate that the gas drilling industry is polluting the air of the Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan region with toxic emissions in excess of state limits. A team of environmental scientists who conducted

Northern New Mexico Conservation Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01371941468595392855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2719288335292321707.post-21739399756595424342010-05-04T06:22:00.003-06:002010-05-04T06:29:52.232-06:00Mora County Candidate Forum

Citizens for Honest Government, will be holding a Mora County Candidate Forum on Saturday, May 8Th at the Mora High School lecture hall. The forum for commission candidates is from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM. Forum for other seats is scheduled for 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM.I strongly encourage attending the county commissioner forum. Ultimately our county commission will determine what kind of oil and gas

Northern New Mexico Conservation Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01371941468595392855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2719288335292321707.post-13659089913245946822010-05-04T05:01:00.002-06:002010-05-04T05:20:28.915-06:00I'm sure Texas is thanking us for all those jobs we sent their way

Okay, it's no secret that jobs and money are a big issue for most of us. Suzana Martinez is making her bid to be the next Governor of New Mexico. Her latest ad mentions "job killing regulations [that] drove our jobs to Texas." Now, she's referring to the pit rule which requires all waste pits to be lined, and states that those who benefit from the rule have ties to Governor Richardson. I see a

Northern New Mexico Conservation Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01371941468595392855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2719288335292321707.post-4165604162346476012010-05-04T04:49:00.002-06:002010-05-04T06:22:31.435-06:00Las Vegas (NM) City Council Meeting

Just a reminder post that the Las Vegas City Council will be holding a meeting at 6PM, Wednesday May 5 at the City Council chambers (across Grand from the Abe Montoya Rec Center). They will be implementing a moratorium on oil and gas development within Las Vegas city limits. Anyone who can is encouraged to attend and offer their support for this proactive measure.

Northern New Mexico Conservation Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01371941468595392855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2719288335292321707.post-60601851847508933242010-05-03T19:51:00.001-06:002010-05-03T19:53:29.411-06:00The Wall Street Journal--Safety Device Questioned in '04

By RUSSELL GOLD Federal regulators learned in a 2004 study that a vital piece of oil-drilling safety equipment may not function in deep-water seas but did nothing to bolster industry requirements.The equipment, called shear rams, is supposed to seal off out-of-control oil and gas wells by pinching the pipe closed and cutting it.As oil companies drilled wells in deeper water, the shear rams had to

Northern New Mexico Conservation Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01371941468595392855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2719288335292321707.post-78689695342896282782010-05-01T04:48:00.005-06:002010-05-01T05:26:17.085-06:00EPA is now paying attention to the BP oil spill and on a related note, the chemicals meant to clean it up are raising concern

Friends of the Earth has an online petition asking President Obama to concentrate on renewable energy sources instead of offshore drilling. To sign the petition, click here.The EPA has established a website regarding the BP oil spill that is devastating the gulf of Mexico.EPA Press release:"EPA launches site to inform the public about health, environmental impacts of spill WASHINGTON – As part

Northern New Mexico Conservation Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01371941468595392855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2719288335292321707.post-58457700658751563342010-04-30T14:38:00.002-06:002010-04-30T14:46:39.329-06:00A little bit of love to the meanies

I just had to send some traffic over to that big meanie TXSharon over at Bluedaze Drilling reform for Texas. The Oil and Gas Accountability Project (OGAP) is putting the fear of regulation (apparently far worse than the fear of God) into Texas oil and gas developers. Please check out Sharon's great post. Her and others like her have been working very hard to get some protection for the citizens

Northern New Mexico Conservation Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01371941468595392855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2719288335292321707.post-64254998115184535252010-04-30T14:31:00.004-06:002010-04-30T14:38:11.319-06:00BP Had Other Problems in Years Leading to Gulf Spill

by Abrahm Lustgarten, ProPublica - April 29, 2010 11:01 pm EDT BP, the global oil giant responsible for the fast-spreading spill in the Gulf of Mexico that will soon make landfall, is no stranger to major accidents.In fact, the company has found itself at the center of several of the nation's worst oil and gas–related disasters in the last five years.In March 2005, a massive explosion ripped

Northern New Mexico Conservation Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01371941468595392855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2719288335292321707.post-22066525414307179552010-04-29T16:05:00.001-06:002010-04-29T16:10:25.930-06:00EPA Launches Toxicity Reference Data Database

ToxRefDB (Toxicity Reference Database) captures thousands of in vivo animal toxicity studies on hundreds of chemicals. The database: Stores detailed study design, dosing, and observed treatment-related effects using standardized vocabulary. Provides detailed chemical toxicity data, for the first time, in a publically accessible and searchable format. Enables linkages to other public hazard,

Northern New Mexico Conservation Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01371941468595392855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2719288335292321707.post-40848382946083268822010-04-29T14:08:00.003-06:002010-04-29T14:23:17.006-06:00Gulf Oil Spill Puts Spotlight on Regulator With Mixed Record

Yes I know, yet another post about the offshore drilling rig disaster; however, this is the article I have been waiting for. Finally, an attempted explanation as to why the well is still leaking crude into the ocean. It's a shame the explanation is not going to clean up the mess.by Marian Wang, ProPublica - April 29, 2010 2:09 pm EDTWith news from the spill in the Gulf of Mexico oil rig getting

Northern New Mexico Conservation Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01371941468595392855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2719288335292321707.post-72495657612463342102010-04-28T16:57:00.002-06:002010-04-29T16:11:00.126-06:00Colorado: A Clean Energy Future Done Right

You rarely hear people acknowledge the drawbacks to natural gas when talking about replacing coal but I think this article does a pretty nice job. Elise Jones.Executive Director of the Colorado Environmental CoalitionPosted: April 28, 2010 11:48 AM at The Huffington PostOnce again, many eyes are on Colorado as it pioneers a ground-breaking pathway towards a cleaner energy future. And they should

Northern New Mexico Conservation Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01371941468595392855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2719288335292321707.post-58653664573329369372010-04-27T18:07:00.003-06:002010-04-28T09:44:31.318-06:00Big Oil Fought Off New Safety Rules Before Rig Explosion

I know I have done quite a few posts about this, but it really is an environmental catastrophe of staggering proportions and it is not just going to disappear.Marcus Baram, Huffington Post As families mourn the 11 workers thrown overboard in the worst oil rig disaster in decades and as the resulting spill continues to spread through the Gulf of Mexico, new questions are being raised about the

Northern New Mexico Conservation Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01371941468595392855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2719288335292321707.post-54817402358663343582010-04-27T16:02:00.004-06:002010-04-27T16:13:18.371-06:00Oil and Gas Industry Account for Half of Susana Martinez's Recent Gubernatorial Fundraising

A while back, someone gave me a link to a website that shows campaign contributors and who they contributed to. Since the oil and gas industry is so big, it's no surprise they are the single largest corporate contributors to political campaigns in the nation. I will post that link here if I can dig it back up. The only label I have that applies here is regulation, as Governors have a huge impact

Northern New Mexico Conservation Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01371941468595392855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2719288335292321707.post-66408016113391243192010-04-26T14:34:00.003-06:002010-04-28T09:44:31.319-06:00Louisiana Gulf Rig Spewing 1,000 Barrels (42,000 gallons) of Oil per Day

Here's an article that actually acknowledges the environmental devastation that is occurring.NEW ORLEANS, Louisiana – Robotic submarines are on Monday racing to stop oil from a sunken rig streaming into the Gulf of Mexico, as BP warned that sealing the seabed leaks could take three months if the operation fails.Crude oil is spewing from a sunken oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico, leaving a massive

Northern New Mexico Conservation Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01371941468595392855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2719288335292321707.post-56723925433853665532010-04-26T12:44:00.002-06:002010-04-26T14:40:16.836-06:00Industry defends safety efforts

I don't feel that this article is exactly comprehensive and unbiased; however, it does have a few interesting facts. Bluedaze Drilling Reform for Texas has a post with reader submitted photos of the rig that are well worth looking at. TXSharon has also gotten some informative comments on the pictures.Tuesday’s explosion on a drilling rig in the Gulf of Mexico has brought renewed focus on safety

Northern New Mexico Conservation Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01371941468595392855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2719288335292321707.post-52654106237788733912010-04-26T11:57:00.003-06:002010-04-26T13:42:19.513-06:00City of Las Vegas [NM] to Adopt a Drilling Moratorium?

There is a notice in the Las Vegas Optic stating that the Las Vegas City Council will have a moratorium on drilling activity within Las Vegas City Limits on its agenda for May 5. To read the notice, click here.The Mayor of Las Vegas has been very proactive about the issue of oil and gas development and has even attended meetings in Mora County to speak to citizens and our county commission. It

Northern New Mexico Conservation Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01371941468595392855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2719288335292321707.post-84165233581806987432010-04-24T12:40:00.002-06:002010-04-24T12:44:24.265-06:00ProPublica: New York Puts Brakes on Drilling in NYC Watershed, Clears Way for Upstate Wells by Next Spring

by Abrahm Lustgarten, ProPublica - April 23, 2010 1:36 pm EDT New York State environment officials shoved a cumbersome task off their plates Friday when they announced that their controversial environmental review of natural gas drilling in New York's Marcellus Shale would not apply to drilling inside New York City's 1,900-square-mile watershed.The decision appears to protect the unfiltered water

Northern New Mexico Conservation Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01371941468595392855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2719288335292321707.post-27040595667922073422010-04-23T10:33:00.000-06:002010-04-28T09:44:31.320-06:00Deepwater Horizon Accident Foreshadows a Potential Disaster Waiting to Happen in the Gulf

April 22, 20104:23 PMCONTACT: Food & Water WatchKate Fried, Food & Water Watch: (202) 683-2500, kfried(at)fwwatch(dot)org. Deepwater Horizon Accident Foreshadows a Potential Disaster Waiting to Happen in the GulfFood & Water Watch and Safety Engineer Warn of Consequences of a Lack of Critical Safety Documents, Fear Disaster Possible for BP AtlantisWASHINGTON - April 22 - Following Tuesday's

Northern New Mexico Conservation Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01371941468595392855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2719288335292321707.post-30775506232746027022010-04-21T08:27:00.001-06:002010-04-28T09:44:31.321-06:00At least 11 workers sought after oil rig explosion

Associated Press:By KEVIN McGILL (AP) – 1 hour agoNEW ORLEANS — Helicopters, ships and an airplane searched waters off Louisiana's coast Wednesday for at least 11 workers missing after an explosion and fire that left an offshore drilling platform tilting in the Gulf of Mexico.Most of the 126 people were believed to have escaped safely after the explosion on the rig Deepwater Horizon at about 10

Northern New Mexico Conservation Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01371941468595392855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2719288335292321707.post-73561822426224963162010-04-20T12:43:00.002-06:002010-04-28T09:44:31.321-06:00Sheriff: No improvement in water quality

A special post for all those people who are under the impression that natural gas drilling cannot contaminate aquifers. Thirty-five private water wells contaminated at once. Ouch. As my 7 year old would say, "35 is not a few. 3 is a few."Caddo evacuated area could expandBy Bobbie J. Clark • and Loresha Wilson • April 20, 2010"We have been testing the water and are not satisfied; we have not made

Well, I found a couple of article worthy of mention today. The first concerns Royal Dutch Shell, a company that has expressed interest in drilling for natural gas here in Mora County. Now, they have this "good neighbor" program that I hear a lot about. It sounds really great until you realize that your neighbor will be a gas well, not the executive telling you about their "good neighbor" program.

Northern New Mexico Conservation Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01371941468595392855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2719288335292321707.post-31534085286326333312010-04-18T15:24:00.005-06:002010-04-18T15:33:00.360-06:00When oil's gone, a mess remains

Living in a county that currently has no active gas wells, I see citizens (myself included), spending a great deal of time talking about the dangers posed by the drilling process. Since we don't have old abandoned wells and waste pits in our back yards, most of us don't think beyond the initial phases of drilling development. It is important to remember that natural gas wells do not produce

I was searching for some news to post and ran across an article about Corinth Texas. I decided to post the variances requested by XTO instead of the article itself. These seem like some pretty basic responsibilities to be requesting variances for. To read the full article, click here. ELEVEN VARIANCES XTO Energy has asked for 11 variances to drill for natural gas at Lake Sharon Christian Center.

Northern New Mexico Conservation Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01371941468595392855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2719288335292321707.post-38855946617233139812010-04-16T13:54:00.002-06:002010-04-16T14:01:46.338-06:00ProPublica: Cabot Oil & Gas’s Marcellus Drilling to Slow After PA Environment Officials Order Wells Closed

I know I posted the press release about this yesterday but this article is much more comprehensive.by Abrahm Lustgarten, ProPublica - April 16, 2010 11:04 am EDT In its 2009 annual report, Cabot Oil and Gas named a field in Texas and another in Dimock, Pa., as its two largest fields of production. But yesterday the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection ordered Cabot to plug at least

Northern New Mexico Conservation Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01371941468595392855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2719288335292321707.post-8895418760874891962010-04-15T15:49:00.003-06:002010-04-24T19:55:19.629-06:00Tests detect Barnett Shale emissions toxins in Dish residents' blood, urine

Here on the home front, we spend a lot of time concentrating on drilling's adverse impacts on water. I think this has drawn our attention away from all the other elements like air. You can survive without water for a few days, but not air. Lets not forget that our ability to live on earth means breathing (nontoxic please) air.07:02 AM CDT on Wednesday, April 14, 2010By PEGGY HEINKEL-WOLFE /

Northern New Mexico Conservation Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01371941468595392855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2719288335292321707.post-48318692656686576162010-04-15T13:36:00.001-06:002010-04-28T09:44:31.322-06:00DEP Takes Aggressive Action Against Cabot Oil & Gas Corp to Enforce Environmental Laws Protect Public in Susquehanna County

DEP Takes Aggressive Action Against Cabot Oil & Gas Corp to Enforce Environmental Laws Protect Public in Susquehanna CountySuspends Review of Cabot’s New Drilling Permit Applications Orders Company to Plug Wells Install Residential Water Systems Pay $240,000 in Fines HARRISBURG -- The Department of Environmental Protection today issued a sweeping order requiring Cabot Oil & Gas Corp. to take

Northern New Mexico Conservation Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01371941468595392855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2719288335292321707.post-79819405262030427892010-04-14T11:46:00.004-06:002010-04-14T11:56:00.225-06:00Shell fights shareholders' campaign for oil sands review

Photograph: John Vidal• Investors table special resolution prior to May meeting• Campaigners argue project is an environmental liabilityTim Webb guardian.co.uk, Monday 12 April 2010 21.29 BST A group of institutional investors want Shell to review the commerical and environmental viability of its oil sands project. Shell has dismissed shareholder calls for a review of its controversial oil sands

Northern New Mexico Conservation Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01371941468595392855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2719288335292321707.post-20226333108976770872010-04-12T09:39:00.008-06:002010-04-12T14:06:13.451-06:00San Miguel County Oil and Gas Ordinance Task Force

Approval of the San Miguel County Oil and Gas Taskforce is on the agenda for tomorrow's San Miguel County Commission meeting. Any community members able to attend and offer their opinions to the commission are strongly encouraged to do so.Below is an excerpt from tomorrow's agenda and an article published in the Las Vegas Optic regarding one of the applicants request for San Miguel County to

Northern New Mexico Conservation Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01371941468595392855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2719288335292321707.post-51977708383611516542010-04-12T09:30:00.002-06:002010-04-24T19:55:19.629-06:00Most Barnett Shale facilities release emissions

09:48 AM CDT on Sunday, April 11, 2010By RANDY LEE LOFTIS / The Dallas Morning News rloftis@dallasnews.com Plumes of toxic, smog-causing chemicals from Barnett Shale natural-gas operations are so common that inspectors find them nearly every time they look, a Dallas Morning News examination of government records shows. What's more, the inspectors have rarely looked. Hundreds of pages of documents

Northern New Mexico Conservation Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01371941468595392855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2719288335292321707.post-49547677807562986712010-04-11T07:34:00.003-06:002010-04-11T07:50:07.103-06:00Mora and San Miguel County Commission meetings for April

The Mora County Commission will hold it's regular monthly meeting on Tuesday, April 13, 2010 at 10:00 A.M. at the Wagon Mound City Hall, Wagon Mound, New Mexico. Agendas are available 24 hours in advance at the Mora County Manager's office.The San Miguel County Commission will be having their regular monthly meeting on Tuesday, April 13, 2010, 1:30 P.M. at the San Miguel County Commission

Northern New Mexico Conservation Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01371941468595392855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2719288335292321707.post-75738433846775296342010-04-11T07:26:00.002-06:002010-04-11T07:31:48.772-06:00Split Estate and M.I.T.'s Landman Report Card Offer Special Competition

Split Estate is teaming up with Landman Report Card, a project of MIT's Center for Future Civic Media, to present a special competition. Landman Report Card (LRC) is giving away free Split Estate screening packages to the first three communities that submit 10 reports to the LRC website. LRC has already partnered with Red Rock Pictures to organize recent screenings in Ohio, Texas and Virginia.

Northern New Mexico Conservation Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01371941468595392855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2719288335292321707.post-38887171811337782082010-04-09T13:53:00.003-06:002010-04-29T16:11:00.127-06:00Helena Chemical Company wins case against community activist

Normally I try not to post the same things as Drilling Santa Fe because I figure a lot of people read both and it's nice to get a variety of news. Today's news from the New Mexico Independent is too bad not to post though. The impacts of this decision could have far reaching consequences that go way beyond Helena Chemical and Arturo Uribe. Obviously, since the company was investigated and fined

Northern New Mexico Conservation Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01371941468595392855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2719288335292321707.post-71765938910102181402010-04-08T08:02:00.002-06:002010-04-08T08:09:47.844-06:00Broad Scope of EPA’s Fracturing Study Raises Ire of Gas Industry

by Abrahm Lustgarten, ProPublica - April 7, 2010 7:09 am EDT A federal study of hydraulic fracturing set to begin this spring is expected to provide the most expansive look yet at how the natural gas drilling process can affect drinking water supplies, according to interviews with EPA officials and a set of documents outlining the scope of the project. The research will take a substantial step

Northern New Mexico Conservation Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01371941468595392855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2719288335292321707.post-60563772344138900412010-04-07T14:04:00.005-06:002010-04-28T09:44:31.323-06:00Incidents of water contamination with suspected links to hydraulic fracturing

Amy Mall senior policy analyst for the National Resources Defense Council, is creating a list of drinking water contamination related to hydraulic fracturing. It is going to be a useful resource for those of us who often deal with people who like to use the quote "there has never been one documented instance of drinking water contamination attributed to the New Mexico oil and gas industry." Okay,

Northern New Mexico Conservation Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01371941468595392855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2719288335292321707.post-7750435395766233132010-04-05T16:17:00.001-06:002010-04-27T08:08:58.863-06:00[Pennsylvania] State lawmakers look to regulate gas drilling

By Elizabeth Skrapits (Staff Writer) Published: April 5, 2010 In response to growing concerns about the effects of natural gas drilling on water supplies and the environment, state lawmakers are proposing legislation to change the way the industry is regulated.One proposal, which will be discussed at a public hearing this week, has the support of several local legislators and a newly formed local

Northern New Mexico Conservation Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01371941468595392855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2719288335292321707.post-69001391508464977162010-04-04T10:02:00.003-06:002010-04-26T14:40:59.336-06:00Senators' support of drilling irks some environmentalists

While not surprising, it is still disappointing to see politics trump morality.Senators' support of drilling irks some environmentalists Bingaman, Udall, two favorites among environmentalists, both praised Obama planSteve Terrell The New MexicanPosted: Saturday, April 03, 2010 - 4/2/10For years, both of New Mexico's U.S. senators have voted against lifting the decades-old moratorium on offshore

Northern New Mexico Conservation Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01371941468595392855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2719288335292321707.post-33701740995795766582010-04-04T09:02:00.002-06:002010-04-26T14:40:59.337-06:00Officials Fear Ship Breaking Apart on Barrier Reef

A Chinese coal-carrying ship ran aground in a protected area of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park. .Sun Apr 4, 2010 03:20 AM ET | content provided by Associated Press . The Chinese coal carrier Shen Neng 1THE GIST: •Shen Neng 1 ran aground late Saturday on Douglas Shoals east of the Great Keppel Island tourist resort, off the coast of Queensland.•The ship, well outside the shipping lane, hit the

Northern New Mexico Conservation Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01371941468595392855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2719288335292321707.post-3978975119387448442010-04-03T12:20:00.004-06:002010-04-03T12:27:26.257-06:00Deadly Washington blast is latest refinery accident

More news from yesterday and further proof that the inherent risks of natural gas development are numerous.Los Angeles TimesBy Kim MurphyApril 3, 2010Reporting from Seattle - Four workers were killed and three others critically burned Friday when an explosion tore through a Tesoro oil refinery in Anacortes, Wash., the latest in a series of troubling refinery accidents that have touched off a

Northern New Mexico Conservation Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01371941468595392855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2719288335292321707.post-63773267688354317232010-04-03T08:41:00.003-06:002010-04-03T08:52:58.857-06:00New Regulations Will Put an End to Mountaintop Mining

Mountaintop coal mining operation in WPhotograph: Mandel Ngan/AFP/Getty Images) est Virginia.Obama administration proposals will make destructive mountaintop mining operations effectively impossibleby Suzanne GoldenbergThe Obama administration effectively called time Thursday on one of the most destructive industries in America, proposing new environmental guidelines for mountaintop mining

Northern New Mexico Conservation Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01371941468595392855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2719288335292321707.post-5219423449451591952010-04-03T08:16:00.002-06:002010-04-03T08:21:55.222-06:00Residents reported gas odors before explosion

This is article is a couple of days old, but it goes to prove that, while we give hydraulic fracturing a lot of attention, all stages and byproducts of the drilling process have risks that come with potential for disaster.Thursday, April 01, 2010By Janice Crompton, Pittsburgh Post-GazetteProperty owners living near the site of a gas well operation that caught fire in Washington County Wednesday

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