Forwarded: Moratorium on new fracking permits, press conference tomorrow 9 am Capitol Rotunda
February 3, 2019
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Dear friends and colleagues --
I don't think I have ever forwarded an email to this list, but this particular effort is very important and timely.
Common Ground Rising, a grassroots group in Rio Rancho, is spearheading a bill to halt all fracking on state and private land in New Mexico for four years, during which time a number of oversight reports are required from agencies of the state. We have been shocked to discover how little state regulatory agencies know -- about the number and kind of wells drilled and active, the amount of fresh water being consumed and contaminated water produced, the quantity of gas being flared (burned), the amount of methane leaking, the local air quality, and much, much more.
Just the quantities of water being used are staggering. One very experienced oil man whose blog we sometimes read recently remarked that a single well fracked with 18 million pounds of sand in the Delaware Basin part of the Permian requires every bit of 600,000 barrels of fresh water, or 25.2 million gallons.
The bill will be introduced tomorrow by Senator Antoinette Sedillo Lopez and Senator Benny Shendo after a press conference in the Capitol Rotunda at 9:00 am.
We have written a great deal (for example here and here) about the need to control fossil fuel extractions to prevent runaway climate change. The vector of oil production -- up, or down, in the US, and the world -- depends a great deal on what happens in the Permian.
New Mexico is now the third largest oil producing state in the U.S. There can be nothing "green" or "climate-friendly" about this state's energy policies as long as this continues.
Those who think Governor Grisham is promoting "green," climate-friendly policies need to think again.
Production declines in fracked wells are usually on the order of 70-90% over three years. It therefore takes a constant program of drilling and fracking just to keep field production constant. The result: a wasteland.
Remember, promoting and building solar and wind energy does not directly help the climate one little bit. Only by not producing so much fossil fuel can we lessen our climate impact.
It will be very interesting to see how many environmental groups and legislators jump on board to support this common-sense proposal.
Good evening,
Greg Mello, for the Study Group
please share --
A discussion draft of the bill is attached as well as video and link ms regarding the background of the decision to file this legislation.
Please consider sponsorship of this bill because of the lack of capacity of agencies to report and address the impacts of fracking on communities throughout New Mexico. Help grant relief to our frontline communities.
Senator Antoinette Sedillo Lopez, Senator Benny Shendo, Senator Nancy Rodriguez, Senator Bill Soules are co sponsors on the senate bill.
Senator Benny Shendo and Antoinette Sedillo Lopez are introducing it on the floor on Monday after the press conference.
Below you will find information regarding threats to the middle Rio Grande water supply and the impacts of multiple permit applications on the region and the climate issue.
After viewing (link below) the conservation committee presentation on the state of fracking in NM we were stunned on the lack of capacity the agencies have enforcing protection for the health, safety and protection of the people and the environment.
This is a citizens grassroots led legislation. We are the ones living with the health risks, from the proposed multiple permit applications for fracking on the drinking water for Rio Rancho to currently impacted DIne’ and ranching communities in the Checkerboard. Now the industry is poised to impact Chaco and the Middle Rio Grande Communities, as well as, First Nations, Trust Lands, Allottee and on private lands.
We need leaders who can step up to the challenge. Our legislators courage to step up on this bills deserves our strong support. We need legislators willing to sponsor bill in the House. we are encouraging citizens to contact their legislators.
There is a press conference Monday in the Roundhouse Rotunda at 9:00 am. The discussion draft is attached. Please come to the press conference and let me know prior of your decision.
Thank you for your consideration,
Elaine Cimino
505-604-9772
Fracking Pause on New Permits Set for NM Legislature
Legislative leaders, in coordination with frontline citizen groups, have proposed a bill that addresses the current threats of multiple permit applications from hydraulic drilling in the Middle Rio Grande Basin -- the drinking water for over 800,000 residents. Legislators’ are proposing a 4-year moratorium with a set timeline and administrative milestones on new fracking permits in the State. Hydraulic fracturing impacts destroy the groundwater, disappear 2/3 of the water used from the hydrological cycle, raise dangerous ozone levels causing multiple health and land use impacts, which are already occurring in the Greater Chaco Region in Sandoval County, NM.
"A moratorium will protect the pristine aquifers being threatened by fracking now," said Legislative sponsor Antoinette Sedillo Lopez, adding, “Our communities are already bearing the brunt of the health and safety impacts that come with fracking. The laws and regulations we have now aren’t protecting them, our water, our land or our climate. We have a responsibility to protect the health and safety of our people and our beautiful land and pure water. We need time to get this right.”
After asking for a New Mexico Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources department presentation to the Senate Conservation Committee about the state of fracking in New Mexico, newly appointed NM State Senator Antoinette Sedillo Lopez became concerned about the fact that the industry has moved forward so fast and it is lagging behind the department's ability to inspect wells and enforce regulations. She is asking for an important pause in the current agenda to facilitate necessary conversations, studies and plans to address the gaps in the state’s ability to address the impacts on our air, land, water and human life. The four-year moratorium will prohibit new permits and allow existing wells to continue producing revenues for the State. The bill asks the relevant agencies to report to the legislature and the governor the actual and potential impact of hydraulic fracturing.
The bill tackles:
1. Current impacts of fossil fuel extraction serious gaps regarding quantity and quality impacts on aquifers, measured emissions, and other land use impacts on health in affected communities, inspection enforcement within our State that constitutes an emergency necessitating immediate legislative action to Protect the Public Health and Welfare for the State of New Mexico.
2. Accelerating climate change must be addressed with Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions capture and drawdowns.
There are over 67,000 gas and oil wells in private and NM state lands. This number does not include tribal or public lands. At present, there is not a complete record of the number of permits application approved and newly active wells. The bill requires agencies to report and recommend measures that address the issues to the legislature on impacts on public health, water, air, land, and the climate before issuing any new permits.
Press Conference Monday 9:00, February 4,h2019, State Capitol Roundhouse - The Rotunda
http://commongroundrising.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/HIR-legislative-packet-2017-copy.pdf
AMA Internal Medicine: http://tinyurl.com/jdj2hxd Fracking: https://www.epa.gov/hydraulicfracturing Asthma: http://tinyurl.com/jhpkc7f
http://commongroundrising.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/01-11-CHP-of-NY-Fracking-Compendium-copy.pdf
http://commongroundrising.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Earthwork-Report-On-health-threats-to-Residents-copy.pdf
http://commongroundrising.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/TOO-DIRTY-TOO-DANGEROUS-.pdf
https://youtu.be/6D_59_L7-5M Meeting of the State of hydraulic Fracking Senate Conservation Committee meeting Jan 31, 2019
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