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Monday, July 23, 2007
Grassroots Group 'Drilling Santa Fe' Sets Up Online Petition Drive
On the heels of a packed and highly successful organizing event held in Santa Fe earlier this month, the grassroots group Drilling Santa Fe has created an online petition page in support of its mission. By signing the petition, residents of Santa Fe County can join a growing list of citizens and local organizations urging county government to defer action on all oil and gas drilling permits until effective regulations are created with citizen input to protect the land from environmental degradation and other negative impacts. To learn more about the issue, the group's actions and how to participate, visit DrillingSantaFe.com.
As reported on the webiste, oil and gas explorers have leased hundreds of square miles of mineral rights from south of Galisteo through the Ortiz Mountains to the outskirts of Santa Fe, and are taking action to launch widespread and potentially damaging new drilling projects in response to rising energy prices. Landowners south and southwest of Santa Fe are now learning that the mineral leases under their property take legal precedent over their surface rights.
Drilling Santa Fe wants citizens to know that there is an opportunity now to urge Santa Fe County to strengthen their regulations to prevent some of the damage and health hazards that this level of oil and gas exploration and production has inflicted on communities and land owners in northwestern and southeastern New Mexico. Ultimately, the state government must enact the environmental protections afforded residents of other states.
Tax deductible donations [501(c)3] for Drilling Santa Fe should be made to the Concerned Citizens of Cerrillos for the Drilling Santa Fe Fund, P.O. Box 23921, Santa Fe, NM 87502. Santa Fe County residents can sign the petition here. The group's website is at https://www.DrillingSantaFe.com.
July 23, 2007 at 10:55 AM in Energy, Environment, Local Politics | Permalink
Comments
Can we start using our ability to physically protest while we still have the legal right to physically protest? Please call for physical protests, and lets generate some visability.
I feel that our governments need to be reminded that they should serve us, its citizens, or we need to take to the streets regularly in protest until they do representate us.
This is how we can support democracy - by demanding that they represent us.
Thanks
Posted by: Lynn Allen | Aug 11, 2007 4:06:21 PM
The major draw to Santa Fe for those that live here and for those that come here to spend money to see the natural beauty (tourists) is directly threatened by the proposal to develop the oil and gas leases in our county. Allowing this to proceed will hurt the vast majority of the local population financially and bring untold harm to our environment. This must be stopped !
Posted by: John Ressler | Aug 15, 2007 12:14:42 AM
I am appalled at how you self-appointed and self-righteous people want to deny our children & grandchildren the permanent fund revenue for our public schools.
Study NM History and understand that there is not enough private land to tax in NM to fund good schools. Unless all you rich people want to pay higher property taxes, I suggest you allow energy development in SFe.
By the way, did your Realtor tell you that there are 3 kinds of property in NM?
Surface property, water property (rights) & mineral property (rights)!!! Sue your Realtor!!!
There are drilling rigs in Hollywood with producing wells under the movie sets. The oil & gas industry contributes a disproportionate amount of wealth to the education of our NM children.
Quit being so selfish and let us share in the mineral wealth that NM is blessed with.
Thank you , Tony
Posted by: Tony J Tucker | Sep 10, 2007 2:37:44 PM
In light of the recent and liberal US Supreme Court ruling, I say the state should use eminent domain for economic development in your back yards!
Tweeti is very wealthy from the royalties received for natural gas development on their lands. That is like listening to Ross Perot about cleaning up the government, when he became a billionaire from government contracts.
Tony
Posted by: Tony J. Tucker | Sep 12, 2007 7:21:09 PM
Tony, your comments are unwise especially at this point in time. Unless we move to greener technologies to stop global warming we are facing dire consequences for us, our children, our grandchildren and generations after them. Now is not the time to encourage more drilling and especially not in areas where water is a problem and we want to keep out pollution for all the generations to come. School funding won't matter if the climate changes so much that life itself is threatened in many areas including here in the desert.
There are plenty of places to drill in NM already. The permanent fund is quite healthy. What we need to do is put our efforts into developing cleaner sources of energy.
As for Tweeti, her ranch has essentially been demolished from the effects of drilling. She knows what happens when it's allowed which is why she is trying to educate others about what really happens. The drilling companies try to paint a different picture, but they lie. Ask anyone who's had to put up with them on their land.
We need to look at the big picture and start moving in the right direction to protect our future. Thinking oil and gas drilling will pay for everything isn't practical or smart anymore.
Posted by: JM | Sep 13, 2007 8:46:14 AM
JM, Thank you for your kind words.
Natural Law #1
Everything that humans consume for life is, mined or harvested first.
Axiom #1 We are inhaling a gross product, extracting a useful purpose product, exhaling a byproduct. We are mining our air for life.
Axiom #2 We produce water by drilling a well (form of mining) or we harvest water with on-stream or off-stream, storage & diversions.
Our governor and legislature violated the NM constitution by raiding the principal to the permanent fund. The fund is in danger.
When you quit consuming air, water & petroleum products, you can dictate to me. Otherwise do not present me with your hypocracy.
You are so gullible to think that global warming at this time is unique in Earth's history. Why do you think Greenland was named such , at one time?
When you know the history of the Blancett's like I do, you should keep your mouth shut, by not repeating her propaganda & distortions.
Drilling to develop a precious natural resource is the smallest foot print that can be made.
Pursuing alternative sources of energy is imperative and I agree. But we do not need to cut off our nose, in spite of our face and deny all good New Mexicans the funds for good schools.
Posted by: Tony J Tucker | Sep 18, 2007 6:27:29 PM
Public notice-
March-downtown Santa Fe
Saturday, December 8, 11 am
meet at cornier of Washington and Federal
(Federal Court Park)
Goal-stop drilling for oil in Santa Fe County
bring signs/ peaceful walk along sidewalks to the Presidio
Posted by: jerry m. held, MD | Nov 7, 2007 11:51:17 AM
Umm, Tony you need to do some fact checking on your Greenland myth. It has been almost 100% covered in ice for the past 100,000 years. It's got it's name in an attempt to convince people to colonize it.
Your axioms are somewhat naive. Axiom #1 is a bit of a stretch. How can you possibly compare human breathing to extracting oil and gas?
What natural, ecological cycle uses the byproducts of mining and drilling? Do trees and plants somehow clean up oil and gas byproducts in your world?
You talk about "the smallest foot print that can be made" but are you taking into account the water runoff? how about the network of access roads? How do you measure the footprint of offensive noises, smells or lighting at night?
Why is oil and gas funding the only source for education?? The natural pristine landscape is also a great asset. It *is* being sold in the form of tourism, and prime real estate. Let the failing idea of oil and gas revenues fall by the wayside.
Also, you yourself are embracing the "self-appointed, self-righteousness" in your own posts. This is called discourse. It's how the Founding Fathers wanted the citizens of this country to argue, educate themselves and ultimately elect a government to serve them.
Posted by: rinnis | Nov 15, 2007 4:55:18 PM
Announcing a peaceful march on Dec. 8, Saturday,in downtown Santa Fe to protest all drilling in Santa Fe County. Meet at 10 am at the corner of Washington and Federal (the Federal Court Building Park.) Bring signs.
sheppiesantafe@msn.com
Posted by: jerry m. held, MD | Nov 30, 2007 10:01:14 AM
Oh my God. The facts are there. Oil drilling kills. Oil Drilling kills. It KILLS.
Gets your facts straight, before using 'the children's education for an excuse to drill. Our government is NOT serving the people, they are serving themselves.
Wake Up
Posted by: Rick | Dec 26, 2007 4:25:07 PM
