ACTION ALERT: Otero Mesa Drilling

From Nathan Newcomer, Otero Mesa Campaign Organizer:
Yesterday, New Mexico State Land Commissioner, Patrick Lyons stomped on the voices of New Mexicans by siding with the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) in their plan to open 95% of Otero Mesa to irresponsible oil and gas development.

Lyons says he will battle Gov. Bill Richardson and Attorney General Patricia Madrid in federal court to allow oil and gas drilling at Otero Mesa.

"We're going to intervene to let 'em do drilling down there," Lyons said in a meeting with Albuquerque Journal editors and reporters Tuesday. "We feel like it's our constitutional duty."

But Madrid already is questioning Lyons' authority to challenge her position against drilling.

The governor's senior energy and environment policy adviser, Ned Farquhar, said Richardson proposed a balanced alternative for Otero Mesa development but the BLM ignored it.

"Commissioner Lyons is making a mistake if he's going to support the BLM's proposal to open 95 percent of the area to oil and gas activity," Farquhar said.

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ACTION
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Call and tell State Land Commissioner Patrick Lyons that you think his recent actions to support the full-scale development of Otero Mesa is not in the best interest for New Mexicans or our quality of life.

State Land Office
Patrick Lyons
(505) 827-5760

Here are a few talking points to use when leaving a message for Commissioner Lyons:

1. The Commissioner demanded that development begin so that money from oil and gas royalties could be funneled to our children. However, even the BLM says that the amount of oil and gas under Otero Mesa is "small potatoes." Thus, any revenue generated to the state from industry royalties will be very minimal.

2. The greater resource of Otero Mesa is the fact that it contains  the largest remaining source of fresh drinking water left in the state of New Mexico. This water is much more valuable to our children and their future than a few days of oil and gas.

3. Tell Commssioner Lyons that you want him to work to protect Otero Mesa's groundwater, and not to side with the oil and gas industry, as he is now doing.

State Land Office
Patrick Lyons
(505) 827-5760