Santa Fe County Suspends New Oil and Gas Drilling

Yesterday the Santa Fe County Board of County Commissioners passed an emergency interim development ordinance that temporarily suspends the processing and granting of applications for permits to drill for oil and natural gas within the Galisteo Basin until February 28, 2009. The ordinance also empowers the Board to extend the prohibition for an additional 6 months, if necessary.

The County Commission voted unanimously to approve the ordinance and received a standing ovation from the crowd of more than 100. The suspension is designed to give County staff more time to study environmental, geographical and archeological issues in the basin before completing the final draft of new oil and gas regulations. The County had begun drafting new oil and gas regulations last fall after Tecton Energy announced plans to drill for oil in the Galisteo Basin.

In January, Gov. Bill Richardson issued a similar six-month moratorium on drilling in the Galisteo Basin to allow for a study on the area's extensive archaeological treasures. The City of Santa Fe will soon begin a review of the ownership of subsurface mineral rights for city-owned property in the area.

To join the battle against drilling in the Galisteo Basin area, visit the Drilling Santa Fe website and sign on to endorse the principles of the Coalition for Energy Accountability. For months, citizens and advocacy groups have been actively fighting Tecton's announced plans to drill in Santa Fe County and urging governmental action to ban or delay drilling and conduct technical studies that may form the basis for strengthened drilling regulations.