      |
Law Center News
The Coalition for Energy Accountability*
Development News
Our Kick Off Anniversary Celebration
United Way – Combined Federal Campaign
Thanks to our Green Business Partners!
Coalition Members:
Non-Profit Organizations:
Amigos Bravos
Arroyo Hondo Land Trust
Cimarron Sky-Dog Reserve
Commonweal Conservancy
Concerned Citizens of Cerrillos
Drilling Santa Fe (DSF)
Earth Works Institute
Environment New Mexico
Ecoversity
Galisteo Community Assocation
Madrid Cultural Projects
Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC)
National Wildlife Federation
New Energy Economy
New Mexico Environmental Law Center (NMELC)
New Mexico Wilderness Alliance
New Mexico Wildlife Federation
Oil & Gas Accountability Project/
EARTHWORKS (OGAP)
Physicians for Social Responsibility
Recursos de Santa Fe
Renewable Energy Partners of New Mexico
The San Marcos Association
Santa Fe Conservation Trust (SFCT)
Southwest Seminars
WildEarth Guardians
The Wilderness Society
Wild Prairie Partners
Businesses:
Althouse, Inc.
BJ Briggs, LLC
Confluence Mediation & Counseling
Coulter-Brooks Art & Antiques
High Feather Ranch Bed and Breakfast
Janine Lehmann Design
The Janis Group, Inc.
Lone Mountain Ranch
New Mexico Biotech, Inc.
OpenMake Software
Rush Creek Editions
Saltamontes on Grasshopper Hill Retreat
Santa Fe Permaculture
Thal Equine, LLC & Thal Boarding Training, LLC
Citizens’ Activists Groups (not 501(c))
Santa Fe Not Oil
Individuals:
Tweeti Blancett, plus many others.
* Listing as of date of publication, March 2008
Anniversary Contributors
A tremendous thanks to our members who have increased their last gift by 20% or more over their previous gift in honor of the Law Center’s 20th Anniversary! As of the end of November this has generated $85,000 in anniversary contributions.
Your support has helped protect communities across New Mexico for two decades – and for that we are forever grateful.
Become a
Green Business Partner!
With your gift of $250, $500, $1,000
or $2,500, your benefits will include:
•Your logo in our newsletter
•Tickets to Law Center events
•Networking opportunities
•Special mention in our donor
recognition lists
Join this valued group of
supporters today
Contact Sebia Hawkins
at 505.989.9022 ext. 27 or shawkins@nmelc.org
The Battle for the Galisteo Basin Heats Up Near Santa Fe
Residents from all across the Galisteo Basin are joining forces to protect the fragile watershed from the onslaught of oil and gas exploration and development. This battle could change New Mexico. Tecton Energy LLC from Houston has leased minerals from the Rio Puerco across the Attrisco lands just west of Albuquerque, and they have leased BLM minerals along the Sandoval County line. Hundreds of miles of land could be threatened. But the battle lines are being drawn down on the Galisteo Creek, south of Santa Fe.
Tecton has applied for three permits from the Oil Conservation Commission (OCC). The permits are in egregious locations and would violate several provisions of present and proposed Santa Fe County ordinances. The construction of roads and bulldozing of large drilling pads along with the heavy truck traffic involved with all exploratory drilling would negatively impact migratory routes, the vast archeological sites, and of course the riparian areas north and south of the creek. Two locations are in or near the floodplain, and one is on the edge of the fragile alluvial aquifer. Homes and water wells are also nearby.
After months of public pressure, Governor Richardson returned from the presidential campaign trail and called for a moratorium. In mid-January he issued an official executive order and stopped the permitting process for six months. The studies that have been demanded by thousands of residents are now underway. The New Mexico Oil and Gas Association worked hard to prevent the OCC from enacting strict environmental protective rules covering oil waste disposal.
Counties can zone polluting industries out of watersheds and away from rural residential areas. Now that the easy money has been made in oil and gas development in New Mexico, it is imperative that citizens work to strengthen County and State protections to prevent the devastation from this final run at the most marginal areas for oil and gas exploitation.
It is time to make tough decisions about protection of air and water and find new ways to fund the public schools as the old wealth of the Permian Basin is rapidly diminishing. In another twenty years, the San Juan Basin will also be depleted. If there are fortunes to be made by out of state oil and gas companies plundering the Galisteo watershed or other areas along the vast Albuquerque Rift, then that recovery must be done with the strictest of protections.
The one old well down in the Galisteo creekbed that has produced sporadically over the last 23 years is a dismal failure. In spite of months of efforts with the supposed “new technologies,” and thousands of barrels of Santa Fe County drinking water and thousands of gallons of Schlumberger frac’ing chemicals forced into that tight formation, only a few dozen barrels of oil have been produced. Unfortunately Black-Ferrill #1 is a sad testament to how speculative and wasteful these last marginal plays can be. In late January, Tecton officially filed for temporary abandonment of the well.
There was natural gas found back in the 1980’s. However, a marginally productive gas field with a maze of collection lines and pipelines with all of the noxious pollution and fire danger that accompanies natural gas development would be a death blow to the wildlife, the water, the air, and the vibrant and unique communities of the Galisteo Basin.
Citizens must demand the strictest of environmental protections as Industry fights back against every County or State initiative to protect the health of residents, wildlife, and our dwindling water resources.
Sidebar:
At a public meeting held by Tecton Energy on October 4, the company’s CEO stated that his company believes there are between 50 and 100 million barrels of light sweet crude oil and 5 to 10 trillion cubic feet of natural gas along the Albuquerque Rift between the San Juan Basin and Socorro. The Houston-based company currently plans to drill eight exploratory wells, perhaps more, on the 65,000 acres between the villages of Galisteo and Cerrillos, where it has leased minerals.
by Nancy Seewald, Resident of Galisteo | top
The Coalition for Energy Accountability*
Operating Principles Statement
New Mexico’s Rio Grande Rift is an international treasure deserving of the highest protection. Home to several Pueblo Nations, Santa Fe, the Galisteo Basin, the Ortiz and San Pedro Mountains, the area is one of the state’s most ecologically and culturally diverse regions. It is a vital resource to farmers, ranchers, students and educators, businesspeople, artists, spiritual and religious leaders, sportsmen, outdoor enthusiasts, and community and conservation groups. In accord with inherent beauty, ecological value, and authority of Santa Fe County, we believe the following:
1. The watersheds of the Galisteo Basin are of paramount value and its waters the lifeblood of the land’s wildlife and our healthy communities;
2. The Galisteo Basin is a vital resource to a sustainable future for central New Mexico’s cultural, rural and agricultural communities;
3. The Galisteo Basin provides unique recreational and sporting opportunities for families, hunters, anglers, and other outdoor enthusiasts;
4. The Galisteo Basin provides a home for abundant wildlife populations, and holds intrinsic ecological importance and scenic beauty;
5. The Galisteo Basin should be protected for the benefit of the people – all of the people.
Based on these values, we believe that it is a grave mistake to exploit these special lands for the principal benefit of the fossil fuel industry. Oil and gas development poses fundamental threats to the water, wildlife and cultural values of the Galisteo Basin as well as to the public health of communities throughout the region. Therefore all steps must be taken to prevent and reduce the impact caused by energy development. The region should be protected for the benefit of present and future generations.
The Coalition for Energy Accountability is an alliance of businesses, non-profits and individuals fighting to protect the Galisteo Basin from oil and gas production. The Law Center represents Drilling Santa Fe, a member of the coalition.
*The Coalition of Energy Accountabily has changed their name to Common Ground United.
For Galisteo Drilling Donations: The Law Center can now accept tax-deductible donations from individuals for our work on behalf of Drilling Santa Fe against the proposed oil and gas drilling in the Galisteo Basin.
| top
Welcomes and Farewells
The Law Center is pleased to announce the addition of two new Board members. Myron Armijo, who joined the Board in October, is a former Governor of Santa Ana Pueblo who currently is the Tribal Liaison in the State Engineers Office. Myron brings very important experience to our board as a Pueblo leader, and as an ardent supporter of conservation of New Mexico’s most precious natural resource – water. Stuart Bluestone also joined the Board in October, and served as New Mexico’s Chief Deputy Attorney General from 1999-2007. He has served as Director of the Civil and Consumer Protection Divisions for previous Attorneys General and currently serves as Attorney General Gary King’s Senior Counsel. Please join us in welcoming Myron and Stuart to our Board of Directors.
 |
The youngest member to join the Law Center is Meredith (Maggie) Clark who was born in November to the Law Center’s Development Officer Shelbie Knox and her husband David Clark. Welcome Maggie! |
The Law Center bids farewell to four valuable members of its team. We wish them all the best of luck in their future endeavors.
The Law Center announces the departure of Sarah Piltch, who served as a Staff Attorney for two and a half years. Sarah was an important member of the legal team, achieving several important strategic accomplishments for New Mexico communities. She served as lead counsel on the Vulcan concrete batch plant case in Bernalillo County, which marked the first appeal ever brought to the Bernalillo County Air Quality Control Board. The appeal incited the board to change its regulations allowing for more community involvement in their decisions. She initially led our representation of clients in Clovis who prevented the siting of an ethanol plant next to African-American and Hispanic communities. Sarah was also an important part of the legal team on the Paseo del Norte extension case and, most recently, the Crownpoint-Church Rock uranium case.
We first met Richard Deertrack in 1994 when he represented Taos Pueblo in its fight to prevent the expansion of the Taos airport. Shortly after he joined our Board of Directors in 1997, Richard explained, “Many Indian tribes…don’t feel they can have an effect on environmental issues…because they don’t understand the legal processes. This is where the Law Center – which has people who are dedicated and who know the process, who are experts and know the language – is so important to Indian tribes and other communities.” During his tenure, including four years as the President of the Board, he contributed to our work through his deep grasp of the environmental issues facing Native American communities and his quiet, introspective leadership.
The Law Center would like to thank Joe Clarke for his service on our Board of Directors, including two years as co-Chair of our Development Committee. When he joined our Board in 2003, he brought to our table his significant knowledge as an attorney specializing in water issues and his passion to protect the environment of New Mexico.
And we would like to thank Sue Chappell, Board Treasurer from
2005 to October 2007, for her invaluable service to the Law Center over the past nine years. When Sue came to the Law Center in 1998, her experience as a community activist
and practicing attorney with Sutin, Thayer & Browne added important insights to Board deliberations over Law Center cases.
| top
Pull Out Your Party Wear - We Want to Meet You!
Dear Friends,
We’re twenty years old now and feel like celebrating our environmental victories with all of you! While our year-long anniversary celebration will culminate in a big affair in
Fall of 2008 in Santa Fe, we are hosting a series of member gatherings around the state. Currently we are planning to
hold anniversary events in:
Roswell, April 2008
Silver City, May 2008
Las Cruces, June 2008
Gallup, July 2008
Taos, August 2008
(Dates Subject to change)
So, please mark your monthly calendars, pull out your party wear, and we will keep you posted about specific event details. We want to meet you in person to hear why you’ve been loyal to us. And, we really hope that we can thank you personally for your steady and essential support over the past twenty years. We wouldn’t be here without you!
All the best,
| top
Our Kick Off Anniversary Celebration
The event on October 25th, 2007 at the home of long time supporters Lynda Taylor and Robert Haspel was fantastic. So many wonderful people from Santa Fe came to help us celebrate and launch the next twenty years of effort to ensure greater environmental justice for all New Mexicans. Please stay tuned for the Anniversary Event near you.
 |
 |
 |
| Richard Deertrack, outgoing President of the Law Center | Dir. of Development Sebia Hawkins and Photographer Tony Bonanno | Publisher Cliff Feigenbaum, Law Center Dir. of Finance Yana Merrill, and Dentist Leslie Lakind |
EMA Matching Grant Update
In our last newsletter we told you about the EMA Matching Grant for $25,000. We have terrific news to report. Through incredible generosity you have contributed over $68,000 since July of 2007 when we received the challenge grant offer. You helped us more than meet our match by the end of the calendar year, and we are so grateful for your support for our efforts.
| top
United Way – Combined Federal Campaign
The Law Center is a new member of the United Way’s Combined Federal Campaign (CFC) in New Mexico as of spring 2007. If you, your organization, or workplace participates in the CFC for federal employees, you can support the Law Center through this charitable vehicle. It is easy to do. Go to www.cnnmcfc.org OR www.opm.gov/cfc. On the Home Page, page 10 and 11, you will find general information about the CFC and the service categories. On page 92 you will find the New Mexico Environmental Law Center entry # 83361. Please give us a call if you have any questions.
| top
Thanks to our Green Business Partners!
People support businesses that support good causes! Show New Mexico you support clean air, water and healthy communities.
 |
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
Green Business Partners are coporate and small business entities that generously support the Law Center with an annual gift.
The Law Center sincerely thanks our members and donors who make our work possible. Donors are acknowledged in our print version, which can be downloaded in pdf version.
To subscribe or unsubscribe to the Green Fire Report online edition, to receive a text-only version, or to submit comments to the Law Center staff, please email nmelc@nmelc.org. The New Mexico Environmental Law Center is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit law firm. We seek to protect the environment and communities of New Mexico using legal advocacy and public education. All donations are 100% tax-deductible, unless otherwise noted. Thank you.