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 Otero Mesa: Oil and Water Just Don't Mix Protecting Otero Mesa from the Bush administration's oil drilling plans
In January 2004, the Bush administration announced a final plan that would sacrifice more than 1.2 million acres1 of Otero Mesa for oil and gas development and place the drinking water of at least 1 million New Mexicans at risk of contamination-all the while ignoring strong local opposition to the plan.2 The administration's final proposal more than doubles the available acreage open to drilling, while providing inadequate protections to the region's fragile grasslands and opening critical wildlife habitat to oil and gas development. Trisha, who became an environmental activist after visiting Otero Mesa, is now working to ensure that oil and gas companies are never allowed to damage the last of America's great desert grasslands. "Otero Mesa has a life force and a beauty that one has to experience firsthand," she says. "Some people think of Otero Mesa as having little to offer, but it serves as a critical watershed, a place where water is filtered before it enters the groundwater system." Water, not oil, is really New Mexico's most valuable resource: approximately 90 percent of the state's population depends on groundwater for drinking water. It is therefore in the best interest of public health to protect this precious resource from contamination.3 The Salt Basin beneath Otero Mesa contains vast water resources, enough to supply drinking water to southern New Mexico for at least 100 years, that would be vulnerable to incoming oil and gas development operations.4 "We haven't produced oil and gas in New Mexico for 80 years by contaminating the water, by raping and pillaging the land-we've done it by being good stewards of public lands," says Bob Gallagher, president of the New Mexico Oil and Gas Association.5 But the oil and gas industry is being less than forthcoming about the facts. In reality, the three New Mexican counties that lead in oil and gas development are also among the nation's leaders in air and water pollution.6 For Trisha, protecting Otero Mesa is something she sees as important not only for today, but for generations to come. The region is home to native plants, wildlife, and independent cattle ranches that have been in operation for generations. Otero Mesa is one of the largest stretches of Chihuahuan Desert grassland remaining in New Mexico, and is host to one of the last genetically pure herds of pronghorn antelope. The land is an outdoorsman's haven, with hiking, camping, birding, hunting, and rock climbing among the most popular activities. "Everything that exists in Otero Mesa depends upon the health of the grassland itself-from the stability of the soil to the survival of the last genetically pure strain of pronghorn antelope," she says. New Mexico oil and gas revenues bring in money for its schools and will continue to do so for many years, even if we never sink another oil well. But New Mexican schools cannot exist without good, clean water. New Mexican's have given America hundreds of thousands of oil wells to help it grow and residents of the state are proud to be of service to the country. However, the Bush administration Department of Interior is now asking for the sacrifice of another 1,200,000 acres for oil and gas development on Otero Mesa. "The Bush administration acts as if they're oblivious to any value of the land other than the oil and gas underneath and quick profits for industry," says Trisha. "Their philosophy seems to be 'cut, drill, mine, run' with no regard for other uses and values of the land that are trampled in the process." We can do better. Governor Richardson has already taken the fist step to protecting Otero Mesa by ordering "all appropriate and relevant state agencies to provide support for the utmost protection of these grasslands as a matter of state policy."7 Much more is needed, however. The Bush administration must put the long-term interests of New Mexico residents before the profits of the oil and gas industry. The administration could be looking for energy alternatives and ways to increase efficiency rather than seeking to drill in New Mexico's pristine lands. For more information contact: Sarah Lundstrum, Sierra Club Sarah.Lundstrum@sierraclub.org (505) 243-7767 New Mexico Wilderness Alliance, www.oteromesa.org (505) 843-8696 New Mexico Bureau of Land Management www.nm.blm.gov (505) 438-7400 For more information contact:
Surface Water Quality Bureau
Western Clean Energy Campaign
www.westernresourceadvocates.org/energy.html
Photo courtesy Trisha London; used with permission. Up to Top HOME | Email Signup | About Us | Contact Us | Terms of Use | © 2008 Sierra Club |
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