New Mexico hits pause on some oil and gas drilling

Jun 25, 2023

Moratorium applies only to state-owned land near schools

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Moratorium applies only to state-owned land near schools

Members of the Navajo community have complained to Samuel Sage for years about the noise and vibrations that rattle their homes.

Sage, the former president of the Navajo Chapter in Counselor and current community services coordinator, is among a group of residents and environmentalists who have sued New Mexico for allegedly failing to prevent pollution in northwestern and southeastern parts of the state.

On Thursday, New Mexico Land Commissioner Stephanie Garcia Richard issued an executive order that includes a ban on all new oil and gas leases on state trust land within a mile (1.6 kilometers) of schools or other educational institutions, including day care centers, preschools and sports facilities that students use.

The order, which takes effect Thursday, also calls for her office — which oversees thousands of square miles (kilometers) of surface lands and mineral rights — to review all existing oil and gas leases on state trust land within a mile of schools to assess compliance with state regulations.

"We have an entire list of things we need to get through," Garcia Richard said Thursday when asked about the review process. "It's a lot of work, and while we're prioritizing it's going to take us a while to get through the list."

According to State Land Office estimates, there could be nearly 120 schools within one mile of oil and gas operations on federal, state, Tribal and private lands.

The Hobbs School District has one of the highest concentrations of oil or gas wells located near school buildings, according to the analysis.

Hobbs is in the heart of the Permian Basin, one of the most prolific oil plays in the world. The revenue from development there is fueling record state spending on education and other social programs.

Hobbs Superintendent Gene Strickland said his district supports the industry.

"We do not feel the industry is harmful to the district by any proximity of oil and gas wells within the region," he said. "The industry is made up of individuals who are members of our community. We share the same interests and also want nothing adverse to happen to the community we call home."