If the Sandoval County Commission takes the Planning and Zoning Commission’s recommendation at its February 18 hearing, it will deny a special-use permit for troubled Oklahoma oil company SandRidge Energy, which wanted to drill an exploratory fracking well just 2 miles from Rio Rancho city limits.
But the next company that wants to drill in Sandoval isn’t going to make the same application mistakes or have the same shaky financial background as SandRidge, and Sandoval County may be forced to approve the next drilling application because it doesn’t have ordinances in place to address the hazards of oil and gas fracking.
It is critical that the county impose a moratorium to allow time to develop ordinances that protect its residents from the damage to water, health, air and cultural resources that oil and gas fracking can cause.
Sandoval County staff wrote guidance on how SandRidge could resolve the gaps in its application that led to the recommendation for denial. But Sandoval County’s zoning laws are not adequate to deal with oil and gas applications.
Please ask your county commissioners to deny SandRidge’s application and impose a moratorium so that Sandoval County can develop strong regulations to protect its residents from the worst water, health and nuisance consequences.
Send your message here.
Photo by Ariwriter.
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