Julie Wilt, Sierra Club Central New Mexico chair
What: Sandoval County Planning & Zoning Committee meeting to consider SandRidge Energy permit for fracking well near Rio Rancho
When: 6 p.m. January 28
Where: Commission Chambers, Sandoval County Administration Building, 1500 Idalia Road, Bernalillo
Act: Join our Sandoval County action team: riogrande.chapter@sierraclub.org
Oklahoma-based SandRidge Energy Inc. has applied for a special-use permit to frack for oil in a residential zone just 2 miles from the Rio Rancho city limits. Please attend the January 28 county Planning and Zoning Committee meeting to ask the county to say NO to this risky operation so close to our homes.
At the first Planning & Zoning meeting on this issue December 10, so many people showed up that the committee ordered a continuation of the hearing January 28. After Planning & Zoning considers the proposal this month, it will move to the County Commission, so we have a limited amount of time to raise our voices.
The process of fracking for oil involves injecting millions of gallons of fresh water, mixed with chemicals and sand, at high pressure to break apart rocks to get at oil trapped in the rock deep underground. A fracking well that’s so close to our homes and municipal water wells could have disastrous effects on all of our lives.
SandRidge’s injection wells, where it disposes of contaminated water produced from the fracking process, have been linked to the huge upsurge of earthquakes in Oklahoma. Oklahoma officials have ordered SandRidge to shut down its wells, and SandRidge has refused. The company’s assets are centered in Oklahoma, and it is deep in debt. The New York Stock Exchange this month delisted SandRidge.
Without a thorough evaluation of the health and environmental risks from fracking, it is unreasonable and careless to issue a zoning change.
Thank you for taking action and for all you do for New Mexico’s environment!
No fracking logo by Dominique Chappard
What can I do to help fight the fracking plans?
Hi! You can send an email to the Sandoval County Commission using this link: http://bit.ly/sandovaloilgas. There have been updates since we wrote this post, and more are coming. The Planning & Zoning Commission recommended denying SandRidge’s fracking application, but at the County Commission meeting last week, SandRidge asked for more time to clarify its application, and that was granted. But now SandRidge has withdrawn its application! However, Sandoval has no ordinances in place to allow it to protect its citizens from the dangers of fracking, so we need a moratorium so the county can
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Where can I see/get updates?
We have a listserv of folks involved — would you like to be on it? Send your email address to riogrande.chapter@sierraclub.org. Thanks!