Kayley Shoup: Moratorium on future oil, gas leasing near schools a “good first step”

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Kayley Shoup, community organizer for IPL NM-El Paso affiliate Citizens Caring for the Future in the Permian Basin, spoke to Hannah Glover of The New Mexico Political Report about the impact of  a moratorium on future oil and gas leasing on state lands within a mile of schools.

State Land Commissioner Stephanie Garcia Richard issued the moratorium in May. She said various studies about the impacts of oil and gas emissions on children’s health prompted her to take action.

But, at the same time, Shoup acknowledged that oil and gas development will continue close to schools because much of the state trust land is already leased and new leases can also occur on other lands, including private and federally managed lands.

This is why Shoup and others are advocating for state-wide setbacks.

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Open New Doors 2023 Legislative Session Video Series Part 2

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Kayley Shoup and Pastor Dave Rogers from NMEP-IPL affiliate Citizens Caring for the Future are among the voices featured in this video, which shares stories from community members about how climate, public health, and jobs intersect one another and their solutions and visions for a just and equitable transition. Their experiences show us that now is the time to open new doors to a thriving and resilient climate and economy for all New Mexicans.   The video was produced by Climate Advocates Voces Unidas

Sister Joan Brown: For modern era, update oil and gas laws

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In an opinion piece published in The New Mexican (Santa Fe), Sister Joan Brown, executive director of Interfaith Power & Light- New Mexico and El Paso, called on the state of New Mexico to modernize laws covering the oil and gas industry.  Here an excerpt from the  piece.

For modern era, update oil and gas laws

Many things in the world have changed since 1935 when New Mexico’s laws for oil and gas were written. Since then, New Mexico has grown to be the second-largest oil-producing state, behind only Texas. Oil and gas development has exploded in our state, impacting our environment, climate, public health and front-line communities. But the oil and gas laws of 1935 have not kept pace with the world we live in today.

Businesses are run by people who have families and want to be ethical and moral. Making policy changes in oil and gas rules to include public health, communities, our children and our future would help everyone. How many of us live life as it was 90 years ago?

We all must care for the common good. Updating antiquated rules for the 21st century makes sense. One area is to ensure taxpayers aren’t left to clean up the mess when wells inevitably run dry and need to be plugged. Taxpayers are left to foot the bill to clean up these polluting wells — a burden now and a debt our children must bear.

As part of the 2021 infrastructure bill, Sen. Ben Ray Luján secured a $4.7 billion investment to plug orphan wells. Wells in New Mexico are orphaned when operators go under — often in an inevitable oil bust — and walk away without cleaning up their mess. These abandoned, unplugged wells can lower property value and land productivity, pollute groundwater and release known carcinogens into our air. Too often, states, tribes, the federal government and taxpayers are left to pay to plug wells. Communities are left with polluted lands.

We have never had enough money to plug these orphaned wells, and we now have nearly 2,400 orphan wells in New Mexico, with potentially thousands more that are at risk of becoming orphaned in the near future. The Book of Genesis in the Old Testament instructs us to be caretakers, not polluters or destroyers. Plugging wells is a way to caretake and be responsible.

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