Sen. Pete Campos Senate District 8 | Sierra Club Rio Grande Chapter
Crowds assembled at the New Mexico Legislature to express opposition to an upcoming oil and gas lease sale by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). The gathering, consisting of tribal leaders, legislators, land users, and various organizations, presented over 30,000 protests against the March 2019 lease sale. This figure is a significant increase compared to previous protests.
The proposed sale involves auctioning off 11,000 acres of public and ancestral lands in New Mexico's Greater Chaco and Greater Carlsbad Caverns regions. Critics argue that more than 93% of available lands in these areas have already been sold to the oil and gas industry. They also highlight that over 64,000 wells are operating on public and tribal lands without adequate consideration for community health or environmental justice.
Several political figures have voiced their concerns about the lease sale. Senators Udall and Heinrich, Representative Haaland, Arizona Representative Grijalva, as well as various Native American groups and local organizations have called for a moratorium on drilling until BLM updates its Resource Management Plans.
Speakers at the event included Navajo Nation Council Delegate Daniel Tso and State Land Commissioner Stephanie Garcia Richard. U.S. Senators Tom Udall and Martin Heinrich also provided statements during the rally.
A variety of organizations hosted the event including WildEarth Guardians, Sierra Club Rio Grande Chapter, New Mexico Wildlife Federation among others. The rally emphasized the need for better protection of public lands from industrialized development.
Statements from participants underscored their commitment to safeguarding sacred sites like Chaco Canyon from further exploitation by fossil fuel interests. They criticized BLM's leasing practices as neglectful towards cultural resources and detrimental to environmental health.
Participants urged federal agencies like BLM to prioritize sustainable energy sources over fossil fuels. They called for immediate action to prevent further damage to public lands while advocating for a transition towards renewable energy solutions.
