Environmental advocates convened outside the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) State Office in Santa Fe to protest the online auctioning of nearly 3,000 acres of public land for fracking in New Mexico's Greater Carlsbad region. The auction is part of a broader initiative under the Trump Administration's "energy dominance" agenda.

Rebecca Sobel, Senior Climate and Energy Campaigner for WildEarth Guardians, emphasized the environmental impact of such actions: “Full exploitation of the Permian Basin could fuel one degree of warming alone. Any meaningful climate action must address the reckless sacrifice of our federal public lands for oil and gas interests, which puts our lands, water, and climate at risk.”

The BLM's decision comes despite opposition from various quarters. All ten candidates at CNN’s recent climate-change town hall have proposed stopping new oil and gas leasing on federal lands. This includes notable figures like former Vice President Joe Biden and Senators Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren.

In June, BLM faced criticism after auctioning off nearly 40,000 acres despite a Tenth Circuit court ruling against such decisions. Local advocates continue to voice concerns about the connection between BLM’s leasing program and climate change.

Protesters at the Santa Fe office played The 1975’s song featuring Greta Thunberg as a call to action against ecological crises. Miya King-Flaherty from Sierra Club Rio Grande Chapter stated: “Continued oil and gas drilling throughout the Greater Chaco and Greater Carlsbad landscape has already caused irreparable harm to our environment, air and water quality, and public health.” She stressed that New Mexico needs immediate action to mitigate climate impacts.

From September 20-27, New Mexicans will participate in a Global Climate Strike alongside millions worldwide. Events during this period will focus on oil and gas development effects in regions like Greater Chaco.