Located in the south-central portion of New Mexico on the Texas border lies
one of the wildest parts of our state. Just look on a road map east of the Macgregor
Range and you will find the largest empty spot on the New Mexico state map.
In this blank spot one can find the rolling hills, mountains and grassland flats
that comprise the Greater Otero Mesa Area. For the New Mexico Wilderness Alliance,
this wild part of New Mexico has come to symbolize the heart and soul of what
our organization is based on, the protection of our states remaining wildlands
and the modern day threat to their integrity that the oil and gas industry currently
possesses.
Long used by a
handful of independent cattle ranches, this is the land of the pronghorn, the
mountain lion, mule deer, elk, raptors and countless species of migratory songbirds.
Like the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska, this is a landscape on a
grand scale.
Sadly, like the Arctic Refuge, Otero Mesa is a very threatened landscape.
Several years ago Harvey E. Yates, or (HEYCO) based in Roswell, New Mexico began to purchase leases in the Greater Otero Mesa Area, specifically the Bennett Ranch Area. The President of HEYCO Harvey E. Yates is the past President of the Independent Petroleum Association of New Mexico and perhaps more disturbingly the former Chairman of the Board of Directors of Mountain States Legal Foundation. This legal organization was designed to fight environmental laws that might put constraints or regulation on corporations.
The Yates Company claims that up to a trillion cubic feet of natural gas could lie under the Greater Otero Mesa Area. Although many other geologists question such numbers, plans continue with the Bureau of Land Management just releasing its Final Environmental Impact Statement relating to the Greater Otero Mesa Area. Originally, there were three alternatives offered. The three alternatives would have opened anywhere from 83% to 97% of the area to oil and gas development, but would have included some no-surface occupancy regulations. This was an issue that had industry in an uproar. Steve Yates, (currently the Vice-President of HEYCO) continued to express to the BLM, the Cheney Energy Task force and to New Mexico Representatives that the plan was simply too restrictive! The net result is that the BLM, created a new alternative that replaces the no-surface occupancy stipulations with a roving 5% occupancy. The formerly closed lands now can be drilled upon 5% at a time. For the remaining lands that did not have no-surface restrictions, drilling will be allowed with little or no restriction. Plans also include the construction of a pipeline from Texas to allow for the shipment of gas to the open market. Reclamation for the drilled areas is supposed to be a component. Yet the BLM has no real standards or scientific data to predict how successful it may be in this dry and grazed landscape. The reality is that industry will do as they have in the Carlsbad area, plow the ground, drop seed and move on to their next 5%. If this plan were to proceed Otero Mesa could become a landscape dramatically fragmented by roads, pipelines, power lines and toxic waste holding ponds. This past state legislative session there was even a proposal to build a power plant at taxpayers expense on the Greater Otero Mesa Area, for now that bill appears dead. With so much planned, the potential effects on wildlife could be severe.
The Greater Otero Mesa Area is home to one of the countries most genetically pure herds of Pronghorn. They have never needed reintroduction. Currently sportsman can hunt by bow or muzzle loading only in this area and as a result the herds are some of the finest trophy animals in the state.
This past summer The New Mexico Wilderness Alliance conducted a survey to see the Wilderness potential of the area. Several months of fieldwork lead to the realization that over 460,000 acres of the Greater Otero Mesa Area qualify for Wilderness designation. This area remains some of the finest remnant Chihuahan Desert grassland in the state. Blue and black gramma grasses are a magnet for the migratory songbirds that Winter on the grasslands. Many threatened or endangered species such as Baird's Sparrow, Lark Bunting, Cassin's Sparrow and Burrowing Owls are drawn to this remote grassland. Many southern species from South America and Mexico look to this area for refuge as many acres continue to be fragmented or developed south of the border. In recent years the Aplomado Falcon was seen in this country. The Aplomado was extirpated from New Mexico back in the late 50's. In the months ahead plans are for the Aplamado to be reintroduced in West Texas and north of Otero on one of Ted Turner's Ranches. In the near future it seems likely if the area is not developed, that the Aplamado could once again be nesting in the Greater Otero Mesa Area.
In recent months a coalition of Sportsman and Conservation groups have joined forces to help protect this special part of New Mexico's Conservation Heritage. The fight will not be any easy one as industry has had several years to influence ranchers, politicians and many neighboring communities. Yet, there remain many local people concerned about the potential impacts. In nearby Carlsbad, one such person is Roy Dearing. For 40 years Roy worked as a roughneck in the oil and gas industry, enjoying his free time hunting in the nearby Guadalupe and Sacramento Mountains. Now retired, Roy woke up several years ago to the sounds of Duke energy installing a 1200 horsepower natural gas compressor 500 feet from his front door. Today Roy and his family are virtual prisoners, with the endless drone of the compressor, his house shaking at times due to the pressure and sound. His homes value has plummeted. Roy has seen first hand the impacts the oil and gas industry can have on average people. He remembers a time when hunting in the Guadalupe when springs ran clear and the sounds and views were pristine. Today says Roy, the springs have been trashed, pipelines criss-cross the mountain and he wonders what it is going to take for people to say enough is enough.
From atop Alamo Mountain one can see for almost 40 miles in any direction, the landscape remaining wild. Driving across one of the few unpaved roads, pronghorn in groups of 10-20 -30 can often be seen racing across the broad expanses of grass. Eagles, hawks and other raptors dot the expanse, clinging to soap tree yuccas and the occasional telephone pole. This is a wild landscape in need of our help. America has only 3% of the world's reserves of oil and gas, by contrast middle-eastern countries have roughly 64% we can never drill our way to energy independence. In New Mexico, we have Sandia Lab, one of only two alternative energy programs in the nation at NMSU, great wind resources in the eastern part of the state and 300 plus days of sunshine. We should be leading the nation in alternative energy development, yet we fall in the bottom 5%. We have come to a real crossroads in our countries energy future. We can work hard to gain true energy security for our nation by developing more efficient products and shifting our resources to alternative energy development or we can forever destroy wild places such as Otero Mesa for the short-term profits being driven by a handful of oil and gas executives.
The BLM is looking for a record of decision on the Greater Otero Mesa Area by June 1st. In order to protect this Wild New Mexico Grassland citizens are encouraged to write our Senators and the Las Cruces office of the BLM. Ask our Senators to delay the implementation of the BLM's Final Environmental Impact Statement. Also, ask that the BLM undertake a new and comprehensive Wilderness review of the Greater Otero Mesa Area. Without true grassroots support the drilling will commence and another wild part of our natural heritage will be reduced to roads and waste.
Senator Jeff Bingaman
U.S. Senate
Washington, D.C. 20510
Senator_Bingaman@Bingaman.Senate.Gov
Senator Pete Domenici
U.S. Senate
Washington, D.C. 20510
Senator_Domenici@Domenici.Senate.Gov
Ms. Amy Luders
Field Manager
Las Cruces Field Office
1800 Marquess
Las Cruces, NM 88005
Published in the
Albuquerque Journal 3-22-2002, Insight and Opinion section.