Sample Letter

SAMPLE LETTER

December 1, 2004

The White House

1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW

Washington, DC 20500

Dear President Bush,

I am writing to express my support for a National Conservation Area (NCA) for New Mexico's Otero Mesa, and to oppose oil and gas drilling in this special part of New Mexico. This area is home to a thriving diversity of native plants and wildlife species. Many in our state also use the area for hunting, hiking, birding, solitude, and other recreational purposes. A rare jewel like Otero Mesa deserves protection as a National Conservation Area. It does not deserve to be exploited for the short-term benefits of oil & gas development that will undoubtedly have negative long-term impacts on this landscape.

A large fresh water aquifer lies beneath Otero Mesa, which could supply clean drinking water for New Mexicans for over a hundred years. Oil and gas operations in southern New Mexico have contaminated public drinking water sources. We cannot risk the future water needs of New Mexicans by potentially contaminating the fresh water aquifer underneath Otero Mesa.

Recent statements by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) have indicated little chance of finding economically recoverable amounts of oil and gas in this area. In addition, recent scientific studies clearly show that restoration of the predominant black grama grasslands in this area would be virtually impossible. We do not need to risk forever spoiling Otero Mesa when there is no evidence that this area can be drilled in an “environmentally sound manner,” in addition to the area having little probability of producing economically recoverable amounts of oil and gas.

The current BLM plan to develop Otero Mesa includes thousands of miles of roads and hundreds of drilling sites. It has weak protections for wildlife, water, and the New Mexican way of life. one of our cores values as New Mexicans is protecting public lands like Otero Mesa.

Governor Richardson's pledge to defend Otero Mesa from oil and gas development is supported by a large majority of New Mexicans. I stand firmly with our Governor in calling for a National Conservation Area in Otero Mesa.

Thank you for your time and attention to this serious matter.

Sincerely,

Jane / Joe New Mexico
123 Main Street
Anywhere, NM 00000