30-043-21278 ROADRUNNER 03 1201 #001 [315649]
Sandridge Permit still valid for 40 acres expires 11.10.17
Active permits with p ermissive use with no Public notification means Mike Springfield, planning director would rubberstamp county application permit without notification. 1 well per acres or up to 6 wells per 5 acres (This is the NMOCD allowance in NW Sandoval in the Chaco Mesa Area), means 40-150+ oil and gas wells over the aquifer and the City Rio Rancho drinking water supply to over 100,000 people including private water wells. 1.8 million gallons per are used in fracking one oil and gas well.
This will potentially impact the Rio Grande and ABQ basin through over-pumping. The leak rate is 16% of all wells drilled for contamination equals 8-32 wells will leak. The above info on leaks was read/entered into the record at the last commission meeting by Alan Friedman (ESCA).
There are a couple of people who think that they can keep asking for amendments to the draft, they should be supported. It is hoped that they can get “special use permitting” it would be better, but unfortunately, not qualitatively or substantially for the overall ordinance, The draft would need to be republished after any amendment.
We are better off without an ordinance than to have this one.
ARTICLE III. ZONING ORDINANCE AMENDMENT. Section 3.1. Amending Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance. A. The Sandoval County Board of County Commissioners hereby amends Ordinance No. 10-11-18.7A, Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance of Sandoval County, to establish Oil and Gas exploration and production, and the structures and facilities associated with that use, as a Permissive use within Section 9 (1). RRA – Rural Residential Agricultural District, and to remove this use from Section 10. SU – Special Use District.
What does this mean? In plain English, making oil and gas development a “Permissive use” means that applications to drill IN ANY RURAL AREA with that zoning will be rubberstamped & allowed to proceed with no public notice. You won’t know an oil well is going to be drilled next to your home, your child’s school, in your fields, or through your aquifer, until the rigs show up. This is what the Sandoval County Commissioners want for their community.
Our coalition thinks differently because Thrust Energy will bring Sandridge / or WPX to drill these wells in the next couple of months unless we can stop this train wreck.
The next meeting is Oct 19th Come to the meeting We will send update announcement on time date and location We are asking them to change the venue to allow for all comment.
PROCESS GOING FORWARD: What To Expect, what happens now
The county will publish the draft ordinance for comment then hold ONLY one more meeting to approve the ordinance. As long as the Ordinance is not amended It will be published one more time and then becomes law within 30 days. If amended they have to republish it and then hold another Final hearing. Since they are in rush to do push this through we do not think they are going to amend unless they can be convinced of liability legal threats. The County is more concerned with the O&G industry suing than with the public.We are exploring our legal options, please expect an announcement soon.
Write emails and call the Office of the Attorney General
What can you do? The “Stoddard Ordinance”, quoted above, is an Oil & Gas Ordinance that will be voted on by the Sandoval County Commission as early as October 19th. The entire process has been fraught with controversy, and the ordinance as it stands now will do nothing to protect the health & safety of the citizens or our aquifers. The County has repeatedly failed to follow its own procedures for citizen input. Call the NM Attorney General and ask him to expedite the four Open Meeting Act violation complaints that have been filed with his office. 505.717.3500. ABQ consumer Complaint Number |
