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June20,2019
BY ELECTRONIC MAIL AND
U.S. CERTIFIED MAIL – RETURN RECEIPT REQUESTED
TimSpisakDirectorNewMexicoStateOfficeU.S.BureauofLandManagement301DinosaurTrailSantaFe,[email protected]
DanitaBurnsDistrictManagerAlbuquerqueDistrictOfficeU.S.BureauofLandManagement100SunAve.,NEPanAmericanBuilding,Suite330Albuquerque,[email protected]
AngelMartinezActingFieldManagerRioPuercoFieldOfficeU.S.BureauofLandManagement100SunAve.,NEPanAmericanBuilding,Suite330Albuquerque,[email protected]
Re: RequestthatBLMHaltOilandGasLeasinginGreaterChacoRegionoftheRio
PuercoFieldOffice,RestartRioPuercoResourceManagementPlanRevisionProcess
DearStateDirectorSpisak,DistrictManagerBurns,andFieldManagerMartinez:
TheundersignedarewritingtocallonyoutobackdownfromplanstoleasepubliclandsforoilandgasdevelopmentintheGreaterChacoregionoftheRioPuercoFieldOfficeofNewMexico.WearealsocallingonyoutorestarttheResourceManagementPlan(“RMP”)revisionprocessfortheFieldOfficeandtointegratetheprocesswiththeRMPAmendmentcurrentlyunderwayfortheadjacentFarmingtonFieldOffice.
OnJune20,theU.S.BureauofLandManagement(“BLM”)intendstosellmorethan
37,000acresofpubliclandsoilandgasleasesinthenorthernportionoftheRioPuercoFieldOffice,allofwhichareinnorthernSandovalCounty,NewMexico.Thiscomesontheheelsofthesaleofmorethan2,500acresofleasesinthesameportionoftheFieldOfficeinMarch2019and41,000acresinDecember2018.What’smore,thisNovember,theagencyintendstoselloffanadditional2,800acresoflandsinthenorthernRioPuercoFieldOffice.
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AllindicationsarethattheseleaseswillfacilitatedevelopmentoftheMancosshalewithhorizontaldrillingandhydraulicfracturing.TheyareallincloseproximitytocurrentMancosshalehorizontaloilandgasdevelopmentoccurringintheadjacentFarmingtonFieldOffice.EventheBLMhasacknowledgedthatthisareaoftheRioPuercoFieldOfficeislocatedinanareawith“veryhigh”potentialforoilandgasoccurrencethatcouldbedevelopedusinghorizontaldrillingandalsolocatedinanareawithmediumtohighMancosshaledevelopmentpotentialbetween2018and2037.1
Asthemapbelowshows,manyoftheseleaseparcelsareincloseproximitytoChaco
NationalHistoricalParkandarewithintheGreaterChacoregion,aculturallysignificantlandscapethatisvitaltoNavajoandPuebloIndigenouspeopleswholiveinandhavesignificanttiestotheregion.
LocationofChacoCultureNationalHistoricalParkandRioPuercoOilandGasLeaseParcelsOfferedforSale
orProposedforSaleSinceDecember2018.
WhiletheBLMissellingpubliclandsfordevelopmentoftheMancosshaleintheRioPuercoFieldOffice,ithasneveraccountedforthecumulativeeffectsofMancosshaledevelopmentwithintheFieldOfficeandneveraddressedMancosshaledevelopmentinitsRMP.Infact,thecurrentRMPguidingoilandgasdevelopmentintheRioPuercoField 1 According to the BLM’s most recent Reasonably Foreseeable Development Scenario for the neighboring Farmington Field Office, https://eplanning.blm.gov/epl-front-office/projects/nepa/110578/161453/197157/2018.02.27_Crocker_Glover_FFO_RFD.pdf. Although this analysis looked specifically at reasonably foreseeable Mancos shale development within the Farmington Field Office, the study’s maps clearly indicate that the areas of medium to high horizontal development potential overlap with the northern portion of the Rio Puerco Field Office where leasing is proposed.
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Officewasapprovedin1986,morethan30yearsago.AlthoughtheBLMattemptedtorevisetheRMPin2012,itnevercompletedtherevision.Importantly,evenundertheproposedRMPcirculatedforpubliccommentin2012,theagencyneveraccountedfororevenacknowledgedtheprospectofhorizontaldrillingandfrackingofMancosshaleintheRioPuercoFieldOffice.TheproposedRMPreliedona2010ReasonablyForeseeableDevelopmentScenarioreportthatprojectednohorizontalwellswouldbedevelopedintheFieldOfficeoverthelifeoftheRMP.
InlightoftheU.S.CourtofAppealsfortheTenthCircuit’sMay7,2019opinionin
DinéCitizensAgainstRuiningourEnvironmentv.Bernhardt,No.18-2089,2019WL1999298(10thCir.May7,2019),it’scleartheBLMhasnolegalbasistoauthorizeleasingintheRioPuercoFieldOfficethatwouldenabledevelopmentoftheMancosshale.Mancosshaledevelopmentintheregionposesuniqueenvironmentalthreats,includingimpactstoculturalvalues,waterquantityandquality,airquality,andlocalcommunities.
Furthermore,giventhattheagency’spreviouslyproposed2012RMPrevisionalso
didnotaccountfordevelopmentoftheMancosshale,it’scleartheagencycannotfinalizetheRMPrevisionasoriginallyproposed.TheBLMhasmovedtoamendtheRMPfortheneighboringFarmingtonFieldOfficeinordertoaddresstheimpactsofMancosshaledevelopment.2Similarly,theBLMmustrestarttheRMPrevisionprocessfortheRioPuercoFieldOfficeandissueanewproposalthataddressesMancosshaledevelopment.ThismustincludepreparingandcirculatinganewdraftenvironmentalimpactstatementandprovidinganewopportunityforpublicinvolvementonaproposedRMP.
ThereisprecedentforrestraintintheRioPuercoFieldOffice.WhentheBLM
initiallyproposedtoleaselandsforoilandgasdevelopmentinthenorthernRioPuercoFieldOfficeinJanuary2014,theagencyultimatelydeferredthesaleonthebasisthat“leasingtheparcelswouldharmresourcevaluesandmaylimitthechoiceofreasonablealternativeactionsbeingconsideredintheRioPuercoDraftRMP-EIS.”3
Further,inMarch2018,formerSecretaryoftheInteriorRyanZinkedirectedthe
BLMtodeferleasingintheportionofnorthernSandovalCountythatisintheFarmingtonFieldOfficependingthecompletionofanongoinganalysisofmorethan5,000culturalsitesinthearea.4
Asthemapbelowshows,thelocationsofthesedeferredparcelsareliterallystones’throwsawayfromparcelstheagencyofferedforsaleinDecember2018andMarch2019andthattheagencyisproposingtosellinJuneandNovember2019.Infact,someofthedeferredparcelsfromMarch2018wereevenfurtherawayfromChacoCultureNationalHistoricalParkthantheRioPuercoparcelstheBLMhasofferedforsaleorisproposingto
2 See 81 Fed. Reg. 72,819 (Oct. 21, 2016). 3 BLM, Rio Puerco Field Office, EA January 2014 Competitive Oil and Gas Lease Sale at 11, https://www.nm.blm.gov/oilGas/leasing/leaseSales/2014/january2014/Jan%202014%20OG%20Lease%20Sale%20 EA_Public%20Review_Rio%20Puerco.pdf. 4 See https://www.blm.gov/press-release/blm-defers-oil-and-gas-lease-sale-parcels-new-mexico.
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sell.ItmakesnosensethatitwouldbeappropriatetodeferleasingintheportionofSandovalCountythathappenstobeintheFarmingtonFieldOffice,butnotappropriatetodeferleasinginotherportionsofnorthernSandovalCountysimplybecauseofthearbitraryboundarybetweentheRioPuercoandFarmingtonFieldOffices.
LeaseParcelsDeferredforSaleinMarch2018(orange)andLeaseParcelsOfferedandProposedforSalein
theRioPuercoFieldOffice. Inlightoftheagency’spastrestraint,inlightofthe10thCircuit’srecentrulingonMancosshaledevelopmentinnorthwestNewMexico,andinlightoftheclearinadequaciesofthecurrentRioPuercoRMP,theBLMhasnoreasonablebasisforcontinuingtoleaseoilandgasparcelswithintheRioPuercoFieldOffice. Furthermore,inlightofthefactthattheRioPuercoFieldOfficeisclearlyfacingincreasingpressuretodeveloptheregion’sMancosshaleusinghorizontaldrillingandfracking,theBLMmustrestartitsRMPrevisioninordertoaccountforthisnewpressureandthereasonablyforeseeableimpacts.ArestartoftheRioPuercoRMPrevisionprocessisnotonlywarranted,butalsocompelledunderapplicableregulations.
UnderregulationsimplementingtheNationalEnvironmentalPolicyAct(“NEPA”),ifadraftenvironmentalimpactstatementis“soinadequateastoprecludemeaningfulanalysis,”theBLMisobligatedtorevisethedraftandcirculateitforreviewandpubliccomment.40C.F.R.§1502.9(a).Additionally,BLM’splanningregulationsclearlycontemplatethatRMPsmustaccountfor“newdata,neworrevisedpolicy,achangeincircumstancesoraproposedactionthatmayresultinachangeinthescopeofresourceusesorachangeintheterms,conditionsanddecisionsoftheapprovedplan.”43C.F.R.§1610.5-5.
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Here,giventhatthedraftenvironmentalimpactstatementpreparedin2012forthe
RioPuercoRMPrevisionisdevoidofanyanalysisorassessmentofMancosshaleoilandgasdevelopment,itmustberevisedandre-circulatedforreviewandpubliccomment.And,giventhattheproposedRMPreleasedin2012alsofailedtoaccountfordevelopmentofMancosshale,itmustberevisedand/oramended,andalsorecirculatedforreviewandpubliccomment.GiventhattheFarmingtonFieldOfficeiscurrentlyamendingitsRMPtoaccountforMancosshaledevelopment,itwouldappeartomakemostsensetoensureMancosshaledevelopmentintheRioPuercoFieldOfficeisaddressedinanRMPamendmentand/orrevisionthataddressesdevelopmentinbothFieldOffices.
Accordingly,wecallonyoutakethefollowingactionstoensureresponsibleandcarefulmanagementofpubliclandsandresourcesintheRioPuercoFieldOffice:
• WecallonyoutodenytheissuanceofoilandgasleaseparcelsthatweresoldintheRioPuercoFieldOfficeinDecember2018andMarch2019.AlthoughtheBLMsoldtheseleases,theagencyhasyettoformallyapprovetheissuanceoftheleasesandstillhasdiscretiontodenyissuance.
• WecallonyoutocancelplanstoselloilandgasleasesintheRioPuercoFieldOffice,includingplanstoofferleasesforsaleinJuneandNovember2019,unlessanduntiltheRioPuercoRMPisupdatedtoaccountfortheimpactsofMancosshaledevelopmentintheregion.
• WecallonyoutorestarttheRioPuercoRMPrevisionprocesstoensurethatthereasonablyforeseeableimpactsofMancosshaledevelopmentareproperlyaccountedforandeffectivelymanaged.Tothisend,wecallonyoutoprepareandcirculateanewdraftenvironmentalimpactstatementfortheproposedRioPuercoRMPrevisionthatfullyanalyzes,assesses,anddisclosestheimpactsofMancosshaledevelopment.
• WecallonyoutointegratetheRioPuercoRMPrevisionprocesswiththeFarmingtonFieldOfficeRMPamendmentprocessthatiscurrentlyunderwaytoensurethatthecumulativeimpactsofMancosshaledevelopmentarefullyanalyzed,assessed,andaddressedtoensureprotectionoftheGreaterChacoregion’sculturalvalues,water,air,andcommunities.
Thankyouforyourtimeandattentiontothismatter.Werequestthatyouprovidea
writtenresponsesettingforththeactionsyouintendtotakeintheRioPuercoFieldOfficetoensurefullprotectionoftheregion’sculturalvalues,publiclands,andotherresources.
Sincerely,
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DanielTsoCouncilDelegateNavajoNation:Littlewater,PuebloPintado,Torreon,WhitehorseLake,Baca/Brewitt,CasameroLake,OjoEncino,Counselor,[email protected],DirectorDoodaDesertRockNewcomb,[email protected],DirectorSouthwestNativeCultures8205SpainRdNESuite204Albuquerque,[email protected]
MarioAtencio,ExecutiveDirectorTorreonCommunityAllianceTorreon,[email protected],CampaignCoordinator350NewMexico2426CampbellRdNWAlbuquerque,[email protected],SeniorPublicLandsCampaignerCenterforBiologicalDiversityP.O.Box710Tucson,[email protected]
Dr.CarlStern,PresidentCyberVisionNewMexicoLLC192NaranjoCreekRdLaJara,[email protected]
BruceBaizel,EnergyProgramDirectorEarthworksDurango,[email protected]
EleanorBravo,NationalCampaignManagerFood&WaterWatch1616PSt.Ste300WashingtonDC20036ebravo@fwwatch.orgJenniSiri,FounderFrackFreeFourCorners133DamonSt.Unit5Belen,[email protected],CoordinatorFrackFreeNewMexicoSantaFe,NMsobel.rebecca@gmailcomSusanGordon,CoordinatorMulticulturalAllianceforaSafeEnvironmentAlbuquerque,NM87196sgordon@swuraniumimpacts.orgMitchBuszekMoveOnNewMexicoSantaFe,[email protected],ExecutiveDirectorNewEnergyEconomy343EastAlamedaSantaFe,[email protected],FounderNewMexicoClimateAction72ESaddlebackMesaSantaFe,[email protected]
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TeresaSeamster,ChairNorthernNMGroup,SierraClub1807SecondStreet,Ste.45SantaFe,[email protected]
ElaineCimino,Co-ChairPauseonFracking907NyasaRdSEAlbuquerque,[email protected]
WilliamClark,PresidentRioArribaConcernedCitizensP.O.Box267Cebolla,[email protected]
DavidCoss,ChapterChairSierraClub-RioGrandeChapterAlbuquerque,[email protected],OrganizerWeAreOneRiverAlbuquerque,[email protected],ClimateandEnergyProgramDirectorWildEarthGuardians301GuadalupeStreet,Suite201SantaFe,[email protected]
