HOUSE MEMORIAL 76

51st legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - second session, 2014

INTRODUCED BY

Patricia Roybal Caballero

A MEMORIAL

REQUESTING THE OIL CONSERVATION DIVISION OF THE ENERGY, MINERALS AND NATURAL RESOURCES DEPARTMENT TO POST CERTAIN INFORMATION RELATING TO THE OIL AND GAS INDUSTRY ON THE DIVISION'S WEB SITE.

     WHEREAS, the oil and gas industry is critical to the health of New Mexico's economy; and

     WHEREAS, with over seven hundred million barrels, New Mexico ranks fifth in the United States in oil reserves; and

     WHEREAS, each year, the state receives a substantial amount of revenue from taxes and royalties from businesses associated with the oil and gas industry; and

     WHEREAS, the strength of the oil and gas industry correlates directly to funding for the state's educational systems, roads and public facilities and to the state of the New Mexico economy; and

     WHEREAS, media reports have heightened public concern about the potential negative impact of oil and gas drilling on the environment and public health, particularly in the context of contaminated ground water; and

     WHEREAS, it is important to address that concern; and

     WHEREAS, transparency and accurate information are critical to the functioning of the political system;

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the oil conservation division of the energy, minerals and natural resources department be requested to conspicuously post the following information on the division's web site for each of the years 2008 through 2013 and each year thereafter:

          A. the number of stripper, active, temporary and inactive oil and gas wells;

          B. the number of oil conservation division oil and gas well inspectors;

          C. violations of the Oil and Gas Act, presented as follows:

                (1) a general categorization of violations and an indication of those that threaten or contaminate ground water;

                (2) in each category, the number of violations and the amount in fines collected;

                (3) in each category, a list of the oil and gas facilities fined for having committed a violation, the county in which the violation occurred, the violation date, the date that compliance was achieved and an indication of whether the violation was filed in court or settled in court; and 

                (4) the specific actions of the oil conservation division in response to each violation that threatened or contaminated ground water;

          D. the cash balance in the oil and gas reclamation fund at the beginning of each fiscal year; and

          E. the amount, purpose and type of expenditures from the oil and gas reclamation fund; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that, by November 1, 2014, the oil conservation division be requested to present this information for years 2008 through 2013, with recommendations that could help the oil conservation division's efforts to address public concerns about the impact of drilling on ground water, to the governor and to the three legislative interim committees that deal with natural resources, hazardous materials and legal issues; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be transmitted to the oil conservation division of the energy, minerals and natural resources department, the governor, the president pro tempore of the senate and the speaker of the house of representatives.