SENATE MEMORIAL 88

53rd legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2017

INTRODUCED BY

Bill Tallman

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 WEBSITE.

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

     WHEREAS, New Mexico ranks fifth in the United States in oil reserves and seventh in gas 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 New Mexico's economy; and

     WHEREAS, while maximizing the benefits of the oil and gas industry, it is in the public interest to protect New Mexico's environment, including its vital ground water resources; and

     WHEREAS, it is important to provide the public with comprehensive information regarding the oil and gas industry; and

     WHEREAS, transparency and accurate information are critical to the functioning of New Mexico's political system;

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the oil conservation division of the energy, minerals and natural resources department be requested to post the following information on the division's website in an easily accessible manner for each of the years 2008 through 2016 and each year thereafter:

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

          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 of 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;

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

          F. the volumes of natural gas leaked, vented and flared per well, including well identification number, operator name and mineral ownership, as well as a list of the top twenty-five operators venting and the top twenty-five operators flaring; and

          G. all final gas capture plans submitted to the oil conservation division by oil and gas operators; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the oil conservation division of the energy, minerals and natural resources department be requested to present this information, by November 1, 2017, for years 2008 through 2016, with recommendations on what could help the division address public concerns about the impact of drilling on ground water, to the governor and to the appropriate legislative interim committees; 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.

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