HOUSE MEMORIAL 84

51st legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2013

INTRODUCED BY

Brian F. Egolf

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 a critical industry for the state of New Mexico; and

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

     WHEREAS, the state receives significant taxes, royalties and revenues from the oil and gas industry each year; and

     WHEREAS, a strong and thriving oil and gas industry in New Mexico helps to fund the state's educational systems, roads, public facilities and economy; and

     WHEREAS, various media reports have raised concerns about the potential negative impact of oil and gas drilling on the environment and public health and have elevated public concern; and

     WHEREAS, it is important to address any public fears regarding the negative impact of the oil and gas industry on the environment, particularly ground water; and

     WHEREAS, transparency and accurate information is critical to the functioning of our democratic 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 post the following information on the division's web site in an easy to find and user-friendly format for each of the years 2008 through 2012 and annually for each year thereafter:

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

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

          C. information on violations under the Oil and Gas Act, including:

                (1) a general categorization of violations, including categories for violations that threaten or contaminate ground water;

                (2) the number of violations and amount of penalties collected for each category;

                (3) a listing of the oil and gas facilities that received violations for each category, the county in which the violation occurred, the date of the violation, the date compliance was achieved, whether the violation was filed in court and whether the violation was settled in court; and 

                (4) the specific actions taken by the oil conservation division for 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, 2013, the oil conservation division present the information for years 2008 through 2012, 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 appropriate 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.

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