44th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - second session, 2000

OPPOSING THE WITHDRAWAL OF BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT LANDS TO MINERAL ENTRY IN EDDY COUNTY WITHOUT COMPENSATION TO THE STATE, EDDY COUNTY AND NEW MEXICO SCHOOLS.

WHEREAS, the bureau of land management has initiated the withdrawal of approximately eight thousand four hundred seventy acres of federal surface and minerals and four hundred eighty acres of federal minerals underlying private surface in Eddy county, New Mexico; and

WHEREAS, in addition to the federal lands and minerals, approximately eight thousand two hundred acres of New Mexico state lands and mineral estate will become subject to withdrawal if they are acquired by the federal government; and

WHEREAS, the withdrawal of mineral production has both a direct and indirect impact on the economies of Eddy county and the state; and

WHEREAS, New Mexico depends on federal- and state-owned mineral wealth to directly fund a significant portion of the statewide public school funding formula, and both the state and Eddy county depend on gross receipts and other tax revenue from mineral production; and

WHEREAS, in addition to these direct losses, the state and Eddy county will also lose the multiplier effect of mineral production, which could significantly impair economic growth potential in the southeast region of the state; and

WHEREAS, because of the slump in oil and gas production over the last couple of years, the state's revenues have not been able to keep up with its needs, particularly in public school funding, and the potential loss of federal and state royalties will exacerbate the state's lackluster revenue growth;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that it oppose the contemplated withdrawals unless they are conditioned upon adequate compensation to the state, affected local governments and public schools through either direct payments or an acre-for-acre exchange of mineral-bearing lands; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the commissioner of public lands not finalize any negotiations for land trades or sales in Eddy county until the federal government agrees to compensate the state, local governments and public schools for the loss of mineral production or agrees to provide mineral- producing land; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be transmitted to the commissioner of public lands, the secretary of the interior, the director of the bureau of land management and the New Mexico congressional delegation.