Oil and gas near schools? New Mexico groups hope to protect students from pollution - Carlsbad Current Argus

New Mexico groups call for State to block oil and gas near schools

Oil and gas near schools? New Mexico groups hope to protect students from pollution
Adrian Hedden

An oil well sits near Ocotillo Elementary School in Carlsbad, within the Permian Basin oilfield that spans across southeast New Mexico and West Texas.

It’s one of the busiest fossil fuel regions in the U.S., making New Mexico second in the nation in oil production.

Across the state in the northwest San Juan Basin gas fields, Lybrook Elementary School in Counselor also abuts extraction facilities, leading to similar concerns that students could be susceptible to air pollution resulting from the activity.

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A report from the Center for Biological Diversity estimated more than 34,000 students in the state attend school about a mile from an oil well, and 24,000 students are within a half mile as they attend classes.

That’s why the center and other environmental groups in New Mexico called on the state to enact a ban on any new oil wells within a mile of schools, and to “phase out” wells currently operating within what would be a “health buffer zone,” according to an Aug. 9 letter to Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham.

This followed a similar buffer zone established by the New Mexico State Land Office in June, applying only to wells on State Trust land near schools.

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It should be expanded to include all New Mexico lands around schools, the letter read, to better protect children from air pollution and other impacts.

“Many schools in the southeast and northwest corners of the state are enclosed by dozens and even hundreds of oil and gas wells, endangering the health of all those who attend and work at these schools, especially young people who are more vulnerable to pollution,” the letter read.

In the Permian Basin, in Eddy and Lea counties, the report said there were 35 schools with oil wells within a mile, accounting for 16,000 students.

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About 18,000 students faced similar risks in the San Juan Basin, the report read.

Along with methane and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emissions from the wells themselves, the study argued diesel emissions from equipment and vehicles associated with the facilities also exposed student to dangerous fumes.

It can increase risks of cancer, asthma, birth defects and other respiratory issues, the letter read, especially problematic for children who are still developing.

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“Given the severe health and safety risks associated with frequent exposure to oil and gas pollution, a statewide health buffer of at least a mile is required to protect New Mexicans from these harms,” read the letter.

Joe Vigil, spokesman for trade group the New Mexico Oil and Gas Association said fossil fuel companies were committed to protecting frontline communities alongside extraction operations.

“The safety and well-being of the communities in which New Mexico’s oil and gas industry operates is of utmost importance,” Vigil said in an emailed statement. “Our employees live and work in New Mexico, and many of our children attend New Mexico schools. We are committed to delivering safe operations in all locations, especially around our schools.”

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He said oil and gas operations throughout the state are subject to “strict” permitting requirements to ensure the safety of the nearby public.

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The New Mexico Environment Department last year enacted new emission control requirements tied to reporting, detection and repair of gas leaks in the oilfield, targeting VOCs that form cancer-causing, ground-level ozone.

This followed the state’s Oil Conservation Division implementing its own new rules in 2021 to require operators capture 98 percent of natural gas emissions by 2026.

Vigil said these regulations were adequate to ensure oil and gas can be extracted in New Mexico safely, while balancing environmental concerns with the state’s economic development.

“Our industry remains committed to working collaboratively with regulatory agencies, communities, and other stakeholders to address concerns, improve operational practices, enhance environmental stewardship, and protect public health and safety while providing essential energy to New Mexico,” he said.

“It is essential to consider a science-based and balanced approach that recognizes the need for safe development of natural resources alongside the well-being of our communities.”

Lujan Grisham spokesperson Caroline Sweeney pointed to increased monitoring requirements contained in the NMED rules for oil and gas facilities close to homes and other occupied areas like schools and neighborhoods, arguing that and the OCD's regulations would limit pollutants entering the atmosphere to be breathed in by the public.

"While the State Land Office is using their authority to protect communities from impacts of the oil and gas industry, the administration is using their authorities to do the same," Sweeney said. "Recognizing that there are multiple jurisdictions and regulatory authorities associated with this issue, New Mexico has the most robust community protections in support of fence line communities."

She said the governor believed existing regulations, along with enforced compliance, would ensure public safety amid oil and gas development.

"However, these protections are only as successful as a company’s commitment to comply with them," Sweeney said. "The administration is actively assuring compliance and holding polluters accountable."

But Gail Evans, an attorney with the Center for Biological Diversity said more must be done, including the proposed buffer zone.

“It’s an absolute disgrace that children in New Mexico are being poisoned by oil and gas pollution while at school,” Evans said. “Establishing health buffers around schools is a critical and necessary first step the governor must take to protect our children’s health and safety.”

Adrian Hedden can be reached at 575-628-5516, achedden@currentargus.com or @AdrianHedden on Twitter.