Environmentalists Fracking Disappointed

Capitol Report New Mexico - The lady with the hand-puppet left disappointed. During a break in the hearing of the Oil Conservation Commission on Thursday (Nov. 17), an environmental activist approached the members of the commission who were about to vote on adopting rules requiring oil and natural gas producers in New Mexico to disclose what fluids they use during hydraulic fracturing operations. “Do the right thing,” the woman said to the members while the puppet that looked like Lamb Chop flapped its mouth in a style reminiscent of Shari Lewis. (If you’re under the age of 50 and have no idea who the hell Shari Lewis or Lamb Chop were, click here.) A few minutes later, the commission members did do something — but they didn’t go far enough for the environmentalists who sat through the day-long session. All three commissioners adopted a disclosure rule requiring the industry to file with the state’s Oil Conservation Division (OCD) if an operator drills a well using hydraulic fracturing and mandating they file a form within 45 days of the completion of the well listing what fluids were used. Hydraulic fracturing, often called “fracking,” is a frequently-used procedure to extract oil and natural gas from below the earth’s surface. In recent years the practice has come under harsh criticism from environmentalists who say the procedure can contaminate groundwater and potentially lead to other ecological damage. Read full story here: News New Mexico

Environmentalists Fracking Disappointed