[Coalition_for_valle_vidal] Letters to the Editor needed on ABQ Tribune Article

[Jim O'Donnell]

Valle Vidal supporters,

Today, a very good article on the Valle Vidal appeared in the  
Albuquerque Tribune.  The link is here:   
http://www.abqtrib.com/albq/nw_state/article/ 
0,2564,ALBQ_19863_4182899,00.html

In the article, representatives of the oil and gas association and  
employees of the El Paso corporation made several assertions that oil  
and gas development is compatible with the values that we hold for the  
Valle Vidal.

Please write a Letter to the Editor of the Albuquerque Tribune thanking  
them for a good article and  refuting the points made by the industry  
representatives.

Suggested Talking Points:

  - oil and gas development is NOT compatible with the values New  
Mexicans hold for the Valle Vidal.  None of us are fooled by the "paint  
the wells green" propaganda.  Does El Paso think that we are stupid?

  - The drilling on Vermejo Park is exactly why we DO NOT want to see  
the Valle Vidal drilled.  If that's the best they can do, we will have  
none of it.

- the El Paso Corporation of Houston, Texas is $23 Billion in debt and  
has been implicated in the California energy crisis.  Should the  
economy, culture and natural beauty of Northern New Mexico be  
sacrificed to bail a giant Texas company out of debt?

- Over the past 18 months, nearly 65,000 Americans have written to the  
United States Forest Service asking that the Valle Vidal be permanently  
protected from oil and gas development.  Seven local elected  
governments and a number of Chambers of Commerce have passed  
resolutions asking that the Valle Vidal be permanently protected from  
oil and gas development.  Over 200 area businesses have likewise asked  
for permanent protection.  Do two and a half days worth of gas outweigh  
the economic and social needs of the people of Northern New Mexico?

  - We need forward-thinking policies that protect our best places and  
our pocketbooks. Investing in energy conservation, energy efficiency,  
and renewable energy are all more cost effective solutions than  
drilling marginal wells in the Valle Vidal.

  - Rep. Udall and Senator Bingaman should be loudly applauded for  
standing up for New Mexicans on this issue by introducing Valle Vidal  
protection legislation into Congress.  Rep. Wilson and Sen. Domenici  
should move quickly to support that legislation.

- The Valle Vidal deserves permanent protection.

Send your letters to:

Letters to the Editor
Albuquerque Tribune
PO Drawer T
ABQ, NM 87103
fax: 505-823-3689
email: letters at abqtrib.com

thank you for your support.

Jim O'Donnell
Outreach Coordinator, Coalition for the Valle Vidal
www.vallevidal.org
PO Box 238
Taos, NM 87571
505-758-3874

Are you a member of the Coalition for the Valle Vidal?  Would you like  
to support our efforts?  Join or contribute today at:  
http://www.vallevidal.org/involved.html