From jodonnell at vallevidal.org Thu Feb 9 12:21:12 2006 From: jodonnell at vallevidal.org (Jim O'Donnell) Date: Thu Feb 9 12:27:10 2006 Subject: [Coalition_for_valle_vidal] BLM Sign Agreement with El Paso on Valle Vidal Gas Message-ID: <52132b2dc7082d77d37981d490b80ef5@vallevidal.org> > All, The article below lends further credence to our assertion that the bureaucratic process currently under way regarding the Valle Vidal is, to say the least, rigged against the people of northern New Mexico. Despite the public outcry in favor of protecting the Valle Vidal, the BLM has gone behind our backs and signed an agreement with the El Paso Corporation without public notice or public comment. Whose calling the shots here? Even if this action is legal, and that is questionable at this point, it is unethical given the concerns about drilling in the Valle Vidal. This action lends further urgency to our need to permanently protect the Valle Vidal through the legislation proposed by Rep. Udall and Sen. Bingaman. Jim > Thursday, February 9, 2006 > Deal Allows Gas Wells Near Valle Vidal > By John Arnold > Journal Staff Writer > The federal government has signed royalty > agreements with a Texas-based energy company that will > allow 25 natural gas wells to be drilled near the > northeast border of the Valle Vidal. > The wells would be placed on the privately owned > Vermejo Park Ranch, but would be close enough to the > Valle Vidal border to drain natural gas from beneath > the federal land. > The Bureau of Land Management signed agreements > with El Paso Corporation that will allow the federal > and state governments to collect royalties for the > government's share of the gas, BLM officials said > Wednesday. > Media mogul Ted Turner owns Vermejo Park Ranch, > but El Paso owns the mineral rights beneath it. > "El Paso has the right to develop its private > minerals," BLM state director Linda Rundell said in a > written statement. "The agreements will ensure that > the federal and state governments are fairly > compensated for the natural gas that is drained from > the federal portion of each spacing unit." > But the agreements don't sit well with > conservationists fiercely opposed to energy > development in the Valle Vidal, 100,000 acres of > Carson National Forest land that some call "the > Yellowstone of New Mexico." > The BLM "went behind the public's back" in signing > the agreements, said Jim O'Donnell, coordinator for > the Coalition for the Valle Vidal. > Even though the wells will be located on private > land, O'Donnell said the royalty agreements should > have been open to public review, because some of the > gas that will be extracted will come from public land. > > "Given the public outcry in favor of protecting > the Valle Vidal, why was there no public notice of > this, no public input?" O'Donnell said. > The state allows four gas wells per square mile on > Vermejo Park Ranch, and El Paso officials say well > sites are designed and constructed to minimize > environmental impacts. > If developed, all but three of the 25 sites > involved in the recent royalty agreements would be > located more than 330 feet from the Valle Vidal > border, according to BLM spokesman Hans Stuart. > For gas drained from beneath Forest Service land, > the federal government would collect a 12.5 percent > royalty, half of which would go to the state. > El Paso Corporation, which operates more than 520 > coal bed methane wells at Vermejo Park, has asked the > Forest Service to consider opening the eastern 40,000 > acres of the Valle Vidal to drilling. The request is > under review, and El Paso officials say it's uncertain > whether they would bid on gas leases in the Valle > Vidal, even if the federal government allows it. > But O'Donnell fears that the recent agreements > between El Paso and BLM might be used down the road to > justify drilling in the Valle Vidal. > "We're going to be looking at the legalities of > this agreement over the next couple of days," > O'Donnell said. "This is really questionable." > > All content copyright ? ABQJournal.com and Albuquerque > Journal > 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 From jodonnell at vallevidal.org Thu Feb 9 16:15:24 2006 From: jodonnell at vallevidal.org (Jim O'Donnell) Date: Thu Feb 9 23:10:36 2006 Subject: [Coalition_for_valle_vidal] ACTION: Send a letter to Rep. Wilson Today! Message-ID: Valle Vidal Supporters, Yesterday, the Bureau of Land Management announced a compensatory royalty agreement with the El Paso Exploration and Production Company of Houston, Texas for the gas under the Valle Vidal. For more information, please see the article at the bottom of this email. From the perspective of the Coalition, this is a dangerous development. Even if these agreements are legal, they are highly unethical given the overwhelming public concern for the Valle Vidal. We are deeply troubled that the public's resources were sold to El Paso without public notice or public input. These agreements are consistent with the 'behind closed doors' nature of this entire process. Further, this brings development right to the door of the Valle Vidal. The barbarians are at the gate. TAKE ACTION Please use this opportunity to again press Rep. Heather Wilson (R) to support and co-sponsor Rep. Tom Udall's Valle Vidal Protection Act. TALKING POINTS * El Paso's agreement with BLM sets the stage for extending its ever-spreading network of roads, pipelines, and well sites into the heart of the Valle Vidal. El Paso is playing coy by suggesting that it might not bid on a lease for the Valle Vidal. * The fact that these agreements were made without public notice and without public input is further evidence that the deck is stacked against the people of northern New Mexico and against protection for the Valle Vidal. The bureaucratic process is corrupt and not to be trusted. The only way to assure that the public is heard is by passing the Valle Vidal Protection Act. * In the last year, over 60,000 people have voiced their desire to see the Valle Vidal permanently protected from oil and gas development by Congressional legislation. Six municipalities, three Chambers of Commerce and two County Commissions have passed resolutions opposing drilling. More resolutions are on the way. These are the public?s lands, not the Administration?s private fiefdom. * New Mexicans and Americans of all stripes have spoken and our Congressional representatives need to listen to us: No amount of oil or gas development is acceptable in the Valle Vidal. This treasured hunting, fishing recreational and agricultural area is too unique to simply minimize the damage that gas development entails. Pass the Valle Vidal Protection Act now! CONTACT INFORMATION Fax your letters to: Representative Heather Wilson 505-346-6723 fax or mail them to: Rep. Heather Wilson 20 First Plaza NW Suite 603 Albuquerque, NM 87102 Also, send copies of your letters to: The Albuquerque Journal 7777 Jefferson NE ABQ, NM 87109-4343 opinions@abqjournal.com 505-823-3837 fax Senator Pete Domenici 328 Hart Senate Office Building Washington, DC 20510 202-224-6621, 202-228-0900 fax Representative Steve Pearce Republican / 2nd District 1408 Longworth House Office Building Washington, DC 20515 202-225-2365 Senator Jeff Bingaman 703 Hart Senate Office Building Washington, DC 20510 202-224-5521, 202-224-2852 fax Representative Tom Udall Democrat / 3rd District 1414 Longworth Bldg Washington, DC 20515 202-225-6190, 202-226-1331 fax URL: http://www.abqjournal.com/north/431823north_news02-09-06.htm Albuquerque Journal Thursday, February 9, 2006 Deal Allows Gas Wells Near Valle Vidal By John Arnold Journal Staff Writer ??? The federal government has signed royalty agreements with a Texas-based energy company that will allow 25 natural gas wells to be drilled near the northeast border of the Valle Vidal. ??? The wells would be placed on the privately owned Vermejo Park Ranch, but would be close enough to the Valle Vidal border to drain natural gas from beneath the federal land. ??? The Bureau of Land Management signed agreements with El Paso Corporation that will allow the federal and state governments to collect royalties for the government's share of the gas, BLM officials said Wednesday. ??? Media mogul Ted Turner owns Vermejo Park Ranch, but El Paso owns the mineral rights beneath it. ??? "El Paso has the right to develop its private minerals," BLM state director Linda Rundell said in a written statement. "The agreements will ensure that the federal and state governments are fairly compensated for the natural gas that is drained from the federal portion of each spacing unit." ??? But the agreements don't sit well with conservationists fiercely opposed to energy development in the Valle Vidal, 100,000 acres of Carson National Forest land that some call "the Yellowstone of New Mexico." ??? The BLM "went behind the public's back" in signing the agreements, said Jim O'Donnell, coordinator for the Coalition for the Valle Vidal. ??? Even though the wells will be located on private land, O'Donnell said the royalty agreements should have been open to public review, because some of the gas that will be extracted will come from public land. ??? "Given the public outcry in favor of protecting the Valle Vidal, why was there no public notice of this, no public input?" O'Donnell said. ??? The state allows four gas wells per square mile on Vermejo Park Ranch, and El Paso officials say well sites are designed and constructed to minimize environmental impacts. ??? If developed, all but three of the 25 sites involved in the recent royalty agreements would be located more than 330 feet from the Valle Vidal border, according to BLM spokesman Hans Stuart. ??? For gas drained from beneath Forest Service land, the federal government would collect a 12.5 percent royalty, half of which would go to the state. ??? El Paso Corporation, which operates more than 520 coal bed methane wells at Vermejo Park, has asked the Forest Service to consider opening the eastern 40,000 acres of the Valle Vidal to drilling. The request is under review, and El Paso officials say it's uncertain whether they would bid on gas leases in the Valle Vidal, even if the federal government allows it. ??? But O'Donnell fears that the recent agreements between El Paso and BLM might be used down the road to justify drilling in the Valle Vidal. ??? "We're going to be looking at the legalities of this agreement over the next couple of days," O'Donnell said. "This is really questionable." ? 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 From jodonnell at vallevidal.org Thu Feb 9 12:21:12 2006 From: jodonnell at vallevidal.org (Jim O'Donnell) Date: Thu, 9 Feb 2006 10:21:12 -0700 Subject: [Coalition_for_valle_vidal] BLM Sign Agreement with El Paso on Valle Vidal Gas Message-ID: <52132b2dc7082d77d37981d490b80ef5@vallevidal.org> > All, The article below lends further credence to our assertion that the bureaucratic process currently under way regarding the Valle Vidal is, to say the least, rigged against the people of northern New Mexico. Despite the public outcry in favor of protecting the Valle Vidal, the BLM has gone behind our backs and signed an agreement with the El Paso Corporation without public notice or public comment. Whose calling the shots here? Even if this action is legal, and that is questionable at this point, it is unethical given the concerns about drilling in the Valle Vidal. This action lends further urgency to our need to permanently protect the Valle Vidal through the legislation proposed by Rep. Udall and Sen. Bingaman. Jim > Thursday, February 9, 2006 > Deal Allows Gas Wells Near Valle Vidal > By John Arnold > Journal Staff Writer > The federal government has signed royalty > agreements with a Texas-based energy company that will > allow 25 natural gas wells to be drilled near the > northeast border of the Valle Vidal. > The wells would be placed on the privately owned > Vermejo Park Ranch, but would be close enough to the > Valle Vidal border to drain natural gas from beneath > the federal land. > The Bureau of Land Management signed agreements > with El Paso Corporation that will allow the federal > and state governments to collect royalties for the > government's share of the gas, BLM officials said > Wednesday. > Media mogul Ted Turner owns Vermejo Park Ranch, > but El Paso owns the mineral rights beneath it. > "El Paso has the right to develop its private > minerals," BLM state director Linda Rundell said in a > written statement. "The agreements will ensure that > the federal and state governments are fairly > compensated for the natural gas that is drained from > the federal portion of each spacing unit." > But the agreements don't sit well with > conservationists fiercely opposed to energy > development in the Valle Vidal, 100,000 acres of > Carson National Forest land that some call "the > Yellowstone of New Mexico." > The BLM "went behind the public's back" in signing > the agreements, said Jim O'Donnell, coordinator for > the Coalition for the Valle Vidal. > Even though the wells will be located on private > land, O'Donnell said the royalty agreements should > have been open to public review, because some of the > gas that will be extracted will come from public land. > > "Given the public outcry in favor of protecting > the Valle Vidal, why was there no public notice of > this, no public input?" O'Donnell said. > The state allows four gas wells per square mile on > Vermejo Park Ranch, and El Paso officials say well > sites are designed and constructed to minimize > environmental impacts. > If developed, all but three of the 25 sites > involved in the recent royalty agreements would be > located more than 330 feet from the Valle Vidal > border, according to BLM spokesman Hans Stuart. > For gas drained from beneath Forest Service land, > the federal government would collect a 12.5 percent > royalty, half of which would go to the state. > El Paso Corporation, which operates more than 520 > coal bed methane wells at Vermejo Park, has asked the > Forest Service to consider opening the eastern 40,000 > acres of the Valle Vidal to drilling. The request is > under review, and El Paso officials say it's uncertain > whether they would bid on gas leases in the Valle > Vidal, even if the federal government allows it. > But O'Donnell fears that the recent agreements > between El Paso and BLM might be used down the road to > justify drilling in the Valle Vidal. > "We're going to be looking at the legalities of > this agreement over the next couple of days," > O'Donnell said. "This is really questionable." > > All content copyright ? ABQJournal.com and Albuquerque > Journal > 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 From jodonnell at vallevidal.org Thu Feb 9 16:15:24 2006 From: jodonnell at vallevidal.org (Jim O'Donnell) Date: Thu, 9 Feb 2006 14:15:24 -0700 Subject: [Coalition_for_valle_vidal] ACTION: Send a letter to Rep. Wilson Today! Message-ID: Valle Vidal Supporters, Yesterday, the Bureau of Land Management announced a compensatory royalty agreement with the El Paso Exploration and Production Company of Houston, Texas for the gas under the Valle Vidal. For more information, please see the article at the bottom of this email. From the perspective of the Coalition, this is a dangerous development. Even if these agreements are legal, they are highly unethical given the overwhelming public concern for the Valle Vidal. We are deeply troubled that the public's resources were sold to El Paso without public notice or public input. These agreements are consistent with the 'behind closed doors' nature of this entire process. Further, this brings development right to the door of the Valle Vidal. The barbarians are at the gate. TAKE ACTION Please use this opportunity to again press Rep. Heather Wilson (R) to support and co-sponsor Rep. Tom Udall's Valle Vidal Protection Act. TALKING POINTS * El Paso's agreement with BLM sets the stage for extending its ever-spreading network of roads, pipelines, and well sites into the heart of the Valle Vidal. El Paso is playing coy by suggesting that it might not bid on a lease for the Valle Vidal. * The fact that these agreements were made without public notice and without public input is further evidence that the deck is stacked against the people of northern New Mexico and against protection for the Valle Vidal. The bureaucratic process is corrupt and not to be trusted. The only way to assure that the public is heard is by passing the Valle Vidal Protection Act. * In the last year, over 60,000 people have voiced their desire to see the Valle Vidal permanently protected from oil and gas development by Congressional legislation. Six municipalities, three Chambers of Commerce and two County Commissions have passed resolutions opposing drilling. More resolutions are on the way. These are the public?s lands, not the Administration?s private fiefdom. * New Mexicans and Americans of all stripes have spoken and our Congressional representatives need to listen to us: No amount of oil or gas development is acceptable in the Valle Vidal. This treasured hunting, fishing recreational and agricultural area is too unique to simply minimize the damage that gas development entails. Pass the Valle Vidal Protection Act now! CONTACT INFORMATION Fax your letters to: Representative Heather Wilson 505-346-6723 fax or mail them to: Rep. Heather Wilson 20 First Plaza NW Suite 603 Albuquerque, NM 87102 Also, send copies of your letters to: The Albuquerque Journal 7777 Jefferson NE ABQ, NM 87109-4343 opinions at abqjournal.com 505-823-3837 fax Senator Pete Domenici 328 Hart Senate Office Building Washington, DC 20510 202-224-6621, 202-228-0900 fax Representative Steve Pearce Republican / 2nd District 1408 Longworth House Office Building Washington, DC 20515 202-225-2365 Senator Jeff Bingaman 703 Hart Senate Office Building Washington, DC 20510 202-224-5521, 202-224-2852 fax Representative Tom Udall Democrat / 3rd District 1414 Longworth Bldg Washington, DC 20515 202-225-6190, 202-226-1331 fax URL: http://www.abqjournal.com/north/431823north_news02-09-06.htm Albuquerque Journal Thursday, February 9, 2006 Deal Allows Gas Wells Near Valle Vidal By John Arnold Journal Staff Writer ??? The federal government has signed royalty agreements with a Texas-based energy company that will allow 25 natural gas wells to be drilled near the northeast border of the Valle Vidal. ??? The wells would be placed on the privately owned Vermejo Park Ranch, but would be close enough to the Valle Vidal border to drain natural gas from beneath the federal land. ??? The Bureau of Land Management signed agreements with El Paso Corporation that will allow the federal and state governments to collect royalties for the government's share of the gas, BLM officials said Wednesday. ??? Media mogul Ted Turner owns Vermejo Park Ranch, but El Paso owns the mineral rights beneath it. ??? "El Paso has the right to develop its private minerals," BLM state director Linda Rundell said in a written statement. "The agreements will ensure that the federal and state governments are fairly compensated for the natural gas that is drained from the federal portion of each spacing unit." ??? But the agreements don't sit well with conservationists fiercely opposed to energy development in the Valle Vidal, 100,000 acres of Carson National Forest land that some call "the Yellowstone of New Mexico." ??? The BLM "went behind the public's back" in signing the agreements, said Jim O'Donnell, coordinator for the Coalition for the Valle Vidal. ??? Even though the wells will be located on private land, O'Donnell said the royalty agreements should have been open to public review, because some of the gas that will be extracted will come from public land. ??? "Given the public outcry in favor of protecting the Valle Vidal, why was there no public notice of this, no public input?" O'Donnell said. ??? The state allows four gas wells per square mile on Vermejo Park Ranch, and El Paso officials say well sites are designed and constructed to minimize environmental impacts. ??? If developed, all but three of the 25 sites involved in the recent royalty agreements would be located more than 330 feet from the Valle Vidal border, according to BLM spokesman Hans Stuart. ??? For gas drained from beneath Forest Service land, the federal government would collect a 12.5 percent royalty, half of which would go to the state. ??? El Paso Corporation, which operates more than 520 coal bed methane wells at Vermejo Park, has asked the Forest Service to consider opening the eastern 40,000 acres of the Valle Vidal to drilling. The request is under review, and El Paso officials say it's uncertain whether they would bid on gas leases in the Valle Vidal, even if the federal government allows it. ??? But O'Donnell fears that the recent agreements between El Paso and BLM might be used down the road to justify drilling in the Valle Vidal. ??? "We're going to be looking at the legalities of this agreement over the next couple of days," O'Donnell said. "This is really questionable." ? 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