New Mexico considers setback requirements for oil wells near schools and day care centers
A bill to ban oil and gas production within a mile (1.6 kilometers) of schools and day care centers across New Mexico is among the first published proposals as the state Legislature prepares for a 30-day session that could bring an overhaul to fundamen...
SANTA FE, N.M. — A bill to ban oil and gas production within a mile (1.6 kilometers) of schools and day care centers across New Mexico is among the first published proposals as the state Legislature prepares for a 30-day session that could bring an overhaul to fundamental oil and gas regulations.
Regulators in the No. 2 U.S. state for oil production are considering reforms including setback requirements aimed at protecting children from pollution, amid pressure from environmental groups and other advocates to bolster pollution controls and fulfill constitutional obligations to regulate the industry.
Published Wednesday, a bill introduced by Democratic state Rep. Debra Sariñana of Albuquerque would halt approval of new drilling permits within a mile of school facilities starting in July of this year. It also would halt most oil and natural gas operations in those zones by 2028.
Democratic Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham directed the state Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department to consult with a variety of stakeholders and develop its own robust set of proposed reforms to the New Mexico Oil and Gas Act, which regulates production of the two fossil fuels.
The results of that process will include the establishment of setbacks from schools, hospitals, medical facilities, multifamily housing, single family homes and water bodies statewide.
Lujan Grisham spokesperson Maddy Hayden said in an email Wednesday that the distance of the setbacks has yet to be determined. A
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