Adrian Hedden | Carlsbad Current Argus | 11/4/2020
Publicly owned land in southeast New Mexico and West Texas was to be auctioned off to the oil and gas industry by the federal Bureau of Land Management.
The BLM announced its scheduled Jan. 14, 2021 lease sale Wednesday, planning to offer 6,442 acres of public land on 33 parcels in Eddy and Lea counties in New Mexico and Wise County, Texas.
A protest period for sale was also scheduled to receive objections to the sale between Nov. 9 and Nov. 19.
Other lease sales next year were planned by the BLM for April, July and October 2021.
Revenue from production on the lands would be used to fund the U.S. Treasury directly, along with the budgets of states where production occurs, read a BLM news release.
States get 48 percent of the revenue from the sale and half of the funds generated by production, the release read, with the rest going to the U.S. Treasury.
Documentation for the sale can be found on the BLM’s website, and at the agency’s state office at 301 Dinosaur Trail in Santa Fe.
Protests may be filed at the office in person or via email to
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“The BLM is a key contributor to the Trump Administration's America-First Energy Plan, an all-of-the-above strategy that includes oil and gas, coal, strategic minerals, and renewable sources such as wind, geothermal, and solar – all of which can be produced on public lands,” read a statement from the BLM.
Records show about 720 acres or 11 percent of the land offered in the sale was in Eddy County, while 5,223 acres or 81 percent of the land was offered in Lea County.
A single, 500-acre parcel was offered in Wise County, Texas – about 8 percent of the sale.
Through an environmental analysis (EA), the BLM found “no significant impact” on the environment surrounding the lands being offered for oil and gas development.
The BLM estimated the leases in Eddy and Lea counties would result in 32 horizontal wells and 144 acres of surface disturbance and about 5.4 million barrels of oil produced along with about 31.3 billion cubic feet of natural gas.
The EA noted that “extensive” oil and gas development already exists in the area contributing to its local economy.
“Within these counties, as well as the area immediately surrounding the nominated lease parcels, there already exists extensive oil and gas development and production,” read the report. “Oil and gas development and its attendant industry are identifying components of the economic and social fabric of the region.
“Leasing for oil and gas, and subsequent exploration and development, is a regular and ongoing activity in the region.”
Will oil and gas leasing contribute to climate change?
Environmental groups recently sought to block any new oil and gas leasing of public land in southeastern New Mexico, as the region grappled with some of the highest ozone levels in the state.
The federal National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) of 70 parts per billion (ppb) was exceeded based on state air monitoring in the Carlsbad area with a level of 79 ppb – the highest in the state.
Thirteen areas throughout the state were reportedly above or within 95 percent of the NAAQS, which triggered actions by the New Mexico Environment Department (NMED) to reduce ozone levels and avoid being deemed a “non-attainment zone” by the Environmental Protection Agency which could trigger added federal restrictions on land uses such as oil and gas that could contribute to air pollution.
But the EPA had yet to officially deem the Carlsbad area or others as “non-attainment.”
The federal designations were required under the Clean Air Act, and involve data evaluation from air quality monitors, modeling results and other technical information.
Areas are classified as marginal, moderate, serious, severe or extreme.
Sources that are not within the state’s control such as blow over from other states or bordering countries are considered, said Maddy Hayden, NMED public information officer.
Status is determined by three-year averages calculated using ozone levels from the three most recent consecutive years of monitoring.
NMED contracted with the Western States Air Resources Council and Ramboll US Corporation to conduct a petrochemical modeling study for the state Ozone Attainment Initiative.
The study was intended to identify sources of heightened ozone levels, focusing on oil and gas regions in the southeast and northwest corners of the state.
In September testimony before New Mexico’s Environmental Improvement Board, attorney for WildEarth Guardians Daniel Timmons said NMED’s continued issuance of oil and gas permits was a major threat to air quality in New Mexico. “At core, there’s no dispute that ozone pollution is a serious problem and public health threat in southeastern New Mexico, and the Department’s continued issuance of new permits and registrations is making this problem worse,” Timmons said.