Moratorium on Oil and Gas Drilling Extended

July 15, 2008 - Governor Bill Richardson has extended the state moratorium on new oil and gas drilling in the Galisteo Basin and in Santa Fe County through January.

Read Full Article in the Santa Fe New Mexican: Richardson Extends Ban on Oil, Gas Drilling

Read Press Release from NM Gov. Richardson's Office: Governor Bill Richardson Extends Moratorium on New Oil and Gas Drilling in Santa Fe County and the Galisteo Basin

In Other News...

Buckman Diversion Pollution Appeal Overturned

July 10, 2008 - U.S. Department of Interior announced they have rejected the appeal filed in March by the Law Center for clients Concerned Citizens for Nuclear Safety and Amigos Bravos. The appeal was seeking to reverse approval for the project from the Bureau of Land Management, stating the agency had not adequately considered or addressed the potential water and soil contaminants from Los Alamos National Laboratory upstream from the proposed project that would draw water from the Rio Grande.

Read complete Statement of Reasons in PDF format.

Get more info on Filed Appeal on our News Page.

GRIP Wins Its Five Year Fight Against Chino Mine's Dilution Plan Proposal

June 26 , 2008 - Silver City, NM - - The Gila Resources Information Project (GRIP), represented by the Law Center, has settled their appeal of Chino Mine's proposal to dilute its contaminated waste water with clean groundwater rather than use more effective treatment technology.

Freeport-McMoRan, parent company of the Chino Mine, has agreed to use an advanced form of reverse osmosis to remove metals and sulfates from the wastewater the mine will produce for hundreds of years after mining stops. This win will save 9000 acre-feet of clean groundwater annually.

Read Press Release in PDF format