Dear Director Barr,

An intensively industrial form of fossil fuel development, horizontal drilling and

hydraulic fracturing (together fracking) has besieged the Greater Chaco region with
truck traffic, oil tanks, pipelines, flares, and fracking equipmentputting communities,
culture, and climate at risk. Much of this fracking is the result of more than 250 permits
to drill issued by your office, without any plan for development and without adequate
review. Such approvals must cease immediately.
The Greater Chaco region is one of Americas most important landscapes because of its
unique environmental and cultural setting. It is home to ancestral and contemporary
Native American tribes, including Navajo, or Din (translated as the people), that rely
on the land both to sustain their livelihoods and for traditional ceremonial practices. Until
recently, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) had dismissed fracking development as
economically and technically infeasible, admitting it has never before fully analyzed the
impacts of shale oil development in the Greater Chaco region.
In 2013, the BLM published a notice of its intent to amend the 2003 Farmington Field
Office Resource Management Plan (RMP) to address the impacts of fracking in the
Mancos Shale. More recently, BLM Director Neil Kornze admitted this process might
take an additional three to four years to complete. Yet, despite not having a completed
plan, BLM Farmington Field Office continues to permit full-field development of the
Mancos Shale by approving hundreds of individual drilling permits without full
environmental review. Between January 1, 2014 and March 13, 2015, BLM approved at
least 265 APDs targeting the Mancos Shale.
Development of Mancos Shale oil in Greater Chaco puts the health and well being of
citizens, especially the Din, at significant risk. Hydraulic fracturing uses chemicals
known to cause long-term harm to organs and body systems, including impacts to skin,
eyes, sensory organs, the respiratory system, the gastrointestinal system, and the liver.
Moreover, oil and gas operations result in elevated concentrations of health-damaging air
pollutants such as volatile organic compounds (VOCs), aromatic hydrocarbons,
particulate matter, and ground-level ozone. Fracking also results in elevated risk of water
contamination with a significant potential to lead to adverse health outcomes.
These risks have already been actualized. According to expert testimony in federal court,
fracking impacts related to BLM leasing approvals will be substantially greater than
estimated in BLMs 2003 RMP/EIS. Unstudied impacts just from permit approvals thus
far include surface impacts to 1,253 acres; increased air pollutant emissions between
242% and 333%; 4,820 days of flaring or venting nitrogen and natural gas; incremental
VOC and hazardous air pollutants emissions of 2,836 tons per year and 284 tons per year
respectively; use of 241 million gallons of freshwater; production facility impacts
involving several thousand more tanks and compressors largely built on public land;
habitat fragmentation and loss of up to 31 times the area of physical disturbance (38,843
acres); and, truck traffic of 2,300 round trips per well or an astonishing 554,300 total
round trips. BLM has never analyzed the direct, indirect, or cumulative impacts of this
development, nor allowed for public input in such analysis.

In the meantime, local community members are already suffering fracking-related

impacts, including, for example, degradation of their use and enjoyment of Chaco Culture
National Historical Park, the surrounding areas and cultural sites and resources; impacts
to air quality and water quality; disturbance from flaring; impacts to the visual landscape
and night skies; a reduction in solitude and quiet; impacts to the grazing of sheep and
cattle; increased noise; increases in traffic; increases in violent crime; and decreased
opportunities for spiritual experiences associated with the natural landscape and the
holding of traditional cultural and ceremonial practices. Much of this environmental and
social harm is irreparable.
Nonetheless, the BLM has leased thousands of acres and approved more than two
hundred and sixty wells and associated infrastructure to drill into and frack in Greater
Chaco. And recently, BLM began the process of approval for the proposed 134-mile
Pion oil pipeline, with a capacity to carry five times the volume of the areas current
production. Almost unbelievably, fracking is now taking place across the road from
Lybrook Elementary School. BLM is rubber-stamping fracking development despite
inadequate consultation with the public in general and with Navajo Chapter Houses in
particular.
Once informed and given opportunity to participate, citizens have responded in force.
The Pipelines scoping period drew over 250 concerned citizens at public meetings and
over 30,000 public comments. Petitions supporting a moratorium on Greater Chaco
fracking have drawn over 200,000 signatures. Recently, Senators Udall and Heinrich and
Congressman Lujn called on Interior Secretary Jewell to send high-level representatives
to the Greater Chaco region to hear about the many problems fracking is causing here.
Senator Udall further secured a commitment from Director Kornze that this area will
receive his attention and will be protected from the ravages of fracking.
We, the undersigned, renew our call for an immediate moratorium on all permitting of
drilling, leasing of further lands for drilling, and approval of related infrastructure,
including the Pion Pipeline, until the BLM completes its study of impacts related to
fracking in the Greater Chaco region and such development has received approval in the
pending RMP. Further, given the three to four years of study identified by Director
Kornze as still remaining before RMP approval, we demand an assurance that RMP
review will include: 1) a comprehensive study of the impacts of oil and gas development
on community health, the environment, and cultural resources, and 2) a study of the
economics of an alternative energy development scenario that includes a just transition to
a clean energy future for the Greater Chaco region.
Signed:
Caretakers of Land, Elders, Children
(CLEC) Allotment Landowners

Counselor Chapter

Dooda (NO) Desert Rock

Din Citizens Against Ruining the

Environment

Ojo Encino Chapter

Southwest Indigenous Uranium Forum

Dooda Fracking
Four Corners Idle No More

Torreon Chapter

United Native Americans
Amigos Bravos
Center for Biological Diversity
Chaco Alliance

The Global Warming Express

Earth Care
Earthworks
Frack Free New Mexico
Food and Water Watch
New Mexico Interfaith Power and
Light
New Mexico MoveOn.org
New Energy Economy
Natural Resources Defense Council
Positive Energy Solar

Rainforest Action Network
Rio Arriba Concerned Citizens
Rio Grande Chapter of Sierra Club
Rogoff Dental Group

San Juan Citizens Alliance
Western Environmental Law Center
WildEarth Guardians
Women Donors Network

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

June 1, 2015
Joint Letter Attached
All contacts available onsite and by mobile phone:
Rebecca Sobel, WildEarth Guardians: (267) 402-0724
Tim Ream, WildEarth Guardians: (541) 531-8541
Daniel Tso, Navajo Allottee: (505) 419-4343

Navajo and Environmental Groups Take the Greater Chaco

Fracking Fight to BLMs Farmington Office
Bureau of Land Management still approving fracking leases without a plan
Farmington, NM--A coalition of community groups are calling for an immediate
end to all fracking activities in Northwest New Mexicos Greater Chaco area.
Local community members will attempt to hand deliver a letter calling for the
moratorium to Bureau of Land Management (BLM) District Director Victoria Barr
at her office in Farmington. Delivery of the letter and a rally outside BLM offices,
6251 College Blvd. Farmington, will occur on Monday, June 1 from noon to 1 pm.
On May 11, 2015, several groups, representing members from throughout the
area and beyond, filed in federal court a request for a preliminary injunction on all
Farmington BLM fracking activities. Since January 1, 2014, BLM has approved
265 permits to frack in the Mancos shale. Local community members are
watching these permits develop into fracking pads almost weekly. Ninety-one
wells have already been drilled, fracked, and flared. BLM has not, however,
conducted necessary environmental review of this industrial development and
has no comprehensive plan for fracking the Mancos shale.
This used to be a very quiet area, said Daniel Tso, community member and
former Council Delegate from Torreon Chapter of Navajo Nation. But the effects
of this new fracking boom are now being felt. Snarled truck traffic, damaged
roads, flares, and especially the loud sounds and foul smells of this development
are now pervading our community. Fracking uses chemicals known to cause
long-term harm to organs and body systems, including impacts to skin, eyes,
sensory organs, the respiratory system, the gastrointestinal system, and the liver.
One of the more recent fracking wells in the region is within a third of a mile from
Lybrook Elementary School.

Tso continued, The Greater Chaco area may be a checkerboard of ownership,

but Big Oil companies and BLM are playing by rules they make up along the
way.
The Greater Chaco region is one of Americas most important landscapes
because of its unique environmental and cultural setting. It is home to ancestral
and contemporary Native American tribes, including the Navajo, or Din, that rely
on the land both to sustain their livelihoods and for traditional ceremonial
practices. While the ancient Chacoan sites within Chaco Culture National
Historical Park remain protected, there are hundreds of Great Houses and
hundreds of miles of ancient ceremonial roads outside of the Parks boundaries
that remain unstudied and without protection.
Fracking has to stop in Greater Chaco! BLM has this whole region on a reckless
roller coaster aimed for disaster, said Rebecca Sobel, community organizer for
WildEarth Guardians. Its time BLM stops rubber-stamping permits to drill and
starts planning to protect these communities, their traditional culture, and our
climate.
Senator Udall has called for BLM officials to get out from behind their
Washington desks and come here to see the mess that is being made, said Tim
Ream, climate and energy campaign director for WildEarth Guardians. Its
shameful. BLM is running roughshod over native communities and 1000 years of
culture and history, and they dont even have a legal plan in place to do it.
The groups, led by Navajo elders, joined together this past weekend at Chaco
Cultural National Historical Park to share stories of Chacos past, the current
situation with fracking, and hopes for the near future.
###

Bureau of Land Management Statement:

We appreciate the interest in BLM-managed public lands. We do not comment on
pending litigation; however, in light of todays activities, wed like to share the
following:

The San Juan Basin in northwestern New Mexico is one of the largest
natural gas fields in the nation, and has been in production for more
than 60 years. Since the 1950s, nearly every well in the San Juan
Basin has been fracture stimulated.

In fulfilling our multiple use mission, we often find conflict. While

todays events requests ceasing oil and gas drilling on federal leases
within the basin, others depend on this industry for their livelihood.
We carefully review all permitted wells to ensure compliance with all
Federal and State laws and regulations related to oil and gas
development.

Additionally, we recognize the importance of Chaco Canyon, and

therefore have deferred all new leasing of BLM-administered land
within a 10-mile radius of Chaco Culture National Historical Park
until a Resource Management Plan (RMP) Amendment is completed,
likely in 2016. We are implementing the BLMs multiple use mission,
which includes environmentally responsible oil and gas development
while determining the best path forward in our unleased areas.