Environmentalists, activists and concerned residents are expressing bemusement at a conference centered on hydraulic fracturing--commonly known as fracking--coming to Santa Fe at the end of the month.
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The event, called "Hydraulic Fracturing: Environmental Quality & America's Energy Future," will be held at the Inn & Spa at Loretto on March 28. It's sponsored by CLE International, an organization that offers the continuing legal education for lawyers.
While billed as an educational event, the make of the speaker list is puzzling some. Michael Aune, a resident with interest in air and water pollution issues, says he's concerned that only one person is speaking from the "safe water" perspective.
That person is Eric Jantz, an attorney with the New Mexico Environmental Law Center.
"The [oil and gas] industry's position is that [fracking] is a benign process that has never been linked to groundwater contamination," Jantz, a lawyer with the Environmental Law Center, tells SFR. "That's simply not the case."
Most of the event's speakers, however, are affiliated with oil and gas or regulatory agencies. They include Association President Steve Henke and New Mexico Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department General Counsel William Brancard, among others.
Jantz says that in his experience, most CLE's have been attended by industry lawyers.
"They all like to have one presentation that's not coming from the industry perspective," he says.
Santa Fe County Attorney Stephen Ross, however, says he also expects regulatory and environmental lawyers to attend as well.
"The goal is always education," Ross, who's chairing the event, tells SFR.
The controversial practice of fracking requires using highly-pressured fluids to break through rock to obtain oil and natural gas. Fracking, which has been linked to possible groundwater contamination in Pennsylvania, Colorado, Louisiana, Texas and Wyoming, remains highly scrutinized by environmentalists.
Santa Fe County's ordinance on fracking, which Ross says is one of the tightest in the country, allows for the practice as long fresh water is used. Ross says the conference, which is privately funded, gives him an opportunity to speak about the ordinance's uniqueness.
But others maintain that it simply doesn't go far enough. Cities in New York, for instance, have passed ordinances completely banning the practice.
"Where is the water going to come from?" Gail Giles, a member of the local liberal group We Are People Here!, says while alluding to New Mexico's perpetual drought. "To frack in this state is asinine."
Ross maintains that the perspectives will be balanced.
"Eric [Jantz] is there, I'm there and Bill [Brancard] will be there," Ross says. "None of us are particularly oil-and-gas-friendly people."
Aune, for his part, says he's planning to attend the conference with an open mind.
"I want to hear what's said—the information they'll provide and the tone," Aune tells SFR. "Right now I don't know what to think."
Attending the event will be costly. Tickets are currently going for $495 per person.
