Copyright © 2012 Albuquerque Journal

The overall pace of New Mexico’s economic growth is expected to be slow this year, but some sectors of the economy are showing new signs of life, and others are expected to [...]]]> Glimmers Of Hope For 2012
By Winthrop Quigley / Journal Staff Writer on Mon, Jan 2, 2012

Copyright © 2012 Albuquerque Journal

The overall pace of New Mexico’s economic growth is expected to be slow this year, but some sectors of the economy are showing new signs of life, and others are expected to have a good year.

Oil production should continue to boom, manufacturing is rebounding, international trade is growing, tourism is up, and multi-family housing construction looks promising.

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Like all Americans, I want to protect wildlife in both good and bad times. Gifford Pinchot, the first Chief of the US Forest Service once said, “Conservation means the wise use of the earth and its resources for the lasting good [...]]]> By U.S. Congressman Steve Pearce
Dec 9, 2011 Issues: Economy and Jobs, Energy

Like all Americans, I want to protect wildlife in both good and bad times. Gifford Pinchot, the first Chief of the US Forest Service once said, “Conservation means the wise use of the earth and its resources for the lasting good of men.” I concur wholeheartedly. Mr. Pinchot was one of the most publicly known conservationists of the 20th century, and recognized that to have healthy forests controlled thinning operations must take place. He believed as I do that conservation should never mean tying our hands to economic development or good stewardship of our lands, but instead should be about finding a balance between jobs and resource protection.

I have always advocated balance, which is why I support the cooperative efforts between private stakeholders, federal officials and local governments through the Candidate Conservation Agreement with Assurances (CCAA), which allows private landholders to enroll their land and money in a program designed to protect the Dunes Sagebrush Lizard without listing it. This is a reasonable approach that will serve New Mexico well by protecting our environment and our economy simultaneously. Of course, common sense is usually in short order when it comes to DC lawyers and lobbyists with their hands on taxpayer dollars.

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by Senator Doug Whitsett
Oregon State Senator,

“Extreme preservationist groups are routinely using the provisions of the Act to enrich their own coffers while forcing the exclusion of human activity and destroying private property rights. The good news is that Congress is finally attempting to take action. As Chair of the [...]]]> December 19, 2011

by Senator Doug Whitsett
Oregon State Senator,

“Extreme preservationist groups are routinely using the provisions of the Act to enrich their own coffers while forcing the exclusion of human activity and destroying private property rights. The good news is that Congress is finally attempting to take action. As Chair of the powerful Committee on Natural Resources, Washington Congressman “Doc” Hastings has scheduled a series of hearings on these Endangered Species Act issues.”

The Endangered Species Act was intended to identify animal and plant life that is determined to be in peril of extinction and to recover those species. This original purpose was and remains a laudable goal. However, the Act has two fundamental flaws.

The first is that no economic considerations are permitted to be included as part of the determination in listing the species. The second provides that prevailing plaintiffs are entitled to recover their attorney fees and costs but they are not required to pay the costs if the government prevails. These provisions have allowed the intent, implementation and outcomes of the Act to be hijacked to serve the greed and exploitation of preservationist factions both inside and outside of government agencies.
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FARMINGTON — The U.S. Bureau of Land Management has granted an exception to a seasonal wildlife closure for Williams Exploration and Production’s proposed drilling project on Middle Mesa. The exemption, approved Thursday, removes a hurdle to Williams’ ambitious plans to extract natural gas from the Mancos Shale [...]]]> By Chuck Slothower cslothower@daily-times.com
Posted: 12/06/2011

FARMINGTON — The U.S. Bureau of Land Management has granted an exception to a seasonal wildlife closure for Williams Exploration and Production’s proposed drilling project on Middle Mesa. The exemption, approved Thursday, removes a hurdle to Williams’ ambitious plans to extract natural gas from the Mancos Shale using horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing techniques. The agency’s decision allows Williams to drill during winter. It does not approve drilling permits for the project, a step to come later. Williams proposes to drill 53 horizontal wells from eight well pads. The project also would require two ponds for fracturing fluids. Williams plans to begin drilling in fall 2012. The company drilled test wells in 2009 and ’10. BLM officials forecast the project will produce 275 billion cubic feet of natural gas during the next 25 to 30 years. “We’re obviously pleased with the outcome of the review process, considering the amount of planning we put into the project,” Williams spokesman Kelly Swan said in an email message Monday. “This should ultimately create benefits in the area both economically and environmentally. And for us as a company, it allows us to show that we bring tremendous care to drilling and development.” Read Full Story ->

SANTA FE — The director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is delaying for six months a decision on whether to classify the dunes sagebrush lizard as an endangered species.
The director, Daniel Ashe, was to rule by Dec. 14. Tom Buckley, a [...]]]> by Milan Simonich The Daily Times 12/01/2011 10:15:53 AM MST

SANTA FE — The director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is delaying for six months a decision on whether to classify the dunes sagebrush lizard as an endangered species.
The director, Daniel Ashe, was to rule by Dec. 14. Tom Buckley, a spokesman for the service, said today that Ashe would use the extension to evaluate recent information questioning the scientific evidence about the reptile’s population and loss of habitat. Continue Reading ->

CONGRESSMAN PEARCE ELEVATES LIZARD LISTING ISSUE TO SECRETARY SALAZAR
Continues Effort to Protect New Mexico Jobs from Washington’s Heavy-Handed Regulations

Washington, DC (November 28, 2011) Today, Congressman Steve Pearce and 17 other Members of the U.S. House of Representatives [...]]]> FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Jamie Dickerman, Press Secretary
Tel. 575-517-7382
Email: Jamie.dickerman@mail.house.gov

CONGRESSMAN PEARCE ELEVATES LIZARD LISTING ISSUE TO SECRETARY SALAZAR
Continues Effort to Protect New Mexico Jobs from Washington’s Heavy-Handed Regulations

Washington, DC (November 28, 2011) Today, Congressman Steve Pearce and 17 other Members of the U.S. House of Representatives submitted a bipartisan letter to Ken Salazar, the Secretary of the Interior, opposing the proposed listing of the Dunes Sagebrush Lizard (DSL) under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). The letter also calls for at least a six-month delay of a listing decision to gather more credible science and to allow for current conservation efforts to enroll additional participants and grow its private funding base.

“Given the growing body of evidence, we ask that the Fish and Wildlife Service not list the DSL as endangered or threatened,” the Representatives wrote in the letter. “If the Service feels that it cannot make that determination at this time, then at a minimum, we request that it delay its final decision by at least six months to take into account the rapidly evolving state of facts on the ground.”

The science available to the Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) warranting the listing has since come under question, drawing a similar letter from both Senator Tom Udall and Senator Jeff Bingaman of New Mexico.

“As with all listings, the crux of our concerns is the science underpinning this decision; there simply is not enough available information to credibly argue that the species is declining,” the letter continued. “There are also important questions about the science on which FWS based this proposed listing. Perhaps most obviously, a paper referenced in the proposed listing contradicts the conclusions drawn by FWS. The study, by Sias and Snell, shows that the lizard’s population actually increased by a factor of 2.4 in areas where oil and gas wells were present compared to an increase by a factor of 1.6 in areas without wells. Yet, FWS asserts that oil and gas wells are detrimental to lizard populations.”

Since the initial proposal of the listing, Congressman Pearce has taken a firm stance against a federal listing for the sake of saving jobs in New Mexico. Pearce supported a scientific roundtable to bring forth the truths of the science behind the lizard population, and continually expresses his commitment to solutions that protect both the lizard and jobs of hard working Americans.

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Come out and see this thought [...]]]> Albuquerque filmmaker Mark Mathis brings his documentary film “spOILed” to the Century Rio 24 in Albuquerque on November Tuesday, November 15 and Wednesday November 16.

There will be a Q & A session with Mark after each showing.
Show time is 7:00 p.m. both nights.

Come out and see this thought provoking and entertaining movie that deals with the question: Are we “addicted to oil” or are we addicted to our delusions about oil?

For more information on the movie visit:

http://www.spoiledthemovie.com/
http://www.cinemark.com/movie-detail.aspx?node_id=50944