"Plunderland"
EVERY SO often during Washington's long-running battle over drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska came warnings that the conflict was an elaborate diversion drawing attention away from equally ruinous violations of public lands in the lower 48.

Special Report: Drilling Ignites Battle Over Western Paradise
Accelerated drilling for natural gas and oil has produced a backlash by an unlikely alliance of diehard conservatives and left-leaning environmentalists.

Ranchers Giving Up Business, Heritage
Wells: Families surrender as drilling spreads across the land where they raised cattle for generations.

Comment Sought on Valle Vidal Plan Silent on Gas Drilling
It's bereft of references about oil and gas development in the Valle Vidal, but it waxes eloquent about wildlife, watershed and "viewshed" health. The long-awaited proposed Valle Vidal amendment to the Carson National Forest management plan, released June 14, suggests special protection for Little Costilla Peak and outlines how forest officials prefer the 101,794-acre Valle Vidal to be managed - and theyÕre seeking public comment.

Coalition calls on Congress to protect Valle Vidal. Enviros: Don't "Disneyfy" the Valle
Local environmentalists are calling on New Mexico's congressional delegation to permanently protect the Valle Vidal. That was the Coalition for the Valle Vidal's plea Monday (June 20) to Sen. Pete Domenici (R-N.M.), Sen. Jeff Bingaman (D-N.M.) and Rep. Tom Udall (D-N.M.) during an interview on KTAO-FM 101.9 after the Forest Service released its proposed forest plan amendment for the Valle last week.



Valle Vidal Group Cites Economics
A report released this week by a group opposed to drilling on the Valle Vidal claims drilling will undermine Colfax County's local economy. "The Valle Vidal makes Colfax County unique and it's a critical piece of our economic equation," said Colfax County Commissioner James Marchetti. "Drilling it is shortsighted, it destroys the very reason why our children want to stay here and others want to relocate, retire and visit here."

Sangre de Cristo Chronicle Report on USFS Meeting in Taos
Hundreds of concerned citizens attended the first of several open houses the Carson National Forest will host in the coming months on the Valle Vidal to help gauge public opinion on the future management direction of the unit. A majority attending the Thursday night, Feb. 10, meeting at the Taos Convention Center supported statements in opposition to proposed oil and gas drilling.

News Articles On Valle Vidal & Economies of Nearby Communities
Article 1: Drilling for natural gas in Valle Vidal, a popular area of Northern New Mexico for fishing and other recreation, would be bad for business in surrounding communities, a University of Montana economist says.

Article 2: A coalition formed to fight drilling in the Valle Vidal is now turning to economics to make its case, rather than relying solely on environmental or sentimental arguments to sway public opinion against a proposed natural gas development.

Study: Valle Vidal Drilling Won't Benefit Economy
Drilling the Valle Vidal will have little economic benefit for Colfax County and none for Taos County, while likely creating about 94 jobs exclusively for experienced gas field workers. That's according to a study released Wednesday (Feb. 16) written by Thomas Michael Power, professor and chair of the University of Montana's economics department. The report, commissioned in part by the Coalition for the Valle Vidal, is part of a larger study of the socioeconomic impacts of energy development throughout the West. It was paid for by the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation and the Energy Foundation.



El Paso Files 10-K for 2003, Reports Loss of $1.93 Billion
El Paso Corp. on Thursday filed its long-awaited 10-K for 2003 with the Securities and Exchange Commission, reporting a loss for the year of $1.93 billion, or $3.23 a share, on revenue of $6.7 billion.

Texas Energy Giant Takes Aim At Sportsman's Paradise
In an effort to help bail itself out of a $22 billion scandal-induced debt, a Texas energy company has set its sights on developing northeastern New Mexico's "sportsman's paradise" - the elk- and trout-filled public lands of the Valle Vidal.

El Paso Says Reserves May Have Been Falsified
The El Paso Corporation, the troubled Houston energy company, said yesterday that an outside investigation had found that some employees might have deliberately overstated oil and gas reserves and that it would need to restate five years of results.

El Paso Adopts Policy on 'Poison Pill'
El Paso Corp. has adopted a policy that would allow for implementation of a "poison pill" antitakeover defense should it be necessary, the nation's largest natural gas pipeline company announced Friday.



White House Puts the West on Fast Track for Oil, Gas Drilling
Placing a heavy emphasis on energy production in the American West, the Bush administration has moved aggressively to open up broad areas of largely unspoiled federal land to oil and gas exploration.

Two-Faced Forest Policy
There are several good reasons to protect 40,000 acres of New Mexico's Carson National Forest from gas exploration. For one, the alpine meadow was donated to the national forest 22 years ago - by an oil company - for wildlife habitat and recreation.

White House Intercedes for Gas Project in National Forest
Overriding the opposition of the U.S. Forest Service and New Mexico state officials, a White House energy task force has interceded on behalf of Houston-based El Paso Corp. in its two-year effort to explore for natural gas in a remote part of a national forest next door to America's largest Boy Scout camp.





Fears About Drilling May Tilt Vote in New Mexico
CARSON NATIONAL FOREST, N.M. - Mary Reed has been a reliable Republican voter through the years as she managed the campgrounds in the Valle Vidal, a mountainous, elk-filled wilderness in northern New Mexico.

Some Hunters Plan to Desert Bush
CIMARRON, N.M. -- Larry Dwyer, Oscar Simpson and Alan Lackey are lifelong Republicans who voted for President Bush in 2000. They agree with many of the president's policies. But they won't be voting for Mr. Bush this year, they say.

Press Release 2.16.05
Taos, New Mexico -- Report Finds Drilling Valle Vidal is a Bust for Local Economies. The report confirms that drilling the Valle Vidal will undermine Colfax County's local economy.