New Mexico Governor Fails to Ban Oil Wells Near Schools as New Wells Endanger More Children
Organization Press Release – From The Center for Biological Diversity
SANTA FE, N.M.— More oil and gas wells have been built near New Mexico schools in the past year, but Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham is ignoring pleas to establish statewide health buffer zones to better protect children from the toxins from extraction.
Today environmental, public health and social justice groups sent a second letter to Lujan Grisham urging her to prohibit oil and gas wells within one mile of schools and other educational facilities. The groups made a similar request last year, which the governor has ignored.
Meanwhile, 38 new wells were built within 1 mile of schools in the past year, putting more children closer to the toxins from oil and gas extraction. And since 2023, 4,172 more students have a well within half a mile of their school.
“Knowingly sending our children and grandchildren to schools next to toxic and polluting oil wells isn’t just negligent, it’s reckless,” said Daniel Tso, former council delegate of the Navajo Nation Council. “Gov. Lujan Grisham is gambling with the health of our youngest and most vulnerable in exchange for a win from the oil industry. We’re calling on her to implement a simple, commonsense solution to keep our kids safe.”
More than 34,000 New Mexico children attend schools within one mile of oil and gas wells, and over 28,000 students have active oil and gas wells within a half mile of their schools.
In 2023 state Land Commissioner Stephanie Garcia Richard imposed a moratorium on new oil and gas leasing on state lands within a mile of schools, but no policy exists to protect children from wells on other lands.
Today’s letter asks the governor to support legislation banning new wells within a mile of schools across New Mexico.
“Gov. Lujan Grisham is capitulating to pressure from oil and gas companies to build toxic wells wherever they want rather than ensuring children are safe when they’re at school,” said Gail Evans, an attorney at the Center for Biological Diversity. “Establishing health buffers around schools is the least the governor can do to protect our children’s health and safety.”
Children are especially vulnerable to the toxic contaminants and volatile organic compounds emitted during oil and gas extraction. Being exposed to this pollution can exacerbate or increase the risk for a host of health issues, including respiratory disease, asthma, neurodevelopmental disorders, cognitive development, pediatric cancers and chronic diseases.
In response to overwhelming evidence that oil and gas production harms public health, several states including Colorado and California have passed health buffer protections around schools.
The Center for Biological Diversity is a national, nonprofit conservation organization with more than 1.7 million members and online activists dedicated to the protection of endangered species and wild places.