Santa Fe residents will get their first official crack at a new county ordinance aimed at regulating oil and gas drilling at a public meeting tonight.

The ordinance — which was produced in response to a Houston-based company's announcement that it wants to drill for oil in the Galisteo Basin area — has already drawn criticism from some residents.

It weakens the county's existing mining ordinance and has loopholes large enough to drive a truck through, according to Drilling Santa Fe, a group formed last spring when Tecton Energy announced it had leased mineral rights on 65,000 acres of land in the county.

One criticism by the group: The ordinance allows oil wells to be located too close to homes and water wells. The proposed measure bars oil wells within 200 feet of water wells. The old ordinance required a 500-foot setback.

The new measure requires oil wells to be at least half a mile from residences, the same distance as in the old ordinance.

Although it supports the half-mile limit, Drilling Santa Fe says, a clause that lets mining companies obtain variances from the setback rules would have the effect of negating the setback rules altogether.

Letting drilling companies post required financial guarantees in the form of insurance policies instead of money also is a flimsy safeguard against potential contamination, according to critics.

The group also objects to language in the ordinance that characterizes mineral rights as being dominant over surface rights.

Santa Fe County commissioners passed a three-month moratorium on oil and gas drilling applications Nov. 27 to allow time for the new ordinance to be finalized.

Bob Gallagher, president of the New Mexico Oil and Gas Association, which represents the oil and gas industry, called the action "bizarre, knee-jerk and ill-advised."

Rep. Peter Wirth, D-Santa Fe, has asked the state Oil Conservation Division to enact a six-month moratorium on permits to give county residents time to find a way to stop drilling in the area altogether. But Gallagher said that isn't going to happen.

"If you want to change the dominance of the mineral estate over the surface estate, then go to Washington, D.C., and do it," he said. "Don't come to Santa Fe, N.M., and act as if you can accomplish that because you can't."

Contact Phaedra Haywood at 986-3068 or phaywood@sfnewmexican.com.

IF YOU GO

What: Public meeting hosted by Santa Fe County concerning proposed new regulations on oil and gas drilling in the county

Who: State Rep. Rhonda King, D-Stanley; state Rep. Peter Wirth, D-Santa Fe; state Sen. Phil Griego, D-San Jose; and Santa Fe County Commissioners Harry Montoya, Virginia Vigil, Mike Anaya, Paul Campos and Jack Sullivan will be on hand to hear public comments. Santa Fe Mayor David Coss and state Oil Conservation Division Director Mark Fesmire also will be present as will Santa Fe County Manager Roman Abeyta and other county staff responsible for working on the new ordinance

Where: Santa Fe High School, 2100 Yucca St. The meeting also will be broadcast live on KSFR 101.1 FM.

When: Today, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.