Latest developments

Current drilling ordinance gains support

Committee recommends version that makes developers meet extensive requirements

When Santa Fe County — spooked by the specter of impending oil and gas development — first began writing new regulations to govern the industry, the county's public information officer said the county would probably get sued no matter what type of ordinance it developed.

The no-drill attitude of many of the residents of Santa Fe County combined with the must-drill track record of the energy industry, Stephen Ulibarri reasoned in the fall of 2007, was bound to result in a situation in which neither party could be satisfied and one would legally challenge whatever the county approved. »Story,

Recent articles

• Officials rethink drilling rules after well's collapse
• Governor seeks draft on oil rules
• Mineral rights sale brings in $41.4 million
• Richardson extends ban on oil, gas drilling
• Meeting on oil and gas ordinances attracts 30
• Study: Gas drilling not cause of health crisis
• Galisteo basin mineral rights owner: 'We do care'
• Property owners appeal well sites
• County expects new drilling rules by February
• Experts stress caution over oil, gas drilling
• Drilling's hidden costs
• Political passion fuels big turnout at Democratic ward meetings
• County suspends Galisteo Basin drilling for one year
• Tecton decries proposed moratorium
• County hires new lawyer to draft rules on drilling
• Tapping the unknown: Geologists remain divided about Galisteo Basin reserves
• The geology behind the Galisteo Basin
• High pressure, heat form oil, gas deposits
• Speculation swirls over Tecton's ultimate goal
• Galisteo drilling hits hurdle
• New oil and gas development rules ‘toughest’ to date says Ross
• Proposed drilling ordinance updated
• County to hold hearing on oil drilling measure
• Oil and gas development: What lies beneath
• Tecton Energy seeks permits for 3 new oil wells
• Meeting 'first step' in resolving drilling debate
• Drilling opposition steadily builds
• Residents given venue to voice drilling concerns
• Officials warn of overregulating oil and gas industry
• County approves oil-gas drilling moratorium
• Galisteo Basin: Officials want state to hold off drilling
• Not in their front yard: An environmental attorney faces his own oil battle in the Galisteo Basin
• Overflowing crowd demands more restrictions in light of proposed
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• Drilling foes pack Chavez Center
• Designer's purchase of oil rights blocks oil drilling on Galisteo ranch
• Pressure builds in battle over oil driling
• Crowd rallies against drilling