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Santa Fe, NM – New Mexico Governor and former presidential candidate Bill Richardson today made a statement directing the Oil Conservation Division not to process applications to drill for oil and gas in Santa Fe County. The order puts a hold on plans by Tecton Energy, a Houston, TX based energy company to begin drilling this spring. The Governor had previously expressed his skepticism about whether or not gas drilling could occur in the County without causing severe harm to the Region’s natural and cultural resources.

WildEarth Guardians praised the Governor for his leadership on the issue and supports his decision to direct the Oil Conservation Division not to process applications for the next six months for all oil and gas drilling within Santa Fe County.

“It’s clear that Tecton Energy was trying to intimidate the Santa Fe County Commission and steamroll the massive public opposition to their drilling plans,” said John Horning, ExecutiveDirector at WildEarth Guardians. “We needed the Governor to slow this process down and let Tecton know that business as usual for the oil and gas industry won’t work here in the greater Santa Fe area,” Horning added.

“We applaud Governor Richardson for intervening in this matter and for being responsive to the will of the people,” said Horning. “We hope this signals the beginning of new political will at all levels-local, federal and state-to reign in the oil and gas industry. Not just here in Santa Fe, but all across the State of New Mexico.”

WildEarth Guardians believes that the Santa Fe County Commission should follow GovernorRichardson’s example and postpone a hearing scheduled for January 22 on revisions to a Santa FeCounty oil and gas ordinance. Horning says the County should give citizens more opportunity to organize technical experts to analyze and identify concerns with potential energy development.

WildEarth Guardians previously had spearheaded a request by a coalition of groups that had asked Tecton to voluntarily withdraw its applications for permit to drill in Santa Fe County so that theCounty and the State would have more time to evaluate the potential impacts of oil and gas development. Tecton chose to deny that request. Now the county and the state will have more time and therefore should do more to comprehensively analyze what public values are threatened buy oil and gas development in the Galisteo Basin and potentially all across Santa Fe County.