Tim Keithley
Ruidoso News
Plugging-up dangerous and abandoned oil wells and orphaned mineral mines in the western U.S. are two major projects that currently have the attention of new Bureau of Land Management Director Steve Pearce.
The longtime New Mexico congressman and former state Republican Party Chairman toured 11 orphaned mines in northern New Mexico last week. Pearce was back in his home state to speak at the Independent Petroleum Association of New Mexico’s annual convention in Albuquerque.
“The gas industry applauded our efforts to clean up those abandoned wells,” Pearce said on my Saturday morning radio show, “KWES Saturday Morning.” Pearce said there are thousands of abandoned oil wells and former mineral mines found on BLM land across the West.
“Our office has put together a working plan and we currently have the funds budgeted to cap the wells,” Pearce said. “We would like to have the majority of this work completed by the end of next year.”
Pearce said the job has been hectic since being sworn in as BLM director on May 19, but he enjoys the heavy workload. He described currently working 12-hour days in Washington D.C. that include regular meetings, while attempting to resolve any issues that can’t be addressed at one of the local field offices that manage 245 million acres and 700 million subsurface acres of public land.
“My 14 years in Congress, along with a previous career of working in the oil and gas business, has allowed me to get a grasp on the issues impacting the BLM,” Pearce said. “We are working with companies that have invested in the land and we’re balancing their concerns with preserving the land and environment.”
One of the issues that used to irritate Pearce while serving in Congress was government bureaucracy “red tape” inside the various agencies. As director of the BLM, Pearce said he is doing his best to streamline decisions without compromising environmental concerns.
“Mostly people just want answers,” Pearce said. “In one case that I’ve been involved with thus far, the company had been waiting for years for a decision to be made about a particular issue. We were able make a decision and move a project forward within days that previously had been held-up in paperwork for years.”
Pearce said one of the most important topics on his desk in his new position is water conservation in the West. An expert on oil and gas extraction, Pearce would like to see brackish water that comes out of wells as produced water become 100% reusable.
“This is one of the most important issues facing the western states,” Pearce said. “It is vital that oil and gas companies are doing everything possible to conserve as much water coming out of the ground as possible while producing product.”
Although Pearce has only two months on the job, he said that the BLM field offices have committed employees and staff that want to serve the public.
“Our 5,700 BLM employees are genuinely positive about our goals and projects,” Pearce said. “I’m enjoying the opportunity to serve every day.”
Ruidoso News columnist Tim Keithley writes about the people and events in the community. If you have a story idea, contact Tim at tkeithley@elritomedia.com.
