We Seek to Prohibit Oil and Gas Mining by Corporations



The issuance of permits to corporations for oil and gas exploration and extraction against the objection of the affected citizens is a transfer of power to govern away from the people. That transfer fails to honor the key principle of the Declaration of Independence, namely citizen sovereignty over the government. That is an inalienable right that the United States of America was designed to uphold.

According to the New Mexico Constitution, “all government right originates with the people, is founded upon their will and is instituted solely for their good.” Oil and gas development by corporations, in addition to being against the will of the people of Santa Fe County, is not good for the people because adverse impacts on the health and environment of people, ecosystems and other life forms are unavoidable.

An ordinance prohibiting oil and gas mining by corporations not only would avoid the adverse effects of such mining, it would return to the principle of citizen sovereignty over government, something that is long overdue

The following is a summary of the Ordinance drafted for Santa Fe County by Democracy Santa Fe, with the assistance of CELDF, in April 2008.


Click here to download the complete Ordinance.


Click here to sign a petition in support of our ordinance.


What would the proposed Santa Fe County Democratic Self-Government Ordinance Prohibiting Corporate Mining and Chemical Trespass do?

THIS IS AN ORDINANCE TO PROTECT THE HEALTH, SAFETY, AND GENERAL WELFARE OF THE CITIZENS AND NATURAL ENVIRONMENT OF SANTA FE COUNTY.

IT WOULD:

  • BAN CORPORATIONS FROM ENGAGING IN MINING WITHIN THE COUNTY;
  • BAN CORPORATE OWNERSHIP OF LAND AND MINERAL ESTATES USED FOR MINING WITHIN THE COUNTY;
  • BAN PERSONS FROM USING CORPORATIONS TO ENGAGE IN MINING;
  • PROHIBIT CHEMICAL AND RADIOACTIVE BODILY TRESPASS (POISONING) AND SIMILAR POISONING OF THE ENVIRONMENT WITHIN THE COUNTY;
  • ESTABLISH STRICT LIABILITY AND BURDEN OF PROOF STANDARDS FOR CORPORATE CHEMICAL AND RADIANT TRESPASS;
  • BAN THE EXERCISE OF CERTAIN POWERS AND PRIVILEGES BY MINING CORPORATIONS AND REMOVE LEGAL CLAIMS THAT CORPORATIONS HAVE GREATER CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS THAN HUMAN BEINGS WITHIN THE COUNTY;
  • RECOGNIZE THE RIGHTS OF PEOPLE, ECOSYSTEMS AND NATURAL COMMUNITIES;
  • PROVIDE FOR ENFORCEMENT OF THOSE RIGHTS;
  • RECOGNIZE AND ASSERT THE FUNDAMENTAL RIGHT OF SELF-GOVERNMENT AND COMMUNITY SELF-DETERMINATION BY THE PEOPLE OF THE COUNTY IN THE PLACE WHERE THEY LIVE AND NOT VICARIOUSLY THROUGH THE STATE;
  • MAKE CORPORATIONS SUBORDINATE TO THE PEOPLE OF SANTA FE COUNTY AND THE COUNTY GOVERNMENT THAT HAS THE RESPONSIBILITY TO REPRESENT THEM.