Santa Fe Opera Leases Land For Oil & Gas Exploration
By Maassive on September 24th, 2009
Great scoop from the environmentalists at Drilling Santa Fe: The Santa Fe Opera has leased 26,746 acres worth of mineral rights in Mora and San Miguel counties to J Bar Cane, an oil and gas exploration company. Under the terms of the arrangement, the Opera’s cut is an eighth of the proceeds.
The agreement includes oil and gases such as helium, carbon dioxide, gaseous sulfur compounds and coalbed methane. There are no clauses in the contract regarding environmental protections or restrictions on drilling methods.
The lease was completed in April, but filed with San Miguel County in August. Opera General Director Charles MacKay signed the lease. He was unable to be reached; his voicemail says he’s out of town until Sept. 28.
Loading ...
September 24th, 2009 at 4:10 pm
Thank you for posting this!
September 24th, 2009 at 4:37 pm
What a despicable decision. Time to organize a boycott of the Opera. Apparently since these properties are NOT in Santa Fe County near the opera, it’s OK to throw them and the residents of San Miguel and Mora Counties under the bus.
September 24th, 2009 at 7:32 pm
Shame on you Mackay… shame on you.
A pox on you and your evil co workers…
The laws of karma will no doubt will come home to pay you a visit.
Shame on you.
September 24th, 2009 at 8:20 pm
How could a conscious organization dedicated to the arts do this. If they needed the money the community could have helped them, I know I would have. They might justify this by saying, “if oil or gas are discovered we will have the means to continue and improve our programs and facilities, bringing more opera to the community. Does this end justify the means? No it doesn’t! This is a horrible way to treat a neighboring county. It is selfish and “all about the money!” Shame on you and any patron who supports the Santa Fe “Oil and Gas” Opera! I never thought I would have say this.
September 25th, 2009 at 10:50 am
I am still sitting here with my jaw hanging open after reading this. I live in Mora County and we are having a major debate with these evil gas corporations and the county commission already about banning this operation. How can they believe this will be accepted by the community? I know they cannot do this in their own county because forward thinking Santa Fe has bans against it. I have patronized this opera house every summer for the last decade. I surely do not need opera enough to be a part of an opera paid for by the destruction of my home and environment! When will the signs and protesting in front of it begin. I will be there. I will write to everyone I can in the state of New Mexico. We may not have the money to fight big oil or big opera, but we have a voice and the power of angry numbers in the community. I wonder how many other patrons do not know this. I am going to look for the list of patrons and donors and send them a copy of this. This is not over!