Six conservation groups have filed a formal protest against the Bureau of Land Management’s proposed Carlsbad Resource Management Plan, which could pave the way for more than 12,000 new oil and gas wells in southeastern New Mexico, the groups said. The Western Environmental Law Center, Center for Biological Diversity, Citizens Caring for the Future, Earthworks, Sierra Club Rio Grande Chapter and WildEarth Guardians urged the agency to withdraw the plan, update its environmental review and reopen public comment, including consultation with Tribes.
The plan would keep nearly 97% of the federal mineral estate open for leasing, potentially allowing 12,096 new federal wells over two decades across more than 2 million acres of federal surface land and 2.76 million acres of federal minerals near Carlsbad Caverns National Park. BLM began revising its 1988 plan in 2010 and last took public comment on a draft in 2018.
The groups say the plan weakens protections. For example, a ban on surface disturbance within a quarter-mile of occupied buildings now reads “up to” a quarter-mile, which could put drilling closer to homes. Rebecca Sobel of WildEarth Guardians warned the plan could lock in billions of tons of greenhouse gas emissions. A recent WildEarth Guardians report, based on BLM projections, estimates the activity could require 375 billion gallons of water and generate 1.26 trillion gallons of contaminated waste.
Operators reported more than 17,000 spills statewide in the first half of 2026, the groups noted. Taylor McKinnon of the Center for Biological Diversity said the plan leaves only a small share of the region off-limits to the fossil fuel industry.
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What's Next
The groups want BLM to prepare a supplemental environmental impact statement, consider alternatives that limit new leasing, and allow more public and Tribal input before finalizing the plan.
Why It Matters
The groups say the plan doesn't account for the cumulative effects of drilling on groundwater, water supply, public health, air quality and the climate.
