Land commissioner halts oil- and gas-related well easements.
Dunn sent a letter May 23 announcing that he will stop issuing or renewing easements intended for use of freshwater for oil industry activities.
Dunn’s action was in response to the City of Eunice selling water for hydraulic fracturing or fracking, he told Hobbs News-Sun (http://bit.ly/2rETUeZ) Wednesday.
"What my concern is that the Ogallala is a depleting resource," Dunn said.
He recommended drilling into the Capitan Reef for access to non-potable water as an alternative.
Mayor Matt White brought up the issue at Tuesday’s city council meeting.
"The way I look at it, the lifeblood of this town is the water.
Dunn countered by saying that water used in agriculture does not have the lasting impact that fracking does.
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