WEBVTT ROBERT PIZANA IS AMILITARY VETERAN AND CHILEFARMER IN SANDOVAL COUNTY.HE EMPLOYS OTHER VETERANS ON HISTHREE-ACRE FARM.>> WE ARE A BUNCH OF MILITARYGUYS WHO LOVE TO GET DIRTY.WE USE IT AS A THERAPY.CHRIS: HIS CROPS ARE WATEREDFROM A WELL THAT HITSGROUNDWATER AT 7 FEET BELOW THESURFACE.HE SAYS WATER IS INCREDIBLYIMPORTANT TO HIS BUSINESS, IFANY OF IT GOT POLLUTED, IT WOULDEND THE BUSINESS.OF THE FAUCET.CHRIS: AND THIS IS WELL WATER?>> YES, CLEAN.CHRIS: PIZANA FEELS STRONGLYABOUT THE COUNTY COMMISSION'SOIL AND GAS ORDINANCE.THE BILL JUST SETS GROUND RULESFOR DRILLING OPERATIONS, BUT THECHILE FARMER SAYS IT WOULDN'TTAKE MUCH TO DESTROY HIS FARM.>> SEVEN FEET.EVEN THAT, A TOP WATER SPILL ORA PIPE BREAKS ON TOP OR ONBOTTOM.IT WOULD AFFECT US TREMENDOUSLY.CHRIS: ORDINANCE SUPPORTERS SAYTHERE ARE STATE AND FEDERALPROTECTIONS AGAINST DRILLINGPOLLUTION, AND SANDOVAL COUNTY'SEXISTING OIL WELLS HAVEN'TCAUSED PROBLEMS BEFORE.>> 1500 EXISTING OIL WELLS, 500PRODUCING OIL WELLS.NOT A SINGLE DOCUMENTED INSTANCEOF AQUIFER ENCROACHMENT ORDAMAGE. CHRIS: BUT PIZANA, WHO COMESFROM AN OIL-WORKER FAMILY, SAYSANY DRILLING WILL HAVE ADVERSEAFFECTS.>> IT WOULD JUST DESTROY US, I
Chile farmer says oil and gas ordinance will inevitably destroy his business
Updated: 10:29 PM MST Nov 24, 2017
Robert Pizana is a military veteran and chile farmer in Sandoval County. He employs other veterans on his three-acre farm. “We're a bunch of military guys who love to get dirty and we use it as a therapy,” Pizana said. The vet’s crops are watered from a well that hits groundwater at seven feet below the surface. “Seven feet that, even a top water spill or a pipe breaks on top or on bottom, it would affect us tremendously,” Pizana said. Pizana feels strongly about the county commission’s oil and gas ordinance. The bill sets rules for drilling operations but the chile farmer says it wouldn’t take much to destroy his farm. Ordinance supporters say there are state and federal protections against drilling pollution, and Sandoval County’s existing oil wells haven’t caused problems before. However, Robert Pizana, who comes from an oil-worker family, says any nearby drilling will have adverse effects.“It would just destroy us. The whole family. This is what we depend on. This is our bread and butter,” he said.
SANDOVAL COUNTY, N.M. — Robert Pizana is a military veteran and chile farmer in Sandoval County. He employs other veterans on his three-acre farm.
“We're a bunch of military guys who love to get dirty and we use it as a therapy,” Pizana said.
The vet’s crops are watered from a well that hits groundwater at seven feet below the surface.
“Seven feet that, even a top water spill or a pipe breaks on top or on bottom, it would affect us tremendously,” Pizana said. Pizana feels strongly about the county commission’s oil and gas ordinance. The bill sets rules for drilling operations but the chile farmer says it wouldn’t take much to destroy his farm.
Ordinance supporters say there are state and federal protections against drilling pollution, and Sandoval County’s existing oil wells haven’t caused problems before. However, Robert Pizana, who comes from an oil-worker family, says any nearby drilling will have adverse effects.
“It would just destroy us. The whole family. This is what we depend on. This is our bread and butter,” he said.