When Worlds Collide: Fracking and Community in Rio Arriba County, New Mexico

In July 2012, the Bureau of Land Management announced atwo-week public scoping period for its decision to fulfill its
mandate under the Mineral Leasing Act of 1920 to “explore
for and develop oil and gas resources on public lands through
a competitive leasing process” on 343,439 acres in Rio Arriba
County, New Mexico. Included in these lands were 13,300
acres on the Cebolla Mesa, in the heart of the 2 million acre Rio
Chama Basin. As a result of community responses, the BLM
deferred action in February 2014, “pending further analysis.”
Prof. James Brooks will report on his discussions with more than
100 citizens of the region who have mounted a “cultural defense”
of water rights in the region. A wine-and-cheese reception will
follow his talk.

About the Speaker
An award-winning historian, Prof. James Brooks has rejoined
the UCSB faculty after serving as President of the School for
Advanced Research in Santa Fe.. He has held appointments
at the University of Maryland and UC Berkeley, and
currently serves as Chair of the Board of Directors of the
Western National Parks Association, which supports research,
preservation and education in 67 National Parks, including
Channel Islands National Park.

Members and their guests: FREE; non-members: $5

Presented by the UCSB History Associates and the Santa Barbara Trust for Historic Preservation

hm 4/29/15