Supervisor Anthony Botelho supports Measure J, the ballot initiative aiming to ban fracking and other enhanced extraction practices along with barring all petroleum activities in rural residential zones. He also acknowledged that given the opportunity, he would consider allowing oil exploration on his own land.
Botelho’s family owns property in the San Juan Valley and has been rooted in the agriculture community – which has largely opposed the local measure – for generations. At the same time, he farms in a pristine valley and, as a county supervisor, represents an area where many people appear supportive of the drilling restrictions.
“Where this resonates with me is the water availability and protecting water quality,” Botelho said in an interview with the Free Lance.
Still, Botelho in the same interview made it clear that he is conflicted to some degree because he is not against the petroleum industry.
“And that’s the conflicting part of all this,” Botelho said when asked if he would allow petroleum activities on his own land. “Naturally, I have friends that own some land that have potential oil and gas. If you look at it on a short-term basis, how could you make the most money for your family and utilize a resource? Certainly you would look at it. But then you also would have to consider the impact you would have long term.”
When pressed further, Botelho said he would allow drilling if it would not contaminate the water or use too much of the resource.
“Yes, naturally I think in all honesty, yeah, anybody would,” Botelho said. “But I think we, as a supervisor, have a responsibility of not only protecting the property rights of the individual who may want to extract oil or gas but also the next-door neighbor who has property rights to protect their legitimate right.”
Botelho also talked about the large amounts of water used by the agriculture industry.
“We need oil as much as we need food, in all honestly,” Botelho said. “Where I personally took a concern in the difference between agriculture and the oil industry is that they’re exempt from the Clean Water Act. I have a real problem with that. The oil industry should not be exempt.”
