Summary
In 2013, Mora County, New Mexico adopted an ordinance banning oil and gas production within the county. The ordinance recognized rights of nature and incorporated indigenous worldviews such as “La Querencia de la Tierra,” which means “Love of the Land ” in English. However, SWEPI, LP, an oil and gas production company, filed a lawsuit in the US District Court for the District of New Mexico against the county, challenging the ordinance’s validity. The judge ruled that the ordinance was invalid, citing the Supremacy Clause and a lack of authority.
Suggested Citation:
Kauffman, Craig, Catherine Haas, Alex Putzer, Shrishtee Bajpai, Kelsey Leonard, Elizabeth Macpherson, Pamela Martin, Alessandro Pelizzon & Linda Sheehan. Eco Jurisprudence Monitor. V2. 2025. Distributed by the Eco Jurisprudence Monitor.https://ecojurisprudence.org/initiatives/mora-county-community-water-rights-and-local-self-government-ordinance/.
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