近距离内射合集

A spokesperson for U.S. Customs and Border Protection confirmed Monday that the agency was pausing activity on new groundwater wells near the border in Luna County and the Bootheel.

鈥淲ater is required for road construction, concrete production, and dust suppression associated with border wall construction,鈥� the agency stated. As it develops a 鈥渂roader groundwater management strategy,鈥� the agency said, 鈥淐BP recently instructed the barrier construction contractor to pause on the installation of any new groundwater wells in collaboration with the State of New Mexico as an initial step in minimizing or avoiding impacts to groundwater water resources.鈥�

The agency said it was 鈥渃ommitted to working collaboratively with local landowners to ensure that construction activities do not adversely impact their water needs.鈥�

Ranchers owning property near the border wall construction sites had been contending with the new water wells adjacent to the land on the militarized federal zone where border wall and road construction is moving forward. Contractors proceeded to drill wells and install pumping infrastructure capable of pumping 300 gallons per minute, without state permits or hydrological impact studies that would be required under New Mexico law.

For ranches, businesses and livestock that depend on the Hachita and Mimbres basins, the unpredictable impacts of heavy pumping were potentially disastrous. The New Mexico Cattle Growers鈥� Association, which supports border wall construction for the security of local ranchers, called on the federal government to comply with New Mexico water laws and return to its past practice of purchasing water locally or supplying it from elsewhere.

On Friday, state Rep. Jenifer Jones, R-Deming, and GOP congressional candidate Greg Cunningham separately announced a breakthrough with CBP after local meetings and outreach to Trump administration officials.  

Gabe Vasquez, the sitting Congress member for the southern New Mexico district and a Democrat, decried the drilling as 鈥渇ederal overreach.鈥� On Monday, he said, 鈥淭his illegal drilling by this administration should never have happened, but when it did, I heard our ranchers鈥� concerns loud and clear and immediately raised hell in Washington to get the job done and protect New Mexicans鈥� water rights.鈥� 

Ranchers and New Mexico鈥檚 Office of the State Engineer continued to press the Department of Homeland Security and CBP to assure the wells can鈥檛 be pumped in the future.

On Friday, Russell Johnson, a cattle rancher, said property owners were told the wells near the land would be capped, 鈥渂ut those wells are still on standby should they decide to use them.鈥�

For the OSE, which enforces New Mexico water rights, that commitment falls short.

鈥淚n addition to not drilling any new wells, we have been clear with CBP that they need to stop pumping from illegally drilled wells, properly plug and abandon them, and obtain all of their water from permitted, lawful sources,鈥� Deputy State Engineer Tanya Trujillo told the Journal. 鈥淭heir activities have endangered the water supplies that New Mexicans rely on and we will continue our efforts to protect our water users.鈥�

Algernon 顿鈥橝尘尘补蝉蝉补 is the Journal鈥檚 southern New Mexico correspondent. He can be reached at adammassa@abqjournal.com.