top of page

Dark Skies Benefit All

kmarksteiner0

By Michele Robertson

The night sky out west is a remarkable sight to behold. Even in town, people can see many stars, constellations, and planets. In 2018, an international conference was held in Carlsbad, and a group of visitors from Hong Kong were taking a trip on the entertainment ship The Flying Fiddler along the Pecos River. As the ship made its way back from the sunset cruise, chatter amongst visitors and crew ceased as the visitors were looking up at the night sky and marveling at the stars they could see. The crew realized these individuals had probably never seen the night sky in this way. This instance was etched in the minds of the crew as a reminder to not take for granted the grandeur and beauty of the night sky locals get to witness on a daily basis.

Fast forward to 2025, when DarkSky International has recognized three Franklin Mountain Energy (FME) locations in the Permian Basin area of Lea County as DarkSky Certified to protect and maintain the nighttime environment. One may wonder why it matters here in Eddy County that oil locations in Lea County received the world’s first-ever DarkSky Certification. Sky glow due to light pollution surrounding Carlsbad Caverns initiated efforts to maintain dark skies in the region.

“Darker skies will be a benefit to not only humans but our other nocturnal residents of the park. Many animals, birds, and insects are active at night and use this time not only to avoid the hot weather but as protective cover from predators,” said Carmen Chapin, Superintendent at Carlsbad Caverns National Park.

“Humans have had a relationship with the night sky from the beginning,” she added. “Many cultural practices stem from the stars and planets in the night sky. While we may not adhere to the mythology of the constellations, the wonder of the night sky is just as important as a view of a spectacular landscape during the daytime.”

A press release from Dark for the Park Alliance states, “FME’s multi-step efforts to achieve the DarkSky Certification maintains safety and security of these 24-hour operated locations while increasing the visibility of the starry skies by adopting responsible lighting principles. FME now has two DarkSky retrofit sites and one site certified as a DarkSky new build. The retrofits resulted in a 60% reduction in lighting energy consumption—while still meeting or exceeding safety standards for lighting—and an estimated 99% reduction in skyglow, or light scattering in the night sky, as viewed from a distant location such as Carlsbad Caverns National Park.”

“Safety for our workers is always our first priority,” FME Co-Founder Audrey Robertson said. “We also prioritize the environment and support night-sky friendly lighting practices. I am proud of our team for working on this project with DarkSky International and the Alliance to ensure the continued beauty found throughout the Permian Basin’s skies.”

The Dark for the Park Alliance is a collaborative effort between Carlsbad Caverns National Park, Chaco Culture National Heritage Park, New Mexico Oil and Gas Association, Bureau of Land Management, New Mexico State Land Office, McDonald Observatory, Apache Point Observatory, DarkSky International, and DarkSky New Mexico. The Alliance is focused on the Permian and San Juan Basins in New Mexico to promote education and recognition to maintain or restore the night sky quality by adopting recommended outdoor lighting practices that direct light downward onto the work surface and limit light upward into the sky.

The Alliance has published a lighting guidance document to provide oil and gas companies and other industries a roadmap to maintain or increase night sky quality while maintaining the safety and security of operations. The guide includes suggestions on planning, shielding, intensity, and color. Each working location has its own requirements, but the practices are scalable, cost-efficient options for new builds and retrofits.

Protecting night skies is a priority for many industries and individuals throughout the Permian and San Juan Basins. The Alliance was first created after the Carlsbad Caverns approached the oil and gas industry with the idea of collaboration for dark skies efforts to highlight the significance of this work for the economy, heritage of the lands, and future stewardship of them.

“Promoting dark skies practices is a collaborative effort,” DarkSky International CEO Ruskin Hartley said. “The Alliance’s public-private partnership shows the importance of teamwork to achieve the workable balance between operational safety and security and protecting night sky quality.” The Alliance is working throughout the Permian and San Juan Basins to suggest practices that accommodate the needs of both regions.

“The work of FME in collaboration with the Alliance is creating a win-win solution,” Robertson said. “Working together with federal and state agencies, industry, and organizations committed to the promotion of responsible lighting practices protects and promotes the sanctity of our star-filled skies.”

To learn more about the lighting guide and certifications, visit https://www.nmoga.org/darksky_lighting_guide, https://www.nps.gov/subjects/nightskies/index.htm, https://darksky.org/what-we-do/darksky-approved/, and https://mcdonaldobservatory.org/pages/lighting-recognition-program.



23 views0 comments

Recent Posts

See All

Comentarios


Latest Stories

bottom of page