Devin Neeley
November 07, 2016 06:46 PM

In North Dakota, they protest by the thousands. The Dakota Access Pipeline project site is where protests have erupted while a 1,200-mile pipeline is built.

There is a similar pipeline in the works in New Mexico. The Pinon Pipeline project is still in the early stages of planning, but according to Bureau of Land Management documents, it could be about 130 miles long connecting Lybrook to the railroad in either Milan or Prewitt.

The pipeline is planned to be between 10 and 12 inches in diameter and carry up to 50,000 barrels of crude oil a day, owned and operated by Saddle Butte San Juan Midstream Pipeline. Attempts to reach the company Monday were not successful.

A scoping document posted online in 2015 details public comments on the project, a majority in opposition. Messages to BLM officials were not returned Monday, so it is unclear if there has been a final decision or the timeframe established.

 But there are people against that project signing a petition online. Conservation Voters New Mexico has collected about 3,400 signatures from people across the country and around the world, all concerned about the safety of air, water and cultural resources.

Proponents say the pipeline is a safe, reliable and efficient method of transporting crude oil, contributing to the economy and putting people to work.