When the Wells Draw Near

When the Wells Draw Near

By Brian C. Nixon

War has a way of roaming farther than its borders.

What begins as conflict in places like Iran does not remain distant. It travels through markets, through policy, and eventually into the daily lives of people. As oil prices rise and demand increases, communities across the American Southwest—especially Indigenous communities—feel the effects in deeply local ways.

In the Four Corners region of New Mexico, this is not a new concern. For years, communities have lived with the tension between the economic promise of oil and gas production and its human cost. The San Juan Basin, one of the nation’s most productive natural gas regions, fuels homes and industries across the country. Yet for those who live near its wells, the story is more complicated.

Marlene Thomas, a resident near the Tókàhookaadí Church of the Brethren, has witnessed these changes firsthand. In interviews, she has described an increase in asthma and allergies within her community. Many elders, she says, no longer spend time outdoors because of persistent odors in the air. Thomas herself eventually moved away from her home near Lybrook due to the noise and smell of nearby wells—five of which sit directly across from the local elementary school. Even after relocating, she notes that development continues to follow. “It’s not quite like it used to be,” she says. “I can’t sleep.”

Her story is not an isolated one.

As a former community health representative for the Navajo Nation, Thomas continues to hear concerns from neighbors and friends—reports of respiratory illness, troubling health patterns, and a growing sense that something in the environment has shifted. These accounts may not always come with formal studies attached, but they carry the weight of lived experience.

The land itself seems to tell a similar story. Advocates like Kendra Pinto, who works with Indigenous communities in the Four Corners, describe signs of strain: discolored sagebrush, dying trees, and dust from oilfield traffic settling over homes and roads not designed for such use. In parts of the Navajo Nation’s “checkerboard” region, well sites are in proximity to residences—sometimes less than a mile away.

This is not empty land. It is storied land.

Tókàhookaadí Church of the Brethren sits within the Counselor Chapter House region of the Navajo Nation, south of Dinetah—one of the earliest Navajo homelands, dating back centuries. Here, history, culture, and faith are woven together in ways that call for both respect and care. What is at stake is not only environmental health, but the preservation of community life and memory.

As people of faith, how are we called to respond? I suggest several concrete responses, four Ps.

First, we Pray. We pray for the physical and spiritual well-being of those affected—for healing, for protection, and for peace in communities facing uncertainty.

Second, Petition. We advocate. We can reach out to local and state representatives, sharing our concerns about the impact of resource extraction on vulnerable communities and encouraging policies that prioritize human dignity alongside economic development.

Third, Pay attention.  We listen and learn. By paying attention to voices like those of Marlene Thomas and Kendra Pinto, we resist the temptation to overlook communities that are too often unheard. We commit ourselves to understanding the realities on the ground.

Finally, Promote. We bear witness. As members of the Church of the Brethren, we are called to be people who embody Christ’s peace and justice. That means telling the truth, sharing these stories, and standing in solidarity with those whose lives are affected.

The pressures shaping the Four Corners region may be complex, but our response need not be uncertain. Grounded in prayer, guided by compassion, and committed to justice, we can remain attentive to our neighbors—near and far.

Because even when the causes feel distant, the consequences draw near. And when they do, we must decide whether we will look away or bear witness.

To follow Kendra Pinto, click here: https://earthworks.org/people/kendra-pinto/.

Additional Resources 

• Tune in to the Red Nation Podcast to learn more on Indigenous history, politics, and culture from a left perspective: The Red Nation Podcast 
• Visit LandBack to learn more about the Land Back framework and to get involved in the  Land Back movement. 
• Visit Indigenous Climate Justice an Indigenous-led organization working on developing solutions to the climate crisis to achieve climate justice.