Chaco Canyon Drilling Plans: Oil Leases Near Tribal Site Could Be Sold Soon
Summary
The Trump administration is considering reducing or removing protections that currently prevent oil and gas drilling near Chaco Culture National Historical Park in New Mexico. This area is sacred to Native American tribes and contains important archaeological sites, and the proposal has faced opposition from tribal leaders and lawmakers.Key Facts
- The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is reviewing a 2023 rule that stopped new oil and gas leases on 336,000 acres around Chaco Canyon for 20 years.
- The BLM’s draft plan offers three choices: keep protections, reduce the protected zone from 10 miles to 5 miles, or remove protections entirely.
- Chaco Culture National Historical Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site with ancient Puebloan archaeological sites and sacred lands for Pueblo and Navajo tribes.
- President Donald Trump previously reduced other national monuments important to Native Americans, including Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante.
- The Interior Department under Trump proposed canceling Biden-era protections for the land near Chaco Canyon to allow new mineral leasing.
- The All Pueblo Council Governors and New Mexico politicians oppose the plan, emphasizing the land’s cultural and spiritual importance.
- Deb Haaland, former Interior Secretary and current New Mexico governor candidate, criticized the plan for risking irreversible damage to sacred sites.
- The public comment period on the proposal ends on July 29, allowing people to share their views on the plan.
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