Biden’s DOI Protects Indigenous Historical Site From Oil and Gas Drilling

Chaco Canyon in northwestern New Mexico was a major center of Pueblo culture from 850 to 1250. Many of the public and ceremonial buildings of this important ancestral area are preserved in a network of archaeological sites called Chaco Culture, which include Chaco Culture National Historical Park, Aztec Ruins National Monument and five smaller archaeological sites managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM).

In response to the efforts of Tribes, the public and elected officials, the U.S. Department of the Interior has sought to preserve the resources of this historically and culturally valuable area by withdrawing the public lands and federal mineral estate surrounding Chaco Culture National Historical Park from new oil and gas leasing, a press release from the U.S. Department of the Interior said.

The public land order protects the public lands within a 10-mile area surrounding the park for the next two decades but does not affect existing leases or apply to minerals belonging to Tribal, state or private entities.

“Efforts to protect the Chaco landscape have been ongoing for decades, as Tribal communities have raised concerns about the impacts that new development would have on areas of deep cultural connection. Today marks an important step in fulfilling President Biden’s commitments to Indian Country by protecting Chaco Canyon, a sacred place that holds deep meaning for the Indigenous Peoples whose ancestors have called this place home since time immemorial,” Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland said in the press release. “I value and appreciate the many Tribal leaders, elected officials, and stakeholders who have persisted in their work to conserve this special area.”

Tribal and Pueblo Nations continue their ancestral customs and traditions in this area that was a religious and cultural center for the Chacoan Peoples.

Last year, more than 41,000 people visited Chaco Culture National Historical Park, which became a United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization World Heritage Site in 1987 for its “outstanding natural and cultural resources” that “form the common inheritance of all mankind,” the press release said.

Mineral development can alter, displace or even destroy the cultural integrity of the landscape. It has been about 10 years since an oil and gas lease has been issued within the 10-mile buffer. There has also been a moratorium on new mining claims there since January 2022.

“The exceptional landscape in the Greater Chaco region has profound cultural importance,” said BLM Director Tracy Stone-Manning in the press release.

In the BLM’s review, it considered other alternatives to the 10-mile withdrawal radius, including a five-mile withdrawal and taking no action.

Outside the national park, there are more than 4,700 identified archaeological sites, and a five-mile withdrawal radius would have left more than 2,800 of them vulnerable to the impacts of mineral development.

There was a 120-day public comment period following the notice of proposed withdrawal by the BLM last year. During the outreach and review period, more than 110,000 written and verbal comments were received.

Consultations were conducted between 24 Tribal Nations and the BLM, as well as meetings between holders of Navajo Nation allotments and BLM officials in 2022 and 2023.

The Department of the Interior is also conducting a wider assessment of the cultural landscape in the Greater Chaco area in order to make sure its sacred stories, sites and cultural resources are better reflected in public land management.

Discussions between Tribes, elected officials, communities, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the BLM and other interested parties are being conducted to “manage existing energy development, honor sensitive areas important to Tribes, and build collaborative management frameworks toward a sustainable economic future for the region,” the press release said.

Meetings, planning sessions and interviews have been conducted through the Honoring Chaco Initiative.

 “[The] announcement marks an important step in ensuring Indigenous voices help inform the management of our public lands,” Stone-Manning said.