NM Dems push BLM to uphold Chaco pact
Udall, Heinrich, Luján want feds to limit oil, gas drilling near park
Democratic members of New Mexico’s congressional delegation are pushing federal officials to uphold an agreement that limits oil and gas leasing on public land near Chaco Culture National Historical Park.
The Bureau of Land Management previously agreed to defer all leases within a 10-mile radius around the park as the agency works to update its resource management plan for northwestern New Mexico. The agency is also working with the Bureau of Indian Affairs on how to best protect archaeological and cultural sites in the region.
Sens. Tom Udall and Martin Heinrich and Rep. Ben Ray Luján say the Bureau of Land Management recently began the process of leasing areas within the buffer zone. They’re asking Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke to maintain the buffer until the planning process is complete.
The delegates pointed to New Mexico’s abundant natural resources and its history and culture in a letter sent Wednesday to Zinke.
“The need to balance the use of our resources with the protection of our cultural heritage is no more clear than in the area surrounding Chaco Culture National Historical Park,” the lawmakers wrote.
The request to keep in place the 10-mile buffer zone around Chaco is supported by the Navajo Nation and the All Pueblo Council of Governors.
While fossil fuel development in the region has long been a target of environmentalists, the campaign to curb drilling shifted focus in recent years from pollution concerns to the cultural ties that Native American tribes have to Chaco and other sites in the region.
Industry officials have said previously they believe developers can operate in such a way that protects cultural sites linked to Chaco.
A UNESCO World Heritage site, Chaco park includes what’s left of an ancient civilization whose monumental architecture and cultural influences have been a source of mystery for years. While the park represents the heart of the area, numerous archaeological sites lie well outside park boundaries.
Regional BLM spokeswoman Megan Crandall said the agency has just started the planning process for the lease sale in March 2018.