Chieftains urge lasting safeguards for Chaco Canyon, implore interior secretary for a site visit
In a news conference held Tuesday morning at the Capitol building, Pueblo leaders and three members of New Mexico's congressional delegation emphasized the importance of preserving Chaco Culture National Historical Park. This UNESCO World Heritage site, located in northern New Mexico, preserves a major center of ancestral Puebloan culture from 850 to 1250 CE.
Several speakers, including Senators Martin Heinrich and Ben Ray Luján, Rep. Teresa Leger Fernández, and Navajo Nation President Buu Nygren, stressed the spiritual importance of Chaco Canyon to the pueblos today. They encouraged Interior Secretary Doug Burgum to visit Chaco Canyon to gain a deeper understanding of its significance. Santa Ana Gov. Myron Armijo, who also attended the conference, stated that Chaco Canyon is a very spiritual place.
Currently, oil and gas drilling, as well as exploratory mining, are banned on federal lands within a 10-mile radius of the park until 2043. Rep. Yvette Herrell, who pursued the legislative initiative to lift the ban, was the subject of criticism during the conference. In contrast, Leger Fernández and Luján are leading legislation to make the 10-mile ban permanent, known as the Chaco Cultural Heritage Area Protection Act.
The permanent ban would not limit drilling on land owned by Navajo allottees within the 10-mile radius or affect existing oil and gas leases. However, Sen. Heinrich highlighted that Chaco Canyon is not just a place preserving ancient buildings or astronomy, but a living cultural landscape with connections to present-day pueblos.
The speakers advocated for making the ban permanent to protect this living cultural landscape. They argued that the park's significance extends beyond its historical and archaeological value, making it crucial for future generations to preserve its integrity.
The Energy Opportunities for All Act, sponsored by Republican representatives from Arizona and Colorado, aims to rescind the ban. However, the speakers at the news conference expressed their commitment to protecting Chaco Canyon and urged Burgum to visit the site to witness its importance firsthand.
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