Controversy Surrounding Oil and Gas Development Near Chaco Culture Park

Oil and gas development near Chaco Culture National Historical Park could advance as the Trump administration suggests changing federal protections around this significant Native American site in the U.S. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is assessing whether to revoke or modify a 2023 mineral withdrawal that prevented new leasing on approximately 336,000 federal acres around Chaco Canyon for 20 years.

Proposed Options for Protection Changes

The BLM’s draft environmental assessment offers three possible courses of action: maintain the existing protections, decrease the protected area from a 10-mile buffer to five miles, or completely eliminate the withdrawal, reopening the area to mineral leasing. A comment period is open for the draft Environmental Assessment for Proposed Revocation of Public Lands Order, with the deadline approaching soon. Newsweek has sought comments from the Bureau via email.

Why Chaco Canyon Matters

Chaco Culture National Historical Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site located in northwestern New Mexico. It holds vital archaeological remains of the ancestral Puebloan civilization. The larger area features numerous cultural sites, ancient paths, shrines, and ceremonial locations sacred to Pueblo communities, the Navajo Nation, and other Indigenous groups.

These plans emerge after President Trump reduced the Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monuments’ size, igniting a debate over conservation, public lands, and presidential powers.

Opposition to BLM’s Proposal

The BLM plan to potentially reopen the Chaco Canyon area for oil and gas leasing faces strong opposition. In April, the Interior Department under Trump aimed to rescind Public Land Order 7923 and revoke Biden-era protections near Chaco. This would return leasing control to the BLM and open lands to development.

The proposal faces opposition from the All Pueblo Council Governors, representing 20 sovereign Pueblo nations in New Mexico and Texas. Deb Haaland, previously Secretary of the Interior and now running for Governor of New Mexico, criticized Trump and Director Steve Pearce for trying to open up the sacred site for profit, showing disrespect for New Mexicans’ way of life. Haaland has consistently supported Chaco and helped introduce the Chaco Cultural Heritage Area Protection Act during her time in Congress.

New Mexico Congresswoman Melanie Stansbury voiced her opposition on social media, emphasizing that Chaco Canyon should not be sold to oil and gas interests but preserved for future generations. The National Parks Conservation Association also opposes the plans, urging public defense of Chaco Culture Park.

The public comment deadline is Wednesday, July 29. Stakeholders can submit their comments through the provided link. For further inquiries, contact Newsweek editors John Fitzpatrick and Gray R. Thomas.