Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland recently announced steps the Bureau of Land Management will take to segregate land in Chaco Canyon in New Mexico for proposed federal withdrawal.
A BLM press release said a 20-year withdrawal of federal lands within a 10-mile radius around Chaco Culture National Historical Park would protect the land from federal oil and gas leasing.
“Chaco Canyon is a sacred place that holds deep meaning for the Indigenous peoples whose ancestors lived, worked, and thrived in that high desert community,” Haaland said in the release. “Now is the time to consider more enduring protections for the living landscape that is Chaco, so that we can pass on this rich cultural legacy to future generations. I value and appreciate the many Tribal leaders, elected officials, and stakeholders who have persisted in their work to conserve this special area.”
Haaland hails from New Mexico. Before she was appointed DOI secretary, Haaland represented New Mexico's 1st Congressional District from 2019 to earlier this year.
The BLM published a notice in the Federal Register Nov. 15 about the proposed withdrawal.
According to the National Park Service’s website, Chaco Culture NHP is listed in the National Register of Historic Places and was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987.
It’s home to 4,000 archaeological sites and approximately 40,000 people visit the park annually.
