Monday, December 27, 2021
Conservationists are calling on President Joe Biden to make permanent recent steps to protect Chaco Culture National Historical Park from further destruction by the extraction industry.
Last month, the administration took temporary action to stop oil and gas drilling for a surrounding 10-mile area.
According to Pew Charitable Trusts, over the past few decades, 90% of federal lands surrounding the park have been open to drilling.
Reyaun Francisco with the Nuestra Tierra Conservation Project, said Chaco was once the hub of cultural activity for Native American people.
"There's so much history in this area, as Native people, we often say that "all roads lead to Chaco" because that was true," Francisco pointed out. "It was the hub for Indigenous peoples all over these areas."
In addition to 37,000 oil and gas wells drilled in the Chaco region, 15,000 miles of road have been built. The federal government has proposed a 20-year withdrawal from federal lands to prevent further oil and gas leasing within ten miles of the Chaco park.
Francisco wants to see development throughout northwestern New Mexico better managed to address significant impacts on the health and well-being of tribal communities.
"Activism has grown to protect the community, and we've seen indigenous Native American activism become such a resilient force, not only in the community but across the country and across the world," Francisco asserted. "There is so much history in this area."
Native peoples once visited Chaco as a center for ceremony, trade and political administration. Now Francisco added, the UNESCO World Heritage Site is marked by oil wells, flares from fracking and methane emissions.
"Hopefully we'll one day live in a world where this wouldn't be a question, and this wouldn't be a difficult conversation," Francisco remarked. "It would be, 'Yes, this is a historic site that needs protection.' "
The proposed federal withdrawal will not apply to Individual Indian Allotments or to minerals within the area owned by private, state and tribal entities.
get more stories like this via email
![more stories](/assets/images/more-stories.png)
Environment
Although most Virginians support and prefer solar energy, misinformation is keeping more of it from being built. Several counties and cities have …
Social Issues
A common narrative suggests that deeply polarized American voters always support their party's candidates, but a new study suggests otherwise in …
Environment
By Bridget Huber for the Food and Environment Reporting Network.Broadcast version by Kathryn Carley for Maine News Service reporting for the Solutions…
Social Issues
Renewal Village, a converted Clarion Inn featuring 215 units of permanent supportive and transitional housing for people experiencing homelessness…
Social Issues
Record-high home prices are a top concern for New Hampshire voters and could impact the outcome of this year's gubernatorial race. All the …
Social Issues
Funding is coming to a program supporting students from low-income families in Washington state who want to go on to college or postsecondary educatio…
Social Issues
Drawing attention to a housing option that could make it easier for older Nebraskans to "age in place" is one of the goals of an AARP Community Challe…
Social Issues
A proposal to end closed party primaries and use a ranked choice system will appear on the November ballot. With less than two months to the …