Page 14 - HOH

A4 U.S. NEWS
Wednesday 10 april 2019

U.S. lawmakers seek to protect

national park in New Mexico

SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — A re- prohibit the expansion of es of state trust holdings in
newed effort was launched mineral development on the Chaco area is being
Tuesday to halt federal federal inholdings within prepared by State Land
leases for oil and natural a roughly 10-mile (16-kilo- Commissioner Stephanie
gas development near a meter) radius surrounding Garcia Richard, who an-
national park in New Mex- Chaco Culture National nounced she will sign the
ico held sacred by Native Historical Park. measure April 23.
Americans. According to the delega- Supporters of the federal
Four members of New tion, federal mineral rights legislation say they want
In this Aug. 10, 2005, file photo, tourist Chris Farthing from Suffolks
County, England, takes a picture while visiting Chaco Culture Mexico's all-Democratic span about 500 square to protect the sense of
National Historical Park in northwestern New Mexico. congressional delegation miles (1,300 square kilome- remoteness that comes
Associated Press introduced legislation to ters) within the proposed with making the journey
buffer zone — a check- to Chaco. They are also
board of federal, state, concerned about the pres-
tribal and private land. ervation of ancient stone
The park's ancient, astro- structures and other fea-
nomically aligned dwell- tures outside the national
ings and roadways are an park's boundaries.
international attraction, Newly elected U.S. Rep.
and many Native Ameri- Debra Haaland, a tribal
can communities trace member of Laguna Pueblo,
their ancestry and tradi- embraced the proposed
tions to the area. drilling restrictions.
"This special place should "Chaco Canyon was my
not be under constant ancestral homeland and
threat of destruction," Sen. remains a living landscape,"
Tom Udall said. she said on a group call
Navajo Nation President with reporters. "It's a place
Jonathan Nez and local where New Mexico families
tribal pueblo leaders joined make memories, and fami-
lawmakers on a confer- lies from all over the world
ence call to endorse the make memories."
bill. Proposed restrictions Federal land managers re-
on energy development peatedly have deferred
would not apply to Native any interest by the oil and
American or private hold- gas industry in parcels that
ings. Similar federal legis- fall within the buffer. Still,
lation was introduced in tribes and others are con-
2018. cerned that energy com-
The bill's future remains un- panies keep nominating
certain in the GOP-con- parcels for possible inclu-
trolled Senate. Sens. Udall sion in quarterly lease sales
and Martin Heinrich were held by the Bureau of Land
asked whether they had Management. They say a
spoken with Interior Sec- permanent buffer would
retary David Bernhardt, prevent that.
whose agency oversees Michael Chavarria, vice
the Bureau of Land Man- chairman of a coalition of
agement and mineral ex- 20 pueblo governors, said
ploration in the region. concerns about preserving
"I believe the administra- scattered Chaco cultural
tion knows very well my sites extend beyond the 10-
position in terms of leasing mile buffer outlined in the
within the 10-mile buffer, proposed legislation.
and I hope that they'll hon- The bill also emphasizes
or that," Udall said. Heinrich the federal government's
did not comment. obligation to consult with
A moratorium on new leas- tribes.q