FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 25, 2025
Contacts:
Paul F. Reed, 505-486-4107, preed@archaeologysouthwest.org
Sally Paez, 505-350-0664, sally@nmwild.org
Indigenous, Preservation, and Conservation Groups Urge Secretary Burgum to Uphold Protections for Chaco Region
Coalition calls mineral withdrawal a landmark act of respect for Tribal sovereignty and protection of one of America’s most significant cultural landscapes
(Santa Fe, NM) — A coalition of 25 Indigenous, historic preservation, and conservation organizations delivered a letter on June 23 to Department of the Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, urging him to uphold the 20-year administrative withdrawal of federal lands and minerals within a 10-mile buffer around Chaco Culture National Historical Park. A second letter was submitted by a group of 38 elected officials from across the State of New Mexico. The timing of the letters coincided with Secretary Burgum’s visit to Santa Fe for the Western Governors’ Association meeting, which inspired thousands of New Mexicans to rally in support of public lands protections. The letters emphasize the urgent need to protect the Greater Chaco region, as expressed in a recent resolution passed by the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) and in recent statements issued by the All Pueblo Council of Governors (APCG).
In response to the NCAI resolution, Pueblo of Acoma Governor Charles P. Riley issued a statement emphasizing the importance of maintaining the withdrawal: “Over a thousand years ago, our Pueblo ancestors called Chaco Canyon and the Greater Chaco Region home, creating one of the most magnificent civilizations in North America,” said Governor Riley. “Today, we stand at a crossroads where we must choose between short-term energy profits and the permanent preservation of our most sacred ancestral homeland. The choice is clear – we cannot allow the desecration of this World Heritage Site for minimal energy gains.”
The letter from advocates, signed by groups representing thousands of New Mexicans and supporters nationwide, highlights the cultural, historical, and spiritual importance of the Greater Chaco landscape to many Pueblos and Tribes in the Southwest. It calls on the Department of the Interior to maintain protections established in 2023 that prohibit new oil and gas leasing within the 10-mile zone.
The letter reads:
“The current mineral withdrawal was achieved after years of collaborative efforts by Tribal Nations, the All Pueblo Council of Governors, advocates, Indigenous and frontline organizations, and elected officials. This carefully crafted protection represents a balanced approach that safeguards sacred sites and places while respecting Tribal sovereignty—with no restrictions placed on allottees or private landowners, who can still freely use and develop their own lands.”
“We strongly encourage Secretary Burgum to leave Chaco’s 10-mile zone of protection untouched. The amazing cultural heritage of Chaco Canyon and the Greater Chaco Landscape cannot be compromised,” said Paul F. Reed, New Mexico State Director and Preservation Archaeologist for Archaeology Southwest.
Citing extensive development in the region—including over 37,000 oil and gas wells and 15,000 miles of industrial roads—the groups warn that reducing the buffer zone would endanger thousands of known archaeological, cultural, and historic sites, and expose communities to increased health and environmental risks.
“The Greater Chaco Landscape is awe-inspiring and irreplaceable,” said Sally Paez, staff attorney for New Mexico Wild. “The mineral withdrawal is crucial for the protection of cultural resources outside the Park’s boundaries, as well as wildlife habitat, Chaco’s famous dark skies, and public health.”
“For too long, short-term energy development has systematically erased Indigenous cultural sites and displaced communities from their ancestral lands,” said Ángel Peña, Executive Director of Nuestra Tierra Conservation Project. “The Greater Chaco protection zone represents a crucial stand against this ongoing pattern of cultural destruction and land that must be protected for our future generations.”
The signers emphasized that the existing withdrawal is a carefully crafted policy that honors Tribal sovereignty and allows allottees and private landowners to continue using and developing their land. They also pointed to the overwhelming public support for the withdrawal, with over 160,000 comments submitted in favor of the proposal during the public comment period.
The letter concludes:
“Chaco Canyon transcends politics—it is a place of reverence that is beloved throughout our nation. The 20-year mineral withdrawal represents years of careful tribal consultation, a tribally led ethnographic study, collaborative design, and thoughtful balancing of multiple uses.”
Resources:
Letter from Chaco Coalition Organizations (June 23, 2025)
Letter from New Mexico Elected Officials (June 23, 2025)
Pueblo of Acoma Press Release (June 23, 2025)
NCAI Resolution #CT-25-012 (June 17, 2025)
APCG Press Release (April 10, 2025)
Chaco Culture National Historical Park Area Withdrawal – BLM National NEPA Register
###
