ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — The Trump administration is initiating formal discussions with Native American tribes in the southwestern U.S. as it reviews a 20-year moratorium on oil and gas drilling over hundreds of square miles of federal land surrounding the Chaco Culture National Historical Park.
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) announced the commencement of discussions through a letter sent to tribal leaders, indicating plans to undertake an environmental assessment regarding the proposal to resume leasing federal lands. Following this, a public comment period will be made available.
This UNESCO World Heritage site has been embroiled in debates over drilling since prior administrations. Within the park reside monumental stone structures dating back centuries, remnants left by the original inhabitants, along with ancient routes and cultural sites scattered throughout the desert and canyons.
Encouraged by certain pueblo leaders, the previous administration had instituted a restrictive order against new oil and gas development within a 10-mile radius of the historic site in 2023, extending protections significantly.
Tribal leaders, who recently celebrated this move alongside New Mexico’s Democratic congressional delegation, are now voicing concerns about potential rollbacks on these protections as the Trump administration re-evaluates a range of public land orders mandated under Biden.
The letter suggests that BLM’s consideration includes a triad of options: maintaining the existing withdrawal, entirely revoking it, or possibly instituting a smaller buffer around the park.
Despite a federal government shutdown, the BLM employees remain committed to engaging with tribal leaders regarding their concerns — making this process a priority. Petersburg tribal leaders previously visited the nation’s capital to push for extending these withdrawals into permanent legislation.
For many tribes — from Acoma and Laguna in New Mexico to the Hopi in Arizona — the Chaco region carries deep ancestral significance, forming a core part of their identity and cultural heritage.
However, the intricacies of the political terrain, including a lawsuit from the Navajo Nation alleging improper consultation on the economic effects of prohibiting new developments, indicate a robust contention over the future of oil and gas endeavors in proximity to this vital heritage site.
