US Interior boss, tribes celebrate 20-year ban on oil drilling near Chaco national park

By SUSAN MONTOYA BRYAN
Associated Press

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — U.S. Interior Secretary Deb Haaland is making another visit to Chaco Culture National Historical Park. Sunday’s visit to the northwestern New Mexico site is meant to celebrate her recent decision to enshrine for the next 20 years what had been an informal buffer around the park, protecting archaeological and culturally significant sites from future oil and gas development and mining. The decision came after more than a year of public meetings and consultation sessions with New Mexico pueblos and other Native American leaders. But not everyone is happy. Navajo leaders say Haaland and the Biden administration have disrespected efforts to reach a compromise that called for a smaller buffer that would protect the tribe’s financial interests.