😱🛢️ Biden Admin Stay Put One Stop to Oil Drillin’ Near Native American Cultural Site 🏜️
Da Biden Administration wen take action on Friday fo’ block new oil an’ gas leasing on federal land ’round Chaco Canyon in New Mexico, one of da nation’s oldest an’ most culturally significant Native American sites. Interior Secretary Deb Haaland wen announce dat her agency goin’ withdraw public lands wit’in a 10-mile radius of Chaco Canyon an’ da area ’round ’em, known as Chaco Culture National Historical Park, from access to new oil an’ gas leasing fo’ 20 years. Dis follow through on a 2021 pledge by President Biden fo’ protect the area from drillin’. Da move no goin’ affect existing oil an’ gas leases on da land or drillin’ on private property wit’in the 10-mile radius. 🔒🏞️
Da plan dat Ms. Haaland, da first Native American cabinet secretary, wen lay out, come aftah decades of tribal requests. Da intention fo’ dis is fo’ highlight President Biden’s efforts fo’ focus on Native American issues an’ expand conservation of public lands. But dis also wen generate opposition from Republicans an’ New Mexico’s oil an’ gas industry. Dis announcement come durin’ one week wen environmental activists wen get furious wit’ da Biden administration’s move fo’ speed up one 300-mile natural gas pipeline in West Virginia as part of da deal fo’ raise da debt ceiling. 🤬💰
🤔 Wai Dis Importan’ Chaco Canyon park, one area ’bout 30,000 acres in da high desert mesas of northwest New Mexico, wen establish in 1907 by President Theodore Roosevelt. Dis UNESCO World Heritage site, get plenty pre-Columbian ruins. Between da ninth an’ 13th centuries, da area was one center of Pueblo culture, wit’ multiple settlements of multistory houses an’ sacred sites. But fo’ da past decade, Pueblo an’ other Native groups wen worry dat oil an’ gas projects wen threaten the park.
While Congress wen pass some temporary drilling bans ’round da park, no long-term o’ permanent policy wen implement fo’ block drillin’ at da edges.
“Today mark one important step in fulfillin’ President Biden’s commitments to Indian Country, by protectin’ Chaco Canyon, one sacred place dat hold deep meanin’ fo’ da Indigenous peoples whose ancestors wen call dis place home since time immemorial,” said Ms. Haaland in one statement. 🌍✊
Dis year, Mr. Biden wen create one new national monument, Spirit Mountain, in Nevada, fo’ protect half-million acres dat stay revered by Native Americans. He also wen restore an’ expand protections fo’ Bears Ears National Monument an’ Grand Staircase-Escalante in Utah, sites dat stay sacred to Native Americans an’ had been opened to mining an’ drillin’ by da Trump administration. 🏔️🌳
📜 Background Da Bureau of Land Management no wen issue one oil an’ gas lease wit’in the 10-mile buffer ’round Chaco Canyon fo’ ’bout 10 years, an’ New Mexico wen halt mineral leasin’ ’round Chaco Canyon through one state-level moratorium in 2019. One federal moratorium on new mining claims stay in place since January 2022, wen da Interior Department publish one notice of da proposed withdrawal in da Federal Register. Da proposal stay open to one 120-day public comment period dat include six public meetings an’ yield ova’ 110,000 verbal an’ written comments. Dat input, along wit’ consultations wit’ 24 tribal nations, help shape da final plan, da agency wen say. 📋💬
🔮 What’s Next Oil an’ gas drillin’ stay one major part of New Mexico’s economy. At da time Mr. Biden announce his plans fo’ protect da Chaco Canyon area, one spokesman fo’ da New Mexico Oil & Gas Association wen call da move “arbitrary” an’ say it would limit economic opportunities in dat part of da state, possibly fo’ generations to come. No clear if da industry goin’ try challenge da new protections. ⛽💼
NOW IN ENGLISH
😱🛢️ Biden Administration Puts a Stop to Oil Drilling Near Native American Cultural Site 🏜️
The Biden Administration took action on Friday to block new oil and gas leasing on federal land around Chaco Canyon in New Mexico, one of the nation’s oldest and most culturally significant Native American sites. Interior Secretary Deb Haaland announced that her agency will withdraw public lands within a 10-mile radius of Chaco Canyon and the surrounding area, known as Chaco Culture National Historical Park, from access to new oil and gas leasing for 20 years. This follows through on a 2021 pledge by President Biden to protect the area from drilling. The move will not affect existing oil and gas leases on the land or drilling on private property within the 10-mile radius. 🔒🏞️
The plan laid out by Ms. Haaland, the first Native American cabinet secretary, comes after decades of tribal requests. The intention behind this is to highlight President Biden’s efforts to focus on Native American issues and expand the conservation of public lands. However, this has also generated opposition from Republicans and New Mexico’s oil and gas industry. This announcement comes during a week when environmental activists were furious with the Biden administration’s move to expedite a 300-mile natural gas pipeline in West Virginia as part of the deal to raise the debt ceiling. 🤬💰
🤔 Why This Is Important Chaco Canyon Park, an area of about 30,000 acres in the high desert mesas of northwest New Mexico, was established in 1907 by President Theodore Roosevelt. This UNESCO World Heritage site is home to numerous pre-Columbian ruins. Between the ninth and 13th centuries, the area served as a center of Pueblo culture, with multiple settlements of multistory houses and sacred sites. However, for the past decade, Pueblo and other Native groups have been concerned that oil and gas projects were threatening the park.
While Congress has enacted some temporary drilling bans around the park, there has been no long-term or permanent policy implemented to block drilling at its edges.
“Today marks an important step in fulfilling President Biden’s commitments to Indian Country, by protecting Chaco Canyon, a sacred place that holds deep meaning for the Indigenous peoples whose ancestors have called this place home since time immemorial,” said Ms. Haaland in a statement. 🌍✊
This year, Mr. Biden created a new national monument, Spirit Mountain, in Nevada, to protect half a million acres that are revered by Native Americans. He also restored and expanded protections for Bears Ears National Monument and Grand Staircase-Escalante in Utah, sites that are sacred to Native Americans and had been opened to mining and drilling by the Trump administration. 🏔️🌳
📜 Background The Bureau of Land Management has not issued an oil and gas lease within the 10-mile buffer around Chaco Canyon for approximately 10 years, and New Mexico halted mineral leasing around Chaco Canyon through a state-level moratorium in 2019. A federal moratorium on new mining claims has been in place since January 2022, when the Interior Department published a notice of the proposed withdrawal in the Federal Register. The proposal was open to a 120-day public comment period that included six public meetings and yielded over 110,000 verbal and written comments. That input, along with consultations with 24 tribal nations, helped shape the final plan, the agency said. 📋💬
🔮 What’s Next Oil and gas drilling is a major part of New Mexico’s economy. At the time Mr. Biden announced his plans to protect the Chaco Canyon area, a spokesman for the New Mexico Oil & Gas Association called the move “arbitrary” and said it would limit economic opportunities in that part of the state, possibly for generations to come. It is unclear if the industry will try to challenge the new protections. ⛽💼
