This bill protects a large area of federal land surrounding Chaco Culture National Historical Park in New Mexico from oil and gas development. The Chaco region is home to ancient ruins and sacred sites built by the Chacoan people over a thousand years ago, and it remains culturally important to Native American tribes including Pueblo tribes, the Navajo Nation, and the Hopi Tribe. The park itself is recognized worldwide as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is famous for its pristine night skies.

The bill creates a protected zone where the federal government will no longer lease land for oil and gas drilling. Any existing oil and gas leases in this area that haven't started producing yet will automatically end. This prevents new drilling operations that could damage archaeological sites, disrupt the sacred landscape, and harm the visitor experience at the park. The bill also stops any future mining or mineral extraction on these federal lands.

The protection doesn't affect Native American tribes' rights to develop resources on their own trust lands, and it still allows for necessary improvements like roads, water lines, and power lines to help nearby communities. The bill essentially freezes the status quo on federal land in the immediate area around Chaco to preserve its cultural and historical significance while addressing concerns from local communities and tribes about how oil and gas development has already impacted their health, safety, and way of life.

Chaco Cultural Heritage Area Protection Act of 2023

Luján, Ben Ray

Chaco Cultural Heritage Area Protection Act of 2023 This bill withdraws certain federal land in New Mexico and authorizes the Department of the Interior to convey the land to, or exchange the land with, an Indian tribe under a resource management plan. Nonproducing oil and gas leases on the withdrawn land are terminated.