Biden closes more land to oil and gas drilling with 20-year ban.

Biden Administration Orders 20-Year Ban on New Oil and Gas Drilling Leases Near Chaco Culture National Historical Park

The Biden administration has ordered a 20-year ban on new oil and gas drilling leases within 10 miles of the Chaco Culture National Historical Park in New Mexico, according to multiple reports. The moratorium is a long-sought goal of several local politicians, conservation groups, and Native American tribes that want to preserve the centuries-old Pueblo ruins located there.

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, we are living up to our commitments to Indian Country. pic.twitter.com/k7N4AWWeBz

— Secretary Deb Haaland (@SecDebHaaland) June 2, 2023

However, some tribes have opposed the ban for limiting future economic opportunities. Interior Secretary Deb Haaland, herself a New Mexican and the nation’s first Native American Cabinet member, was directly lobbied to end drilling near the park by members of the Pueblo Action Alliance, a Native American activism organization to which her daughter Somah belongs, with the group’s executive director affectionately referring to her as “Auntie Deb” in an interview after the fact.

Efforts to Protect Chaco Landscape Have Been Ongoing for Decades

“Efforts to protect the Chaco landscape have been ongoing for decades, as Tribal communities have raised concerns about the impacts that new development would have on areas of deep cultural connection,” said Haaland in a statement.

The move is the administration’s latest toward Biden’s goal of conserving at least 30 percent of federal lands and waters by 2030. The Biden administration recently blocked large swathes of Alaska from being eligible for drilling. Meanwhile, the Interior Department proposed rules that would allow conservation groups to lease lands for restoration purposes, similar to how oil and gas companies can lease land for drilling operations.

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Key Takeaways:

• The Biden administration has ordered a 20-year ban on new oil and gas drilling leases within 10 miles of the Chaco Culture National Historical Park in New Mexico.
• The moratorium is a long-sought goal of several local politicians, conservation groups, and Native American tribes that want to preserve the centuries-old Pueblo ruins located there.
• Interior Secretary Deb Haaland was directly lobbied to end drilling near the park by members of the Pueblo Action Alliance, a Native American activism organization to which her daughter Somah belongs.
• The move is the administration’s latest toward Biden’s goal of conserving at least 30 percent of federal lands and waters by 2030.