Overview:
Democratic gubernatorial candidate Deb Haaland condemned the Trump administration's proposal to weaken protections around Chaco Culture National Historical Park, calling the effort a threat to a sacred Indigenous landscape.
Native Vote 2026
Democratic candidate for New Mexico governor Deb Haaland (Laguna Pueblo) is renewing her defense of Chaco Canyon after the Trump administration proposed rolling back federal protections for lands surrounding the internationally significant cultural site.
On Tuesday, Haaland issued a statement criticizing the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and BLM Director Steve Pearce over a proposal that could reopen federal lands around Chaco Culture National Historical Park to new oil, gas, and mineral development.
Last week, the BLM released an environmental assessment outlining three options: revoke the existing withdrawal of federal lands from mineral leasing, reduce the current 10-mile protective buffer around the park, or leave the existing protections in place.
“Donald Trump and Steve Pearce are attempting to open up Chaco to new mineral leasing and entry that would cause irreversible damage,” Haaland said in a statement. “Their attempt to profit off this sacred place shows a clear lack of consideration, and disrespect for the lives that New Mexicans live.”
“Chaco deserves lasting protection — for Tribal Nations, for New Mexico, and for future generations,” she added.
Chaco Canyon is one of the most significant ancestral sites in the Southwest and holds profound cultural and spiritual importance for many Tribal Nations, including the Navajo Nation and Pueblo communities. For years, Tribal leaders and preservation advocates have opposed expanded oil and gas development near the park, arguing that industrial activity threatens sacred sites, cultural landscapes, and archaeological resources.
Haaland has long been a leading advocate for protecting the Chaco region. During her time in Congress, she worked with New Mexico’s congressional delegation to introduce the Chaco Canyon Heritage Area Protection Act, legislation intended to permanently withdraw federal lands surrounding the park from future mineral development. She also worked alongside New Mexico Commissioner of Public Lands Stephanie Garcia Richard to protect Chaco homesites, cultural structures, and the broader cultural landscape.
As Secretary of the Interior, Haaland finalized a 20-year mineral withdrawal covering approximately 300,000 acres of federal land within a 10-mile radius of Chaco Culture National Historical Park. The withdrawal barred new oil and gas leasing and mining claims while allowing existing leases and valid rights, including allottee interests, to continue.
The Trump administration’s current proposal could reverse or weaken those protections, a move that has drawn opposition from many Tribal leaders and preservation organizations who view the Chaco landscape as an irreplaceable part of Native history and cultural identity.
Read Haaland’s full public comment below:
My name is Deb Haaland and I am submitting this comment on my own behalf, as a New Mexican and private citizen.
Chaco Canyon is not only a sacred place that holds deep meaning for Indigenous peoples whose ancestors have called this place home since time immemorial, it is an irreplaceable cultural site that belongs to all of humanity. Communities from across the globe, and right here in New Mexico, have worked for decades to protect this precious landscape and structures that date back thousands of years. It is imperative that we honor those efforts as part of community-led conservation that honors our country’s legacy.
Throughout my career, I have worked to protect Chaco, because I understand the importance of these lands. I have met with stakeholders, evaluated feedback, consulted with Tribes, and spent countless hours working to protect the area from new oil and gas leases.
As a U.S. Representative, I partnered with members of the New Mexico delegation and introduced the Chaco Cultural Heritage Area Protection Act to withdraw the federal lands around Chaco Canyon from further mineral development. This bill worked alongside anticipated actions from State Land Commissioner Stephanie Garcia Richard who took action to protect the Chaco homesites, cultural structures, and the greater landscape.
As Secretary of the Interior, I worked to safeguard thousands of sacred ancestral and archaeological sites. Part of that work included issuing a 20-year mineral withdrawal to protect approximately 300,000 acres of federal land within a 10-mile radius of Chaco Culture National Historical Park from new oil and gas leasing and mining. The buffer did not impact existing leases or claims for allottees.
This attempt to profit off of these sacred lands by revoking the withdrawal and allowing for mining and mineral leasing is reckless and does not take into account the historical meaning and future harms that will be done. Our people, our culture, and our shared history is more than lines on a spreadsheet or profit opportunities for shareholders.
The 10-mile withdrawal provides protection for more than 4,700 known archaeological sites located outside of the national park. A 5-mile withdrawal would leave more than 2,800 of those sites vulnerable to impacts from mineral developments and exposed to harmful drilling. Revoking the withdrawals puts these sites, others that are not documented and the broader cultural landscape at unacceptable risk of destruction.
Opening up Chaco to new mineral leasing and entry would cause irreversible damage. Oil and gas wells, pipelines, roads, and infrastructure would destroy Chaco and erase centuries of history recognized by the UNESCO World Heritage Center as a site of universal importance. Not only will the structures in the Chaco landscape be destroyed, the local Indigenous communities and wildlife in the area will face significant harm from the poor air quality that comes with oil and gas emissions.
I support the no action alternative to keep the 10-mile buffer withdrawal in place to protect 336,404 acres from new mineral leasing and entry for 20 years.
In my effort to protect Chaco as Secretary of the Interior, the Bureau of Land Management published a notice of proposed withdrawal in the Federal Register in January 2022. This opened a several month public comment period where more than 110,000 verbal and written comments were received. We hosted public meetings in various locations and took over a year and half to weigh our options to ensure that we made the best possible decision.
Providing a mere 14 days for the public to comment with no public meetings is reckless and shows a clear lack of consideration, as well as an abject disrespect for the lives that New Mexicans live – all done to limit the voices of people who deserve to be heard.
Tribes, elected officials, and communities with strong ties to Chaco Canyon have long made pilgrimages to pray, reflect, and pay respects to the ancestors who persevered for their future generations. The Trump Administration’s continuous attempts to use this area for intensive drilling shows a callous disregard for the incredible spirit, history, and creatures they are seeking to destroy here.
It was clear then, and it’s clear now that Chaco Canyon should be protected and should not be opened up for any new mineral leasing and entry.
It is my personal comment and commitment that Chaco deserves lasting protection — for Tribal Nations, for New Mexico, and for future generations.
Chaco is not for sale.
