The Biden administration has proposed prohibiting oil drilling and mining on thousands of acres of land in northern New Mexico, aimed at safeguarding Native American heritage and cultural sites.
The Department of the Interior (DOI) unveiled the plan to ban new mining claims and oil and gas development across more than 4,200 acres in Sandoval County, situated north of Albuquerque. If the proposal is finalized and implemented, it would remain in effect for up to 50 years.
Interior Secretary Deb Haaland expressed the administration’s commitment to protecting these lands in response to calls from tribes, elected officials, and local communities. Secretary Haaland stated, “Today we’re responding to a call from Tribes, elected leaders, and community members who want to see these public lands protected.” She added, “We look forward to hearing more from the public to inform decisions about how activities, like gravel mining, may impact these lands, including the important cultural and natural resources.”
Melanie Barnes, the state director of the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) New Mexico office, emphasized the Placitas area’s significance for Tribal Nations and the local community. The region contains archaeological resources dating back hundreds of years and is popular for hiking, camping, sightseeing, and hunting.
The BLM’s proposal aims to “protect, preserve, and promote the scenic integrity, cultural importance, recreational values, and wildlife habitat connectivity” in the area.
The Pueblo tribes of San Felipe and Santa Ana had previously advocated for protections in this region, emphasizing its archaeological significance. The proposed action aligns with their concerns and priorities.
In 2019, while serving in Congress and as vice chair of the House Natural Resources Committee, Secretary Haaland introduced the Buffalo Tract Protection Act, which mirrors the recent proposal. She cited the pollution and environmental impact that local residents and tribal citizens experienced due to the area’s numerous mines.
Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and Rep. Melanie Stansbury (D-N.M.) reintroduced the legislation earlier this year, consistently urging the DOI to block mineral development in Sandoval County.
The Congressional Budget Office conducted an assessment of the Buffalo Tract Protection Act using information from the BLM. The report, issued in August, highlighted that the region affected by the mineral ban has a high potential for sand and gravel extraction, which is essential for infrastructure projects like road construction. It also indicated minimal potential for the development of other minerals.
However, the report projected that the land withdrawal would result in a decrease of $2 million in federal revenue. Despite this fiscal impact, proponents of the measure stress the importance of preserving cultural heritage and protecting the environment in the region.
The Interior Department led by Haaland recently approved a land grab from the Navajo Nation around Chaco Canyon that marked off a ten-mile radius from new oil and natural gas leasing for the next 20 years, which will result in hundreds of millions of dollars in lost revenue to the tribal nation.
Not to worry, Trump will undo this shameless land grab when he’s elected in 2024.
If the tribes are willing to lose the revenue from oil and gas development and also stop the sand and gravel extraction maybe they shouldn’t get any free money from the rest of the state that does. Furthermore they should not get any infrastructure improvements if it involves gravel from other areas of the state.
Trump will win but not be reelected. You blind to your nation being stolen.
If it’s tribal land, let them decide. The feds, and the State on NM, should stay out of it.
Having so stated, I have no doubt about the outcome – Democrat hegemony.
With all of the attacks on so-called “fossil fuels” and the obvious failure of wind and solar, the price of uranium is rising. New Mexico has uranium. There is a mine close to where I live. Could that have anything to do with it?
The “Mining” is called a gravel pit. They have been in that area for 50 years. Now that well to do people have built their retirement homes in site of these pits, the “mining” has to go. It is not the Indians who are complaining. It is a bunch of mostly White land owners who have over populated a beautiful part of NM. I am also not aware of any planned or existing oil drilling in the area. I guess she throws that in for the climate idiots.
One could only hope. If I had oil on my reservation I would drill like a madman. Screw the fed
Those Native-Americans should be able to negotiate their own leases with companies that will provide the best economical return for these Tribal Nations. The US Govt has no business meddling in sovereign Tribal decisions.
I would like to hear from THE ACTUAL TRIBAL NATIONS own words what they would actually like to see happen. Once again, the government taking what belongs to our native sovereign nations.
My husbands family lives in Belen.We have watched the town turn into a ghost town.The leftists in NM are the worst.Cartels ruining ABQ homeless everywhere.I hate that they have to live in that liberal,leftist hell hole.Heath care is awful,police underfunded.My husband and I were almost attacked at a red light by a Native American who was on something, possessed or just hated white people.Its sad that such a beautiful place has become so woke,corrupt and run by evil liberals.
Just remember: 100% of the Senators voted “FOR” Deb Haaland’s nomination, the uni-party did this to New Mexico. Looks like New Mexico should have dealt with Deb “Earth First! terrorist” Haaland years ago….
The people must realize money is being taken away. No drilling no income. Period.
I am also confused. Are they public lands or tribal lands. If they are tribal lands, the tribes should say yay or nay. Not the Feds and this sellout old alcoholic to elitists and climate change worshippers. If they are public lands meaning belonging to all of us, then how can they do this without an act of congress? Republicans have the House and there is no way it will pass there. I hope.
Harland is supporting this in the name of protecting tribal heritage and culture, while at the same time approving a lithium mine on Paiute and Ute land in Nevada called the Thacker Pass mine. All in the name of fighting climate change. So hypocrisy runs deep in Harland’s Interior Department.
Mr. Chavez. Not all of the tribes have mineral rights. And they aren’t funded by the State. They are equal in power as the States in sovereignty. So yeah, there’s a bunch of brown people who got jacked off their land, and were forced onto reservations with land and no mineral rights primarily Dinetah (Navajo Nation). Biden just told Navajo Nation they weren’t even going to help with water for their people. Chaco Canyon is a beautiful place. All over the world indigenous, archaeological sites are preserved and honored. Aka. Egypt, Mexico… why is it that Americans don’t have any respect for anything that has to do with Native American?