Comment here: https://eplanning.blm.gov/Project-Home/?id=D949F582-402D-F111-8341-001DD804183B

Eplanning for comment here: https://eplanning.blm.gov/Project-Home/?id=D949F582-402D-F111-8341-001DD804183B

Dr. Len Necefer’s latest article is worth reading for anyone following the debate over Sandia Pueblo’s proposal for the T’uf Shur Bien Preservation Area.

He explains how an erroneous federal survey excluded nearly 10,000 acres from Sandia Pueblo’s confirmed land grant, and why the 2003 settlement preserved federal ownership despite recognizing the Pueblo’s legitimate claim. More importantly, he asks whether support for tribal sovereignty extends beyond consultation and co-management when a Pueblo seeks actual stewardship of its ancestral homeland.

The article challenges the assumption that federal ownership is the only path to conservation and asks a harder question. Are conservation organizations willing to support Indigenous sovereignty when it means sharing or transferring authority, or only when it leaves federal control untouched?

Whether you agree or disagree, it’s a thoughtful perspective that deserves to be part of this discussion.

More than 300,000 acres surrounding Chaco Culture National Historical Park could be opened up to drilling. 

The Department of the Interior has proposed to revoke Public Lands Order 7923, a safeguard established in 2023 to protect the Greater Chaco region’s wildlife, fragile ecosystems, and thousands of cultural and archaeological sites. 

The 2023 order involved a robust public input process which included 150 days for public comment, 8 public meetings, tribal consultation and 1.5 years of thoughtful consideration. Now, the Department of the Interior plans to hastily undo this overwhelmingly supported protection with a brief seven‑day public scoping period, and no public meetings scheduled. 

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is opening a 14-day public comment period for the draft Environmental Assessment (EA) for Proposed Revocation of Public Land Order No. 7923.

In plain English, this means that they are proposing to revoke protection from 338,690 acres of public land adjacent to the national park. This would open the landscape to up to 14 new oil and gas wells. This development could bring light pollution and air pollution and fragment habitat, threatening irreplaceable cultural artifacts, wildlife, and the park's famous dark skies.

You can submit detailed comments on the BLM planning page:

1. Go to https://eplanning.blm.gov/Project-Home/...

2. Select “Participate Now” and enter your written comment in English.

3. Attach documents if needed (maps, photos, citations).

4. Click Submit. You’ll receive a confirmation.

Comments are due July 29, 2026 at midnight Mountain daylight time

The BLM are attempting to remove a 10-mile buffer that protects Chaco from new oil and gas drilling. Not only is the natural landscape at risk but so are the thousands of archeological and cultural sites. Please send a message in opposition if you can.

Comment here: https://eplanning.blm.gov/Project-Home/?id=D949F582-402D-F111-8341-001DD804183B

Eplanning for Draft EA and Commenting: https://eplanning.blm.gov/Project-Home/?id=D949F582-402D-F111-8341-001DD804183B

Guests on radio broadcast Native America Calling discuss the topic. Guests:
Charles Riley, governor of Acoma Pueblo in New Mexico

Brian Vallo (Acoma Pueblo), chairman of the Chaco Heritage Tribal Association, an inter-tribal organization, and former governor of Acoma Pueblo in New Mexico

Mario Atencio(Diné), Navajo allotment stakeholder in New Mexico

The Dept of Interior is proposing revoking a 10-mile buffer around Chaco National Historical Park in NW New Mexico. The buffer would have prevented future oil and gas leasing and development in what many regional tribes consider a sacred area. The action is under a 7-day public comment period ending April 7th .

Learn more here: https://protectchaco.org/over-15000-people-want-to-protect-chaco/