Congress eyes protections near historical park in New Mexico

In this Nov. 21, 1996, file photo, tourists cast their shadows on the ancient Anasazi ruins of Chaco Culture National Historical Park in New Mexico. The checkerboard of federal land surrounding Chaco Culture National Historical Park would be off-limits to oil and gas development under legislation pending before Congress. The U.S. House is set to vote on the measure Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2019. The checkerboard of federal land surrounding Chaco Culture National Historical Park would be off-limits to oil and gas development under legislation pending before Congress. The U.S. House is set to vote on the measure Wednesday.

The campaign to curb drilling in one of the nation’s oldest basins has spanned at least three presidential administrations. In recent years, concerns expanded beyond environmental impacts to the preservation of cultural landmarks. Native American leaders and environmentalists have praised the legislation, saying it would protect irreplaceable sites located beyond park boundaries. The measure calls for withdrawing nearly 500 square miles (1,280 square kilometers) of federal land holdings. However, it would not apply to parcels belonging to the Navajo Nation or individual tribal members, which make up most of the area within the proposed protection zone.