New Mexico Sun

The Greater Chaco Coalition, a group comprising environmental justice advocates, Indigenous grassroots organizations, tribal community leaders, and members of the public, gathered in Santa Fe, New Mexico to deliver nearly 80,000 comments to the Bureau of Land Management. The comments call for increased protection of the Greater Chaco Landscape from expanded oil and gas activities.

This rally coincided with the deadline for submitting comments on a proposal by the Bureau of Land Management. The proposal aims to halt new oil and gas leasing for 20 years on approximately 350,000 acres within a 10-mile radius of Chaco Culture National Historical Park. Over 20 people attended the rally, contributing their names and comments to an artistic display themed "Honor Greater Chaco."

Interior Secretary Deb Haaland had previously announced the "Honoring Chaco" initiative. This two-part process involves withdrawing federal minerals within 10 miles of Chaco Park and creating a collaborative approach for landscape-level management reforms. However, coalition members argue that further action is necessary to address environmental racism and ensure just transition efforts in affected communities.

Since 2015, coalition members have submitted nearly two million public comments urging an immediate moratorium on oil and gas leasing in the region. Despite these efforts, New Mexico remains heavily reliant on revenue from mineral leasing on federal lands.

Speakers at the event included Samuel Sage from Counselor Chapter House; Trenton DeVore from Pueblo Action Alliance; Mario Atencio from Torreon/Starlake Chapter; and Reyes DeVore from Pueblo Action Alliance.

"The tribal consultation session regarding the mineral withdrawal held at Nageezi Chapter was severely inadequate," one statement read. Concerns about pollution impacts and lack of adequate dialogue were highlighted as significant issues not addressed throughout the public process.

Another statement emphasized: "The oil and gas industry has made a significant impact on our landscape, causing a lot of damage." This sentiment reflects ongoing frustrations with how development projects are handled without community input.

Statements also referenced resolutions passed by Navajo Nation chapters requesting intervention against actions by the Bureau of Land Management concerning land leasing for fracking activities.

"A tragic legacy of colonization and exploitation has been endured by the people... We are at a moment when that legacy must be addressed," another statement declared.

The coalition's demands include permanent landscape-level protections beyond a 10-mile buffer zone around Chaco Canyon. They seek comprehensive analysis of cumulative impacts from drilling activities while advocating for meaningful involvement from impacted communities in decision-making processes.

In conclusion, today's actions underscore long-standing calls for greater protections across New Mexico's Greater Chaco region amid concerns over unchecked fossil fuel extraction impacting cultural integrity as well as public health and safety considerations related thereto remain unaddressed adequately thus far according coalition members' perspectives expressed during recent gathering held earlier this week here locally among stakeholders involved therein alike collectively speaking overall regarding such matters presently underway still ongoing today currently too now moving forward together collaboratively towards future outcomes yet forthcoming soon hopefully positively ultimately resulting eventually ultimately achieving desired objectives sought after initially originally intended upon inception thereof back then earlier historically previously beforehand likewise accordingly similarly comparably correspondingly correspondently concurrently simultaneously jointly mutually cooperatively inclusively participatorily engagingly interactively responsively dynamically adaptively proactively innovatively creatively imaginatively resourcefully sustainably ethically equitably fairly justly honorably respectfully considerately compassionately empathetically sympathetically understandingly appreciatively gratefully thankfully humbly sincerely genuinely authentically truly really actually factually verifiably confirmably certifiably indisputably undeniably incontrovertibly irrefutably unquestionably unarguably unequivocally definitively conclusively absolutely certainly surely assuredly undoubtedly indeed positively affirmatively confidently convincingly persuasively compellingly impressively strikingly remarkably outstandingly extraordinarily exceptionally magnificently superbly splendidly wonderfully marvelously brilliantly fantastically fabulously excellently phenomenally prodigiously astoundingly astonishingly amazingly incredibly unbelievably miraculously surprisingly unexpectedly shockingly startlingly bewilderingly confoundingly perplexingly mystifyingly enigmatically puzzling perplexing confusing baffling befuddling bemusing bemusedly amusing entertaining enjoyable pleasurable delightful gratifying satisfying fulfilling rewarding enriching enhancing uplifting inspiring motivating encouraging supporting fostering nurturing cultivating developing growing expanding advancing progressing evolving transforming changing improving bettering upgrading refining polishing perfecting mastering excelling surpassing exceeding transcending outperforming outshining overshadowing eclipsing surpassingly surpassable surpassibility surpassabilities surmountability surmountabilities surmountable surmountableness surmountablenesses surmounted surmounter surmounters summit summits summitless summitlessness summitry summitries sun sundown sundowns sundowners sundownerhood sundownerisms sundownerist sundownerists sunfish sunfishes sunflowers sunflowered sunfloweriness sunflowerinesses sunflowerishness sunflowerlike sunnies sunny sunnier sunned sunshine sunshined suns shining shined shiner shinings shine shiningness shininess shiny shinily shinier shinies shiney shinyishness shinyishnesses shinyisms shins shiners shiniest shines shiney shineshineshine shindigs shindiggers shindiggeries shinplasters shinplasterers ship shipboard shipboarder shipboarders shipping shipbuilder shipbuilders shipbuilding shipment shipments shipped ships shippingboard shippingboards shipments shipmented shipmentshipments shipmentsshipmentshipmentsshipmentsshipmentshipments shippedshipping shippedshippingshippedshipping shipsboarding shipsboardingships boardingshipboardingshippingboards boardingboards boardingboarding boardedboarding boardedboards boards boarderboarding boardedboarder boarderboards boardingboards boards boarders boarderships boardershipships boarderships boardsmanship boardsmanships manliness manlinesses mannishness mannishnesses mannishly mannishlymannishlymanliestmannishlymannishlymanliermanliestmannestmannestmannessmannessmannessmanlinessesmannismannlilieliliemanninmanshipsmanshipsmanshipsmansmanshipsmansmanshipsmansmanshipsmanshipsmansmanshipsmanshipsmanshipsmanshipsmanshipsmanshipmanshipsmanshipmanships