Roughly 350,000 acres of federal land surrounding Chaco Culture National Historical Park in New Mexico would be permanently withdrawn from oil and gas leasing, mining, and mineral development. The area contains hundreds of sacred and archeological sites significant to Pueblo Indian Tribes, the Navajo Nation, the Hopi Tribe, and others. Existing non-producing oil and gas leases in the area would automatically terminate, and the land could be conveyed to Indian Tribes. The bill would not affect tribal mineral rights or prevent road, water, or utility improvements for nearby communities.
Congressional Summary
Chaco Cultural Heritage Area Protection Act of 2025This bill creates a buffer zone around the Chaco Culture National Historic Park in New Mexico by prohibiting certain leases on federal land for the development of mineral resources or geothermal energy within the buffer zone. Nonproducing oil and gas leases in the buffer zone are terminated.
Details
- Congress
- 119th
- Chamber
- Senate
- Status
- summarized
- Action
- Introduced in Senate
- Action Date
- 2025-04-10
- Date Added
- 2026-04-16