Opponents of fracking in the Chaco Canyon region won a key victory this week. U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), a member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, secured key commitments from U.S. Secretary of the Interior David Bernhardt following his visit to Chaco Canyon.

The commitments from the Department of the Interior include placing a one-year moratorium on oil and gas leasing within a 10-mile buffer zone around Chaco Culture National Historical Park.

"I invited Secretary Bernhardt to New Mexico to see firsthand how special Chaco Canyon is and I’m pleased with the outcome of his visit," explained Senator Heinrich, "The Secretary had the opportunity to meet with local tribal leaders who are united in protecting the area surrounding the Chaco Culture National Historical Park. The region holds deep meaning to New Mexico's Pueblos, whose history and traditional knowledge live on in its thousands of ancestral sites, and to the Navajo Nation, whose lands and communities surround Chaco Culture National Historical Park." 

"I appreciated the opportunity to visit with Senator Heinrich and the tribal leaders today," Secretary Bernhardt agreed, "I walked away with a greater sense of appreciation of the magnificent site managed by the National Park Service and a better understanding of the of tribal leaders’ views of its cultural significance."

Bernhardt continued, "I have directed BLM to promptly publish a draft Resource Management Plan that includes an alternative that reflects the tribal leaders’ views and the proposed legislative boundaries. We will take appropriate action to defer leasing within the 10 mile buffer during the next year, and we will respect the role of Congress under the property clause of the constitution to determine how particular lands held by the federal government should be managed."

Environmental groups opposed to oil and gas leasing near or in the Greater Chaco region celebrated the news. "This is a major victory for the Navajo Nation, Pueblo tribes, and the thousands of people who have rallied to limit destructive fracking in Greater Chaco," said Lena Moffitt, senior director of the Sierra Club's "Our Wild America" campaign.  She added, "It’s a testament to the power of communities standing together in opposition to extractive industries that threaten their culture, health, and safety. There’s still much work to be done to ensure that this special place and the people who live there are protected from the dangers of expanded fracking, and we will continue to fight to achieve permanent protections within the 10-mile buffer zone and beyond."

Chaco Canyon National Historic Park protects the archeological remains of massive buildings built between 850 and 1250 AD. Located in the New Mexico desert, the national park can be explored through hiking trails, guided tours, and night sky programs.