Secretary Burgum must preserve Chaco Culture National Historical Park.

Chaco Culture National Historical Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, has existed for over a thousand years and protects one of the most extraordinary cultural landscapes in the National Park System. Development has scarred the landscape with tens of thousands of oil and gas wells, pipelines, and roads that carry trucks and heavy equipment.

Now, the Department of the Interior is threatening to consider using protected public lands for energy development. Tell Secretary Burgum this cannot be justified as an energy strategy, when millions of acres of surrounding public land are already open to oil and gas development.

This message will be sent to Secretary Burgum:

Doug

Burgum

US Department of the Interior

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Chaco Culture National Historical Park (Chaco Canyon) is one of the most remarkable cultural landscapes in the National Park System, a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site, and International Dark Sky Park. I urge you to maintain, in full, Public Land Order (PLO) 7923, to preserve the 10-mile mineral withdrawal protecting public lands surrounding Chaco Canyon.

In 2023, 40,000 people visited the park, bringing $3.2 billion to local gateway communities. Yet, over 90% of public land around the park is designated for oil and gas development.

PLO 7923 was the result of a decades-long effort by Tribal Nations, the All Pueblo Council of Governors, elected officials, and community groups to protect the outstanding cultural, spiritual, and historical significance of Chaco Canyon landscapes.

Thousands of oil and gas wells, roads, pipelines, and other industrial developments have already destroyed significant cultural sites. PLO 7923 was developed to minimize the development impacts to this sacred landscape, as roughly 4,200 known archaeological, cultural, and historic sites would be at risk if the PLO is revoked.

This mineral withdrawal was carefully crafted with federal agencies and Tribal Nations in the area to safeguard sacred sites and landscapes while respecting Tribal sovereignty. As written, it does not prevent any existing leases from being developed and does not include any private and Tribal-owned lands.

Weakening this withdrawal would further reduce air quality, visibility, and world-renowned night sky experiences—degrading the visitor experience for travelers from across the globe and the health of local communities.

Please maintain, in full, PLO 7923 to protect this sacred landscape, protect community health, and preserve the world-renowned park experience of Chaco Culture National Historical Park.

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