The Archaeological Conservancy strongly opposes the proposed revocation of Public Land Order No. 7923 and urges the BLM and Department of the Interior to adopt the No Action Alternative, keeping the full 10‑mile buffer around Chaco Culture National Historical Park in place. This proposed action would reopen more than 300,000 acres to mineral leasing and mining claims that will irreversibly damage a sacred, living cultural landscape – destroying irreplaceable cultural resources, severing Indigenous connections, and degrading the landscape‑and‑sky relationships central to Chaco’s significance. Additionally, revoking this order would set a harmful precedent that invites further rollbacks of protections in the future.
The Archaeological Conservancy has decades of experience preserving threatened cultural resources nationwide. Sites once imperiled by mining, development, and industry are now permanently protected because of this work. The landscape surrounding Chaco Culture National Historical Park likewise deserves perpetual protection. We call on government officials to retain the 10-mile buffer, and ensure any activities near the park are subject to rigorous archaeological survey, enforceable protections, and transparent public oversight. We urge BLM to adopt the No Action Alternative, honor government‑to‑government Tribal consultation, and work collaboratively with affected ancestral communities to ensure permanent protection of this irreplaceable heritage for present and future generations.
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The Archaeological Conservancy
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