Interior secretary to defer leasing near Chaco Canyon

May 29, 2019
US Interior Sec. David L. Bernhardt agreed to defer oil and gas leasing near Chaco Canyon in New Mexico following a visit with tribal leaders in the area, US Sen. Martin T. Heinrich (D-NM) reported.

US Interior Sec. David L. Bernhardt agreed to defer oil and gas leasing near Chaco Canyon in New Mexico following a visit with tribal leaders in the area, US Sen. Martin T. Heinrich (D-NM) reported.

This will give the US Bureau of Land Management time to draft a new resource management plan and Congress time to consider the bill he and Sen. Tom Udall (D-NM) introduced on Apr. 9 to withdraw federal lands around Chaco Canyon from further mineral development, Heinrich said.

He said Bernhardt agreed to put any leasing within 10 miles of the park on hold for a year.

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