Trump Administration Proposes Oil Drilling Near Chaco Culture Park

The Trump administration is planning to permit oil and gas extraction near the Chaco Culture National Historical Park in New Mexico. The Bureau of Land Management proposed removing a 10-mile buffer zone that currently protects the World Heritage site from industrial activity, a move that would open the surrounding area to fossil fuel drilling and uranium mining.

UNESCO expressed alarm over the proposal, stating that extractive activities are incompatible with world heritage status. Tribal leaders, archaeologists, and environmental groups warned that the site could suffer irreparable damage if the protections are lifted.

The government received nearly 100,000 comments during a 12-day public comment period, with the majority of submissions opposing the removal of the buffer zone.