Press Releases

LCV Statement on Biden Administration’s Steps to Protect Chaco Canyon Landscape

Nov 15, 2021

Contact: Emily Samsel, esamsel@lcv.org, 828-713-9647

Washington, D.C. — In response to the Biden administration’s announcement that it is initiating a process to consider barring new federal oil and gas leasing for 20 years within a 10-mile radius around Chaco Culture National Historical Park as well as undertaking a broader assessment of the Greater Chaco cultural landscape to ensure that public land management better reflects the sacred sites, stories, and cultural resources in the region, the League of Conservation Voters (LCV) released the following statement from Conservation Program Director Alex Taurel:

“It’s wonderful to see the Biden administration announce these steps toward protecting the sacred landscape of Chaco Canyon. We are thrilled that the Biden administration is heeding the calls of Indigenous communities that have been fighting for hundreds of years to protect their ancestral lands from further desecration, and we hope this process results in long-term protections for the Chaco Canyon area. Embracing this and other examples of tribally-led conservation efforts can help the United States fight climate change and advance equity at a time when we must act boldly on both fronts.”

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