Sponsors (3)
The bill prioritizes protection of Chaco’s cultural, environmental, and public-health values and strengthens tribal control by withdrawing federal lands from new extractive uses, at the cost of foregone energy and resource development, local revenue and jobs, and increased administrative complexity.
Tribal communities and nearby residents retain long-term protections because Federal lands around Chaco are withdrawn from new oil and gas leasing, mining, and waste disposal, preserving cultural sites, landscapes, and environmental quality.
Tribal members and tribes retain mineral rights on trust/allotment lands and gain the ability to receive conveyed or exchanged lands under approved management plans, strengthening tribal resource control and local self-determination.
People visiting Chaco Culture NHP and surrounding sites benefit from preserved historic and night-sky resources—supporting cultural preservation, visitor experience, and education/tourism opportunities.
Local workers, leaseholders, and communities face reduced economic activity, jobs, royalties, and potential local revenue because the withdrawal and development restrictions prevent future oil, gas, and mining development on covered lands.
Current holders of nonproducing federal oil and gas leases will lose development opportunities because leases that are not producing may terminate at the end of their primary term and cannot be extended.
Federal agencies and taxpayers may incur additional administrative costs to apply the withdrawal map, certify plans, manage acquired lands, and implement new protections and studies.
Based on analysis of 4 sections of legislative text.
Withdraws specified federal land around Chaco from new mining and mineral leasing and terminates certain nonproducing federal oil and gas leases while preserving tribal mineral rights.
Introduced April 10, 2025 by Teresa Leger Fernandez · Last progress April 10, 2025
Withdraws specified federal land around Chaco Culture National Historical Park in New Mexico from new mining, geothermal, and mineral leasing and from public land disposal. It automatically ends certain nonproducing federal oil and gas leases within the withdrawal area (subject to valid existing rights), preserves tribal mineral rights on trust/allotment land, and allows land conveyance or exchange with Indian Tribes when done under an approved resource management plan. The law also requires the withdrawal map to be available for inspection at Bureau of Land Management offices and preserves rights-of-way and improvements to support adjacent communities.