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WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congresswoman Teresa Leger Fernández (NM-03), Congresswoman Melanie Stansbury (NM-01), and Senator Martin Heinrich (NM) joined Pueblo leaders to demand the Trump Administration maintain a ban on oil and gas development on federal lands surrounding Chaco Canyon sponsored in the Senate by Senator Luján (NM) and in the House by Congresswoman Leger Fernández. The New Mexico delegation was joined by Acoma Pueblo Governor Charles Riley, Santa Ana Pueblo Myron Armijo, Tesuque Pueblo Governor Earl Samuel, Cochiti Pueblo Lieutenant Governor Jeff Suina, Picuris Pueblo Governor Wayne Yazza Jr., Laguna Pueblo Governor Harry Antonio, Kewa Pueblo Lieutenant Governor Raymond Aguilar Jr., and former Governor of Zia Pueblo Jerome Lucero. The Pueblo leaders shared impactful words about the cultural significance of Chaco for their peoples.  

The Chaco Culture National Historical Park is a UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) World Heritage Site, and is threatened by surrounding oil and gas development. There are over 4,700 known archaeological sites in the 10-mile area surrounding Chaco Canyon that could be destroyed by drilling and extraction. The threat to the site comes after President Trump issued an Executive Order for federal agencies to review and revoke actions that hinder energy and mining development.

“A molecule of gas is the same wherever it comes from, but the remnants of the kivas, the buildings, the plazas - and the ceramics, bone tools, and other artifacts tell us the story of Chaco Canyon. They connect us to the past and to our history. Each of those sites and artifacts is unique and irreplaceable. Each of those sites, if it is lost to a bulldozer, can never be replaced. It will be lost to history forever,” said Congresswoman Leger Fernández. “We must permanently protect Chaco Canyon from drilling and extraction that would destroy this living landscape. That’s why I introduced the Chaco Cultural Heritage Area Protection Act. Our New Mexico Congressional delegation has worked hard on this bill because we must recognize cultural homelands like Chaco.”

“Chaco Canyon is one of the world’s greatest treasures and it is vital that it is protected for our future generations,” said Senator Luján. “As one of only a handful of World Heritage Sites in the United States, Chaco Canyon holds deep spiritual and cultural significance for our Tribes and Pueblos. That’s why I am proud to have introduced legislation earlier this year that would permanently protect Chaco Canyon and the Greater Chaco Region. With so many Pueblo leaders in D.C. this week, it is clear that protecting Chaco Canyon and the Greater Chaco Region is a top priority, and I am committed to continue fighting to ensure we protect it for generations to come.”

In 2019, as a member of the House, Senator Luján's legislation to protect Chaco Canyon was passed by the House of Representatives. 

“Chaco Canyon is a living cultural landscape central to the culture and identity of Pueblos in New Mexico. And right now, this sacred landscape is under threat by the Trump Administration," said Heinrich. "I invite Secretary Burgum to do what Secretary Bernhardt did: Come out, see this with your own eyes, walk these grounds, meet with the people whose identities are so intricately connected to this place before you make a decision about its future. This is not about the past; it is about the generations to come. And we stand united here today to say that Chaco Canyon is a place worth protecting.”

“Chaco Canyon is not only a historic site, it is a living, sacred place where culture, prayer, and community endure,” said Rep. Stansbury. “Allowing drilling here would be allowing drilling in a sanctuary. This place is holy and New Mexico’s Congressional Delegation stands united with the Pueblo and Tribal Leaders fighting to protect Chaco Canyon for generations to come.”

“New Mexico’s Pueblo leaders traveled to Washington, D.C. to send a powerful message: Chaco Canyon must be permanently protected,” said Rep. Vasquez. “This sacred landscape is central not only to the cultural and spiritual identity of the Pueblos, but also to the story of the Southwest and our nation’s history. I’m proud to stand with Tribal leaders and my colleagues in Congress to ensure Chaco’s irreplaceable legacy endures.”

“We as Pueblo leaders have come united as one to ensure that the protections for one of our most sacred places are kept in place. We come as a united front to show that all Pueblo leaders are behind us,” said Acoma Pueblo Governor Charles Riley.

“We all trace our lineage to Chaco, and it remains today an active, cultural site. We go there for prayer and enlightenment. We stand here today united and we ask the Trump administration and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum to take this into consideration and protect Chaco,” said Cochiti Pueblo Lt. Governor Jeff M. Suina.

“We are in Washington, DC as Governors representing our respective Pueblos asking this administration to protect Chaco Canyon. We have been here since time immemorial, and I ask President Trump and Secretary Burgum to acknowledge that,” said Laguna Pueblo Governor Harry Antonio Jr.

“All Pueblos have a unique distinction to Chaco. The way the Picuris Pueblo is trying to protect this sacred area is through a DNA study. And we learned that the stories that our grandma and grandpa passed down from generation to generation were true: That the Picuris come from Chaco,” said Picuris Pueblo Governor Wayne Yazza Jr. 

“Our ancestors are at Chaco Canyon, and when you pray, you can feel it. Chaco is a very spiritual place, and I pray that this administration leaves its protections in place,” said Santa Ana Pueblo Governor Myron Armijo.

“Our bloodlines, our heritage, our culture, our identity all come from Chaco Canyon. We [are] all stewards of our own people, the animals, our communities, and our culture, and this all started at Chaco Canyon. Washington, DC is your nation’s capital and Chaco Canyon is our nation’s capital,” said Santo Domingo Pueblo Acting Lt. Governor Raymond Aguilar. 

“Greater Chaco is a sacred site to all the Pueblos. It is where we go to pray; not just for our Pueblo members, but for everyone around the world,” said Tesuque Pueblo Governor Earl Samuel.

“It is disheartening that we are still fighting to protect Chaco Canyon, but it is also great to see the advocacy from many leaders before us. Unfortunately, many of those leaders have passed on, but this is worth fighting for our children and the ones still to come.  And that is why we are standing here fighting for our ancestral grounds,” said Zia Pueblo Former Governor & Assistant Tribal Administrator Assistant Jerome Lucero.

In April of this year, Congresswoman Leger Fernández reintroduced legislation to protect Chaco Canyon and the greater sacred landscape surrounding the Chaco Culture National Historical Park in the House and Senator Luján reintroduced the companion bill in the Senate.