Interior Secretary Deb Haaland announced new federal protections for the sacred site called Chaco Canyon in early June.
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization world heritage site is located in New Mexico near the four-corners area and is a sacred place to many pueblos and the Navajo Nation. For the next 20 years, the government will not allow any new oil and gas leases on federal lands around a 10-mile buffer zone of the park.
Even though the decision does not affect already existing leases, it was not welcomed by local Navajo people in the area. ICT’s Aliyah Chavez reports.
Aliyah Chavez, Kewa Pueblo, is the anchor of the ICT Newscast. On Twitter: @aliyahjchavez.
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