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Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives campaigned on expanding oil and gas leasing, which puts many of them on the side of Navajo leaders in the tussle over drilling around Chaco Canyon, while the Secretary of the Interior Department and Pueblo leaders are strong advocates for protection.
Matt Laslo caught up with some lawmakers in Washington and has this report.
Just last week New Mexico’s land commissioner signed an executive order prohibiting oil, gas and mineral leasing on upwards of 113 square miles of state land trust around Chaco Canyon for the next two decades.
That state action builds on a summer announcement from Interior Secretary Deb Haaland (Laguna Pueblo) that imposed a 20-year federal moratorium on mining and drilling on roughly 340,000 acres of federal land.
U.S. Rep. Bruce Westerman (R-AZ) chairs the House Natural Resources Committee and is aligned with Navajo leaders who see the land as a much-needed revenue source.
“Let the Navajo people have a little bit of self-determination and be able to produce their resources and buy food, clothing. and shelter.”
Two Arizona Republicans – U.S. Reps. Paul Gosar and Eli Crane – are sponsors of legislation to nullify the Biden Administration’s move.
Upwards of 40% of the Navajo Nation’s annual revenue comes from drilling and mining.
U.S. Rep. Westerman says Sec. Haaland, local leaders, and congressional Democrats are being hypocritical.
“Talk to the Navajo Nation about that because they tried to work with BLM. And were pretty much shunned, so they took a different position. And, you know, for an administration that talks about tribal consultation and trying to work with tribal communities, I don’t think the Navajo felt like that was their case.”
U.S. Sen. Ben Ray Lujan (D-NM) says the legislation being pushed by House Republicans is misguided.
“I’m very, very happy that President Biden and Secretary Haaland have taken the steps that they have to protect Chaco Canyon. And I’m always working with my colleagues from New Mexico and other areas to protect Chaco, and we’re gonna keep doing that.”
Sen. Lujan says Republicans are only focused on oil, gas, minerals, and the profits that come with them.
He says they’re trying to undercut a decades-old agreement local stakeholders negotiated in order to protect the sacred land for generations.
“There’s no doubt in my mind that Chaco should be protected. Chaco is a sacred site. Looking at the parties that came together, leaders that came together decades ago, to come up with a compromise around Chaco that’s where the 10-mile buffer came from. This was not something recent or new.”
The Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement announced Thursday it has launched the website helpingmaui.org for people in need of housing after being displaced by the Maui wildfires.
According to the organization, there are an estimated more than 6,000 people who still need housing after the devastating August wildfires.
The website is intended to help people find housing and also serve as a platform for property owners to offer their properties.
The organization also announced housing programs to assist Maui residents – in areas of leasing, host housing support, and loan forgiveness.
Courtesy Hoopa Valley Tribe
The Hoopa Valley Tribe announced this week the acquisition of more than 10,000 acres of land bordering the western boundary of the tribe’s reservation in California.
The return of the Hupa Mountain property brings the tribe’s landholdings to more than 100,000 acres.
According to the tribe, its $14 million purchase rightfully returns management, conservation, and use of the land to Hupa People.
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