Land Archives - Rio Grande Chapter

Public opposition to pesticide spraying in Rio Arriba

The Rio Grande Chapter’s recent “Aerial Pesticide Alert” resulted in over 250 personalized comments from members, and thousands from residents and organizations, opposing the USDA Animal and Plant Inspection Service’s (APHIS) proposal to spray close to 40 square miles of public lands in the Cebolla area of Rio Arriba County between April and June. These objections resulted in SLO and BLM withdrawing their acres from the program and the 2023 project was stopped. This year, a similar project is being proposed in Rio Arriba County based on projections of a higher-than-normal cricket population on some public grazing lands.

Biden Administration Finalizes Important Reforms to Onshore Oil and Gas Leasing Program

In April 2024, the BLM issued its final Onshore Oil and Gas Leasing Rule, the first comprehensive update to the federal onshore oil and gas leasing program in decades. The rule includes long-overdue, commonsense fiscal reforms and incorporates updates passed by Congress under the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA).

Seasonal contamination found in Upper Pecos River

For years, northern group volunteers have been monitoring four key sites on the Pecos River from Willow Creek tributary – that flows through the old Tererro Mine reclamation property – 14 miles down to the town of Pecos. Last year the analysis included looking at total metals, gross alpha and the presence of nutrient contaminants.

Prescribed burns can meet or defeat forest goals

The devastation left after the northern wildfires last year has changed ways of thinking about what can burn and under what conditions. Scientists at the National Soil Moisture Monitoring Network Conference determined that fire managers must evaluate more factors, particularly the correlation between soil moisture and plant moisture to adequately predict fire risk and conditions of advanced drought. Ideal prescribed burn “windows” will be fewer.

Greater Chaco Coalition Applauds State Land Office’s Continued Commitment

The Greater Chaco Coalition commends New Mexico State Land Office Commissioner Stephanie Garcia Richard for the renewal of the 2019 Executive Order No. 2019-002. This order reinstates a moratorium on new oil and gas leasing covering 72,776 acres of state trust lands in the Greater Chaco area through December 21, 2043. The Commissioner’s commitment is one step on the path to ending the sacrifice of Indigenous lands and lives to toxic, destructive fossil fuels in Greater Chaco and beyond. 12/14/2023.

Greater Chaco Coalition Calls on Administration to Follow Through with “Honoring Chaco”

On the two-year anniversary of the launch of the Honoring Chaco Initiative (HCI), the Greater Chaco Coalition is calling on Interior Secretary Deb Haaland to follow through with her promise to protect all of Greater Chaco and move forward with the Honoring Chaco Initiative.

Bridge to the Ancestors

From March 24th through April 2nd, Antoinette Reyes joined the Carrizozo Comecrudo tribe in their bridge to the Ancestors Walk / run across Texas, which the tribe hosted to bring attention to the impacts of oil and gas extraction on people, sacred indigenous sites, communities and our landscapes as a whole.

In the news – Native America Calling

June 12, 2023, Native America Calling episode on President Biden’s 20-year ban on new oil and gas leases surrounding Chaco Canyon.

Secretary Haaland Protects Chaco Canyon From Oil, Gas Drilling

In response to Interior Secretary Deb Haaland’s decision to prohibit new federal oil and gas leasing within 10 miles of the Chaco Culture National Historical Park, members of the Greater Chaco Coalition called on the Biden administration to end all new federal fossil fuel leasing across the country. The coalition also called on the administration to do more to live up to its promises to develop a landscape-level approach for resource management in the Greater Chaco region and address the climate crisis.

Advocates Demand “Phasing Out Fossil Fuels” As Part of Proposed BLM Public Lands Rule

As the Bureau of Land Management holds its second of three in-person public meetings to promote the Department of Interior’s proposed Public Lands Rule, New Mexicans rallied in front of the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center in Albuquerque to unfurl a 20-foot banner reading “Phase Out Federal Fossil Fuels: Biden Keep Your Promise on Public Lands and Waters” highlighting the mounting demands to address the legacy of fossil fuel sacrifice zones in New Mexico as a result of the continued fossil fuel leasing and drilling across public and ancestral tribal lands.

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