US Implements Multiple Bans on Oil and Gas Drilling Near Indigenous Sites and Schools in New Mexico

The Biden administration has banned new oil and gas leasing on federal land within a 10-mile radius of Chaco Canyon, a culturally significant Native American site in New Mexico, for 20 years. The move, which follows decades of tribal requests, will not affect existing leases or drilling on private property. The area is home to a vast network of pre-Columbian ruins and has been threatened by oil and gas projects in recent years. The ban is part of President Biden's efforts to focus on Native American issues and expand conservation of public lands, but has generated opposition from Republicans and the state's oil and gas industry.