NEW MEXICO (KRQE) – The All Pueblo Council of Governors is voicing its strong support for new legislation to permanently protect Chaco Canyon. The APCG represents the 19 pueblos of New Mexico and one in Texas, and on Thursday, every governor supported the piece of legislation.
The greater Chaco region is a landscape of deep cultural, spiritual, and historical importance to tribal communities. The “Chaco Cultural Heritage Area Protection Act” was reintroduced by New Mexico’s congressional delegation. It would block future oil, gas, and mineral developments on lands within a ten-mile buffer around Chaco Canyon. Pueblo leaders say preserving the land is critical to honoring centuries of ancestral knowledge and protecting traditions for future generations.