The Biden administration is looking to block thousands of acres in New Mexico from future oil drilling or mining projects to protect tribal lands, support the habitat, and increase local recreation opportunities.
"Today we’re responding to call from Tribes, elected leaders, and community members who want to see these public lands protected," Interior Secretary Deb Haaland said in a statement. "We look forward to hearing more from the public to inform decisions about how activities, like gravel mining, may impact these lands, including the important cultural and natural resources."
If implemented, the move would bar development on the land for a 50 year-period, depending on “valid and existing rights.”
The Pueblos of San Felipe and Santa Ana have long sought protections for the Placitas area, which they consider ancestral and sacred lands. The site, located near the Albuquerque metro area, also provides close-to-home outdoor recreation opportunities and is popular for hiking, camping, sightseeing and hunting. The proposal would help protect, preserve and promote the scenic integrity, cultural importance, recreational values, and wildlife habitat connectivity within the Placitas area. […]
The proposed withdrawal is located on four separate tracts and contains known archaeological resources that range from as early as the prehistoric Paleoindian period through the historic Statehood period and beyond. (Department of the Interior)
"We recognize the importance of the Placitas area, both for Tribal Nations and for the local community who visit and recreate in this area," said Melanie Barnes, the state director of the Bureau of Land Management's (BLM) New Mexico office.
Public comments will be gathered for a 90-day period on the proposal, ending on Dec. 19, 2023.
