Trump administration seeks to end buffer zone around New Mexico heritage site, sparking UNESCO concern

The Trump administration is moving to scrap a 10-mile buffer that currently shields Chaco Culture National Historical Park in New Mexico from oil, gas and uranium development. The Bureau of Land Management’s proposal would open the 336,400-acre area to drilling, a step that UNESCO has flagged as a possible threat to the world-heritage property and is awaiting a detailed response from U.S. officials. UNESCO officials reiterated that extractive projects should not compromise a site's outstanding universal value and must undergo rigorous impact assessments.

Opposition includes a coalition of tribal leaders, archaeologists, environmental groups and former interior secretary Deb Haaland, who warned the change could cause irreversible harm to the landscape, water sources and the park’s renowned dark-sky conditions. Approximately 100,000 comments were submitted during a brief 14-day public comment window, the majority expressing strong resistance. The Department of the Interior and the National Parks Service have not commented on the proposal.