The Biden administration proposed the banning of oil drilling and mining on 4,000 acres of land in New Mexico on Monday in a decision allegedly aimed at protecting Native American land.
The land at issue is located in the Placitas area in Sandoval County, New Mexico, near the Albuquerque metro area. The proposal is an effort to “safeguard sacred Tribal lands, boost important local recreation opportunities, and support wildlife habitat connectivity,” according to a press release from the Department of the Interior (DOI). The move would prevent oil and gas development and new mining claims in the area for the next 50 years.
“Today we’re responding to calls from Tribes, elected leaders, and community members who want to see these public lands protected,” DOI Secretary Deb Haaland said. “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.”
Haaland, a former member of Congress, previously proposed legislation to protect the same land. The legislation has been introduced five times in recent years. The area the proposal impacts contains archaeological relics dating from the prehistoric Paleoindian period, the DOI said.
“The Pueblos of San Felipe and Santa Ana have long sought protections for the Placitas area, which they consider ancestral and sacred lands,” the agency stated. “The proposal would help protect, preserve and promote the scenic integrity, cultural importance, recreational values, and wildlife habitat connectivity within the Placitas area.”
The proposal comes two weeks after the Biden administration blocked oil drilling on 10 million acres of land in Alaska. Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-AK) said the decision hurts jobs and fails to counter high gas prices.
“[Biden administration officials] love to talk about racial equity, racial justice, environmental justice, taking care of people of color, but one big exception — the Indigenous people of Alaska. They screw ‘em every time,” he said, referring to the large number of indigenous people working in the industry in the state.
The latest proposal has a 90-day public comment period before a final rule is established.
Melanie Barnes, the New Mexico state director of the U.S. Bureau of Land Management, touted the proposal as a win for Native Americans.
“We recognize the importance of the Placitas area, both for Tribal Nations and for the local community who visit and recreate in this area,” Barnes said. “We look forward to receiving public feedback during the 90-day public comment period, as we consider protections for this area.”