Interior Secretary limits oil and gas drilling near Chaco Canyon

In 2023, New Mexico faced significant energy uncertainties tied to its oil and gas production, which accounted for 35% of state revenue and predominantly stemmed from the Delaware basin. This ongoing reliance created not only economic tensions but also environmental challenges, particularly with the management of produced water resulting from drilling operations. The New Mexico Water Quality Control Commission's decision to prohibit the discharge of treated produced water into the environment has intensified discussions on how to safely reuse this resource for agriculture or drinking water. Furthermore, drilling near Chaco Canyon has provoked conflicts regarding land rights and conservation efforts. In response, Interior Secretary Deb Haaland issued an order to prevent oil and gas development within a 10-mile radius of Chaco Canyon, respecting the site's cultural significance and the desires of local Indigenous communities, including the Navajo Nation, who had proposed reducing the radius to 5 miles for specific land rights. Recently, new Interior Secretary Doug Burgum has called for a re-evaluation of this distance limitation, indicating a potential shift in policy and increasing contention surrounding land use. Additionally, the state’s history with uranium mining—once heavily mined for defense purposes—surfaces concerns about toxic waste and the impact of renewed mining activities on Native lands, reflecting broader anxieties over radioactive materials and environmental degradation. These combined factors present grave uncertainties for New Mexico’s future, particularly as federal regulations and local interests clash amid the pressing demand for energy resources and environmental stewardship.