SANTA FE, N.M. – New Mexico Commissioner of Public Lands Stephanie Garcia Richard released the following statement today in response to the Trump administration’s announcement of its plans to end federal protections in the 10-mile buffer zone surrounding Chaco Canyon National Historical Park. The administration is considering revoking Public Land Order No. 7923, which withdrew about 336,404 acres of federal land in the Greater Chaco region from new mineral leasing.
As one of her first acts in office, Commissioner Garcia Richard issued an executive order to remove 72,776 acres of state land in the 10-mile buffer zone from future mineral leasing. She reissued the executive order in 2023, so it will remain in place until December 31, 2043.
“The Trump administration’s plan to open the Greater Chaco region to oil and gas development in an area that is sacred to many Indigenous Nations, Pueblos, and Tribes is an attack, plain and simple. Giving only seven days for communities to respond, with no public meetings planned, is a slap in the face to the people who have called this place home long before there ever was a United States government. I urge the Trump administration to provide for more adequate public input so New Mexicans are able to properly weigh in on this disastrous plan.
“New Mexico won’t allow this cruel and reckless federal administration to have the last word on Chaco. I have directed the State Land Office to review additional measures that we can take to fight back against Trump’s campaign of destruction and to secure even more durable protections for this sacred landscape.”
Commissioner of Public Lands Stephanie Garcia Richard has overseen the New Mexico State Land Office since 2019. In that time the agency has earned about $14 billion for New Mexico public schools, hospitals, and universities. Over 13 million acres of state trust land are leased for a variety of uses, including ranching and farming, renewable energy, business development, mineral development, and outdoor recreation. The State Land Office has a dual mandate to use state trust land to financially support vital public institutions, while simultaneously working to protect the land for future generations.