TWO Chaco Landscape protection bills have been introduced to the New Mexico Legislature – SM 43 sponsored by Sen. George Muñoz (D-Gallup) and HM 85 sponsored by Rep. Derrick Lente (D-Sandia).

While these are mostly good measures, BOTH bills place “buffer zones” around Chaco National Park, allowing for increased drilling and leasing in Navajo communities and NEITHER bill mentions protection of people (or air or water) from the impacts of industrialized fracking. We need leadership to stop fracking in Greater Chaco.

We cannot protect our past and sacrifice our future. WE NEED YOUR HELP. We support these bills but we can’t let our leaders sell out sacred people, our air and water, to protect sacred places in accommodating billionaire fracking interests and a disastrous industry. We’re done drawing lines on maps that marginalize Native communities for oil and gas profit.

PLEASE CALL and email Senator Muñoz and Representative Lente. Thank them for their support, and ask them to amend their bills to protect the PEOPLE of Chaco — Remove buffer language that focuses solely on archeological sites and insert public health protections.

*Sen. Muñoz – (505) 986-4371, munozgeo@gmail.com

*Rep. Lente – (505) 986-4433, derrick.lente@nmlegis.gov

SM 43 PASSED Senate Rules Committee with an amendment that reduced the proposed 30-mile buffer around Chaco Culture National Historical Park to 10-miles. (BOTH boundaries have already been penetrated by horizontal oil and gas drilling so this effort is symbolic, at best.

See this map:http://bit.ly/2EL2vAk <https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fbit.ly%2F2EL2vAk&h=ATMVI0VQiNTJN3YD_YL2szYvjuRlM7HU5rnAfTIloP5jGILf8cOYLlLIjOWf_cn_JeqKMI_mN259Q0cwpuJJ1NjKcxC5-rxaZdxZUMnaxlTQyL81A2OvOH2LHsD52SrLFkgfmIV49LxQiCG5Rktmk6l5DftckRGYIiJ6dWG2gXZQXx2cgSXFmMLXP0UDe1uqlKCh5OWCTf5Gi_S6wS47ylPQfHOJ7jw_hD0cDKKh38yxENmsfZyL4jpBHWkow8lATAJLOIc7>)

Now, SM 43 is headed to Senate Indian & Cultural Affairs Committee. Let’s make sure the health of sacred landscapes AND the people that live within them are not left out of this bill. Please call Committee members and ask for protection of culture AND communities in Greater Chaco. *Respect ALL Existence*

Sen. John Pinto (Chair-D)-(505) 986-4835

Sen. Bill Tallman (Vice Chair-D)-(505) 986-4373, bill.tallman@nmlegis.gov

Sen. William Sharer (R)-(505) 986-4381, bill@williamsharer.com

Sen. Benny Shendo (D)-(505) 986-4310, benny.shendo@nmlegis.gov

Sen. Cliff R. Pirtle (R)-(505) 986-4391, cliff.pirtle@nmlegis.gov

HM 85 is headed to House State Government, Indian & Veterans Affairs Committee. Please call these Committee members and ask them to protect the air, water, people AND places of the Greater Chaco Landscape. The proposed “Chaco Protection Zone” sacrifices the health of people to focus on a limited National Park boundary.

Despite the fact that over 150 ancient Chacoan Great Houses exist beyond the Park’s boundaries and that oil and gas has already fracked within the boundaries of the UNESCO World Heritage Site, Chaco Culture (people and landscape) is much bigger than the national park.

Rep. Georgene Louis (Chair-D)-(505) 250-7932, georgene.louis@nmlegis.gov

Rep. Rudy Martinez (Vice Chair-D)-(505) 986-4248, rodolpho.martinez@nmlegis.gov

Rep. Sharon Clahchischilliage (R)-(505) 986-4453, sharon.clahchischill@nmlegis.gov

Rep. Yvette Herrell (R)-(505) 986-4210, yherrell@yahoo.com

Rep. Wonda Johnson (D)-(505) 986-4236, dwonda.johnson@nmlegis.gov

Rep. Bill Rehm (R)-(505) 986-4214, bill.rehm@nmlegis.gov

Rep. Dennis Roch (R)-(505) 986-4227, denroch@hotmail.com

Rep. Andrés Romero (D)-(505) 986-4435, andres.romero@nmlegis.gov

More information and bill language can be found through https://nmlegis.gov/ <https://nmlegis.gov/> and in the comments below.