On July 10, Navajo government officials and 16 tribal and environmental organizations representing more than 1.2 million members sent a letter to the Bureau of Land Management calling for more public hearings and a more thorough analysis of fracking’s impacts on Greater Chaco.
A May court ruling held that the BLM violated environmental laws by failing to analyze fracking’s effects on water in the Greater Chaco region—a ruling meant to curb fracking in Chaco. But a mere two days after the ruling, the BLM republished its analyses, giving the public only 10 days to comment (one of them a national holiday). Needless to say, an in-depth assessment of fracking in Chaco isn’t going to happen in just two days, and the public deserves more commenting opportunities.
“These rushed analyses and short comment periods signal that the Bureau of Land Management does not take court rulings or the public seriously, and we’re demanding a new course forward,” said Guardians’ Rebecca Sobel.
Read the press release.
