Finally, vindication for Greater Chaco and all of those who defend it!
On May 7, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit held that the Bureau of Land Management illegally approved oil and gas drilling and fracking in Greater Chaco because it failed to account for the cumulative, region-wide impacts of nearly 4,000 new oil and gas wells on this sacred landscape. These impacts include damage to water supplies, community health, air quality, climate, and the cultural integrity of Greater Chaco as a whole.
The court reversed the approval of 25 drilling permits, but the case has implications for hundreds of drilling permits that have been approved and are under consideration in the region.
“We always knew BLM wasn’t doing their job—we watch their violations and non-compliance every day,” said Kendra Pinto of Counselor Chapter House, a member of Diné Citizens Against Ruining Our Environment. “To finally be vindicated by a higher court is the necessary step forward we need. Now we must continue to hold BLM accountable.”
Read the press release.
