Rep. Leger Fernández Questions Sec. Burgum on Tribal Consultations for Chaco Canyon and Mining Royalties

Tribal Consultations and Land Protection

• 📌 Representative Leger Fernández highlighted the issue of toxic waste spills from Hard Rock mines, referencing an incident in 1991 that poisoned the Pekos River.
• ⚠️ She criticized the Trump administration's reversal of a withdrawal protecting the Upper Pekos watershed from mining, calling it an example of giving away lands.
• 🏛️ The discussion shifted to Chaco Canyon, a World Heritage site, where a withdrawal protected it from oil and gas development after years of studies and negotiations.
• 🗣️ Leger Fernández urged Secretary Burgum to commit to in-person, individual tribal consultations with each tribe interested in Chaco Canyon.

Hard Rock Mining Royalties and Foreign Investment

• 💰 Leger Fernández questioned the Department of Interior's royalty collection from Hard Rock Mining under the General Mining Act of 1872, noting it was zero.
• 🤝 She sought support for legislation to prevent foreign corporations, especially adversaries, from mining U.S. resources without paying royalties.
• 🚫 Secretary Burgum agreed to support such legislation and stated that foreign adversaries should not be allowed to mine critical minerals in the U.S.
• 🚩 The issue of Riot Tinto, 15% owned by China, mining at Oak Flats was raised as a concern.

Chaco Canyon Oil and Gas Development

• 🛢️ Despite previous protections, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is reportedly considering reopening Chaco Canyon to oil and gas development.
• 🌍 Burgum acknowledged that consultations were done, but the Navajo Nation felt they were not adequately consulted regarding the buffer zone and impingement on their rights.
• 📍 Leger Fernández emphasized that oil and gas can be extracted from areas outside Chaco Canyon's sacred and protected sites, allowing for a return on investment without destroying irreplaceable cultural heritage.