The U.S. government intends to ban mining and oil drilling in northern New Mexico for 50 years, as part of the Biden administration's plan to protect Native American lands and advance responsible mining on public lands, the Mining.com website reported.
The Interior Ministry stated that the bill proposes to prohibit the issuance of new mineral rights and oil and gas development activities in the Placitas area of Sandoval County, with the restricted area exceeding 4,200 hectares.
“We are responding to calls from tribes, elected leaders and community residents who want these public lands protected,” said Interior Secretary Deb Haaland. "We look forward to hearing more input from the public in making decisions about how gravel mining affects these lands, including important cultural and natural resources."
The announcement marks the start of a 90-day public comment campaign on the proposal.
Policymakers and local communities have long advocated protecting the area as a sacred ancestral site for Native Americans.
The proposed ban would affect four separate monuments, including the Buffalo Tract and the Crest of Montezuma northeast of Albuquerque.
Documents from the U.S. Bureau of Land Management say the area is "rich in cultural relics and has thousands of years of human history." The area is also suitable for hiking, camping and hunting.
In August, a report released by the Congressional Budget Office concluded that the area affected by the ban is rich in gravel resources but does not contain other mineral resources with mining value.
The report also predicts that withdrawing the land will result in a loss of $2 million in federal revenue.
However, there are many mines and mineral sites in Sandoval County where minerals such as graphite, gold, silver, uranium, lead and copper are available for development or have been developed.
Last week, the Home Office announced plans to amend the 151-year-old Mining Code, which regulates the mining of copper, gold and other minerals on public lands. Amendments to the mining law include requiring mining companies to pay mining royalties for the first time.
The committee headed by the Interior Ministry also recommended the establishment of a mining rights system and the establishment of an approval coordination mechanism among federal agencies.
