Secretary of Interior withdraws from future leasing, mining claims

U.S. Secretary of Interior Deb Haaland recently withdrew future leasing and mining claims public lands that surround the Chaco Culture National Historical Park. The park is about 90 miles northeast of Gallup.

In a June 2 press release, Navajo Nation president Buu Nygren and Speaker of the 25th Navajo Nation Council Hon. Crystalyne Curley spoke against Haaland’s decision.

“Despite the Navajo Nation’s position, Secretary Haaland proceeded to issue this decision one day after the Navajo Nation commemorated our Treaty Day, which recognizes the Treaty of 1868 and the start of the government-to-government relationship...

WINDOW ROCK, ARIZ. — The 25th Navajo Nation Council passed Emergency Legislation No. 0124-23 on June 2, approving just over $2.4 million from the Unreserved, Undesignated Fund Balance to cover programs expenses for the remainder of fiscal year 2023 for the Office of the President and Vice President, the Office of the Controller, and the five Division of Aging and Long-term Care Support Agency Offices.

The legislation was sponsored by Council Delegate Seth Damon (Baahaali, Chilchiltah, Manuelito, Red Rock, Rock Springs, Tsayatoh) and co-sponsored by Council Delegate Shaandiin Parrish (Chilchinbeto, Dennehotso, Kayenta).

A similar legislation had come before the council during a...

Santa Fe — Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham on celebrated the beginning of Pride Month on June 1  by renewing promises to the LGBTQIA+ communities in New Mexico.

For more than 40 years, the LGBTQIA+ community in Albuquerque has marked June as the anniversary of the protests and riots at the Stonewall Inn in New York in 1975. This year, the Human Rights Alliance marks the 30th anniversary of the Pride celebration in Santa Fe and Farmington is hosting a Pride in the Park event.

Lujan Grisham continued the long tradition of activism and allyship during the last legislative session signing three bills:



HB 7: The Reproductive and Gender-Affirming Health Care Act prohibits public bodies...

SANTA FE — The Bureau of Land Management New Mexico State Office conducted a lease sale on May 25, offering 45 parcels totaling over 10,000 acres within Cheyenne County, Kansas, and Eddy, Lea, and Chaves counties in New Mexico on public lands managed by the Roswell Field Office, Carlsbad Field Office, and Oklahoma Field Office. In total, 37 parcels totaling almost 8,600 acres sold for a total of almost $80,000.

This BLM lease sale included updated fiscal provisions authorized by Congress in the Inflation Reduction Act:

Minimum bids for all offered parcels will be $10 per acre, an increase from the $2 per acre minimum bid set in 1987Royalty rates will be 16.67 percent, up from the...