Dear NRDC Activist,

In the middle of a global pandemic, Trump's Interior Department is rushing through a devastating plan to expand fracking and drilling on the doorstep of Chaco Culture National Historical Park — lands that are sacred to indigenous communities in the region and renowned for their archeological treasures.

Even the Bureau of Land Management acknowledges that more drilling and fracking in Greater Chaco poses risks to public health and safety ... but they're moving forward anyway.

The Trump administration is accepting public input on this plan, but only until May 28. We need your help overwhelming them with letters of opposition before the comment deadline: Tell Interior Secretary David Bernhardt and the Bureau of Land Management to stop their assault on the public lands surrounding Chaco Canyon.

If this plan is approved, BLM projects more than 3,000 new fracking wells in the area. There are already over one million acres of land open to oil and gas in the region, despite Greater Chaco's cultural and archaeological significance.

The timing of this latest assault on our public lands is astonishing. Right now, Native Americans in the area are suffering an unusually high rate of COVID-19 cases. Our government should be focused on protecting them, not producing more air pollution that would make them even more vulnerable to the disease.

The Trump administration's drilling and fracking plan is nothing less than a new assault on the lungs and public health of tribal communities in New Mexico.

There is so much at risk. Chaco Culture National Historical Park is a World Heritage Site, boasting extensive ruins and artifacts, and is beloved as one of the best places in the world for stargazing.

And as the fight against climate change grows more urgent, extracting more oil and gas from the region will only increase our destructive dependence on climate-damaging fossil fuels just when we should be rapidly shifting to clean energy.

We have until May 28 to submit public comments urging the Bureau of Land Management to cancel its plans to expand drilling and fracking on the doorstep of Chaco Canyon — and we need to act, NOW. Submit your official comment demanding that the Bureau of Land Management withdraw their management plans making more public lands available to the fossil fuel industry. Personalize your comment letter so it stands out even more.

An attack on any of our public lands is an attack on all our public lands.

We've seen the Trump administration illegally gut protections for Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monuments ... prepare to sell of the pristine Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil and gas companies ... and reverse protections for Alaska's Bristol Bay to advance the disastrous Pebble Mine project, a massive open-pit copper and gold mine proposed at the bay's pristine headwaters.

We must continue fighting back each and every time the Trump administration allows giant corporations to encroach on the American people's land — for our families today and for future generations.

Thank you for continuing to stand up and speak out on behalf of our public lands. Your activism at this critical time is so important. Sincerely, Alison Kelly Senior Attorney, Lands Division, NRDC The mission of the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) is to safeguard the Earth: its people, its plants and animals, and the natural systems on which all life depends. We appreciate the opportunity to communicate with you and other NRDC Activists. We are committed to protecting your privacy and will never sell, exchange or rent your email address. Receive Less Email | Unsubscribe | Update Your Information | About Us | Contact Us | Privacy Policy

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