Look West: Public lands and energy news from the Center for Western Priorities


** Petroglyph vandalism continues with incident near Santa Fe
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Wednesday, January 26, 2022
The La Cieneguilla Petroglyph Site is located west of Santa Fe. Bureau of Land Management/Tumblr ([link removed])

Petroglyphs near Santa Fe that are estimated to be up to 8,000 years old were vandalized last week ([link removed]) . A spokeswoman for the Bureau of Land Management says the agency believes the damage to the La Cieneguilla Petroglyphs occurred on January 18. The vandalism, including purple spray paint graffiti and an etched heart with an "A" inside of it, partially covers an ancient zig-zag carving. The vandals also graffitied a nearby Bureau of Land Management sign.

The incident is the second case of high-profile petroglyph graffiti in less than a month, following an incident in West Texas's Big Bend National Park ([link removed]) , in which four names and a date—12/26/21—were scratched into 3,000 to 8,000 year-old rock carvings, irreparably damaging them.

Petroglyph vandalism isn't new, but it seems to be getting worse, likely due to the boom in outdoor recreation caused by the pandemic. Last year, two incidents of vandalism in Utah occurred just days apart, sparking national outrage ([link removed]) .

“What we’ve been seeing in Utah across all land agencies—the Park Service, the state parks, the Bureau of Land Management—is we do have an increase in tourism. And we are seeing a commensurate increase in damage to archaeological sites,” Elizabeth Hora-Cook, an archaeologist for the Utah State Historic Preservation Office, t ([link removed]) old High Country News ([link removed]) . ([link removed])

And petroglyph vandalism is not a victimless crime ([link removed]) . From an Indigenous perspective, petroglyphs are seen as relatives, according to Angelo Baca, a Navajo (or Diné) scholar. “They’re alive. They have their own spirit and they have their own agency and should be respected."

Of course, vandalizing petroglyphs is illegal and the Bureau of Land Management attempts to investigate any incidents that occur on public land. But it's rare that anyone is held accountable. Hopi archaeologist Lyle Balenquah says the best way to prevent this type of destruction is through increased education. ([link removed])

“You can’t just hold one workshop, one Zoom panel session, and call it good," he said. "There’s always new people coming into these sports and being introduced to the regions in general. There has to be people out in the field speaking to people as much as possible.”
Quick hits


** GOP lawmaker concerned with Interior ethics office run by Bernhardt hire
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E&E News ([link removed])


** Ski resorts aim to increase efficiency of snowmaking due to drought
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Associated Press ([link removed].)


** Federal judge refuses to block $15/hour wage hike for outdoor guides
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Courthouse News ([link removed]) | Colorado Politics ([link removed]) | E&E News ([link removed])


** The West's megadrought is fueling arguments to drain Glen Canyon
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NPR ([link removed])


** US plans more wild horse roundups in 2022 than ever before
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Associated Press ([link removed])


** New U.S. Bureau of Reclamation regional director talks Colorado River challenges
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KUNC ([link removed])


** New Mexico's plan to become hydrogen hub met with stiff opposition
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Santa Fe New Mexican ([link removed]) | NM Political Report ([link removed])


** QAnon follower sentenced to 8 years in prison for Hoover Dam standoff
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Arizona Central ([link removed])
Quote of the day
” Along with the removal of quotas from the wolf management units surrounding Yellowstone National Park, Montana also now allows baiting and the use of electronic calls. This means that hunters and trappers can lure wolves out of the Park for slaughter, highlighting the least ethical tactics in an already unethical hunt.”
—Jocelyn Leroux and Roger Dobson on the recent mass killing of Yellowstone wolves, M ([link removed]) issoulian ([link removed])
Picture this


** @I ([link removed]) nterior ([link removed])
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Under the morning sky, the red rock hoodoos at @BryceCanyonNPS ([link removed]) stand out against a blanket of snow.

Catching a sunrise here in winter means braving frigid temps, but you're rewarded with incredible light and peaceful surroundings.

Pic by Lucy Song

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