Trump Admin Reversing Chaco Canyon Protections
Key Questions
What protections are being reversed around Chaco Canyon?
The BLM under the Trump Administration is rushing to end a 336,000-acre buffer zone around the Ancestral Puebloan hub at Chaco Canyon. This area contains 12,000 unsurveyed archaeological sites, with 90% of the land already leased.
Why is the situation at Chaco Canyon a preservation crisis?
The buffer removal threatens thousands of unsurveyed sites central to Ancestral Puebloan history. The public comment deadline of April 7 marks a peak crisis point for preservation efforts.
How might COPC files aid Chaco Canyon site preservation?
COPC (Cloud Optimized Point Cloud) is a format for lidar and photogrammetry 3D datasets accessible over the internet. It could enable efficient online surveying and documentation of the 12,000 threatened unsurveyed sites.
BLM rushing to end 336k-acre buffer around Ancestral Puebloan hub, threatening 12k unsurveyed sites amid 90% leased land. Public comment deadline Apr 7 signals peak preservation crisis.