FARMINGTON, N.M. — Navajo Nation President Buu Nygren met with the Bureau of Land Management for a government-to-government consultation regarding Public Land Order No. 7923 and the 10-mile buffer zone around Chaco Culture National Historical Park. Council Delegate Danny Simpson was also in attendance during the consultation.
President Nygren reaffirmed the Navajo Nation’s position supporting a zero-mile buffer zone, emphasizing that any decision affecting Navajo allottees, families, grazing users, and local communities must include true consultation with the people who live there.
“The Navajo people have protected Chaco for generations,” President Nygren said. “My position is clear: leave it alone. Zero buffer zone is my stance. Everything was good before this started, and the local chapters and communities deserve to be respected.”
During the consultation, Navajo Nation leaders noted that cultural resources are already protected through existing tribal and federal laws, including the Navajo Nation Cultural Resource Protection Act, the National Historic Preservation Act, and other federal protections. Leaders also emphasized that Navajo families in the area rely on these lands for their livelihood and should not be left out of decisions that directly impact them.
The BLM is currently reviewing three alternatives: no action, a five-mile buffer, or removal of the 10-mile buffer. A draft environmental assessment is expected to be released for a 14-day public comment period before the decision package moves forward.
President Nygren will continue advocating for Navajo sovereignty, local chapter input, and meaningful consultation that respects Navajo families, sacred sites, and generations of stewardship in the Chaco region.
