2024
18
Apr
Breaking News: Interior Finalizes Public Lands Rule
Dear Friends,
It’s been another busy week. After a lovely weekend in Salt Lake City for my son’s rugby tournament, on Sunday I flew to Washington D.C. for the “Monumental Call to Action” lobbying effort (see second story below). On Wednesday, I flew to New Orleans, Louisiana, where 4,500 ...
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2024
11
Apr
Interactive Digital Experience for an Important Place in the Dinétah
Dear Friends,
My last few missives have been downers, focusing as they have on the continuing desecration of the San Pedro Valley by construction of the SunZia powerline. That work proceeds at a rapid pace; last week I counted at least 45 tower pads from the air. During a field trip on Monday of ...
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2024
03
Apr
Bears Ears Partnership Debuts Short Documentary
Dear Friends,
Paul Reed, Preservation Archaeologist and Director of our New Mexico State Program, recently published a stunning report on the problem of orphaned and abandoned oil and gas wells and energy infrastructure surrounding Bears Ears National Monument in Utah and Chaco Canyon National Hi...
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2024
02
Apr
Easing into the Big Easy: Where to Find Archaeology Southwest at the 2024 SAA Conference
Sara Anderson, Director of Outreach
(April 2, 2024)—When planning a trip to New Orleans, most people envision the vibrant music scene, mouthwatering Creole and Cajun cuisines, and lively festivals. This month, archaeologists from across the country are not only hungry for those experiences, but...
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2024
26
Mar
ASU Works with Tribal Reps to Fulfill NAGPRA Obligations
Dear Friends,
As I mentioned in a previous note, I always take window seats while flying so I can watch the landscape below as we cruise along. On Thursday, March 21, I had a window seat from Tucson to Denver. I almost wish I hadn’t; what I saw made me sick to my stomach.
As you can see from...
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2024
25
Mar
Report on Orphaned and Abandoned Oil-Gas Wells
Paul F. Reed, New Mexico Director and Preservation Archaeologist
(March 26, 2024)—Our recent report on orphaned and abandoned wells in the US highlights the grave threat they pose to irreplaceable sacred and historic sites and to cultural landscapes across the West. The Tribal engagement work I...
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2024
19
Mar
Recent Investigations at the Castle Rock Community
Dear Friends,
The vernal equinox occurred at 8:06 p.m. (Pacific Standard Time) on Tuesday, March 19, 2024. What does that mean for most of us? Sadly, not much.
If we were to take time from our busy schedules to have lunch outside, we might notice that the sun will be high at noon, and that the...
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2024
12
Mar
Innovative Draft Management Plan for Bears Ears
Dear Friends,
By the time this newsletter reaches your inbox, an extraordinary day for Archaeology Southwest will be in full swing. From 9:30 to 11:30 a.m., many of our local staff will be in a visitors’ gallery at the US federal courthouse here in Tucson. We will watch as attorneys argue a cas...
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2024
06
Mar
Tribal Leaders: Clean Energy Projects Aren’t Always Clean
Dear Friends,
On Monday, March 4, the Washington Post published “‘On stolen land’: Tribes fight clean-energy projects backed by Biden,” an article by climate and environment reporter Maxine Joselow.
The first half of the piece focuses on our beloved San Pedro Valley and the effort by s...
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2024
28
Feb
REPORT: Orphaned Wells and Abandoned Oil and Gas Infrastructure Pose a Significant Threat to Cultural Resources in the Southwest
New Report Explores Native American Tribal Concerns with Orphaned Wells and
Discusses Common-Sense Solutions Needed for Addressing the Problem for the Long Term
Tucson, Ariz. and Taos, N.M. (February 29, 2024)—Today, Archaeology Southwest released a new report titled Orphaned and Abandoned Oil a...
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2024
28
Feb
Experiencing the Lunar Standstill on Fajada Butte
Dear Friends,
Over the past two weeks I have flown from Tucson to Florida, then to Denver, and back to Tucson. With 10 hours total flying time plus many hours sitting in airports, I’ve enjoyed lots of time contemplating the great work Archaeology Southwest does.
One thing this organization h...
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2024
20
Feb
14th Annual Conservation in the West Poll Finds Continued Concern over Environment, Public Lands
Dear Friends,
On Saturday, February 10, more than 100 friends of Archaeology Southwest gathered to celebrate and honor the long and distinguished career of recently retired founding President and CEO Bill Doelle. It was an incredible event.
Board of Directors chair Dan Kimball, who has known B...
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