Feds’ Preferred Plan for Lands around Chaco Includes Oil-Gas Leasing

Feds’ Preferred Plan for Lands around Chaco Includes Oil-Gas Leasing
The Bureau of Land Management Farmington Field Office, in coordination with the Bureau of Indian Affairs Navajo Regional Office, has prepared a joint Draft Resource Management Plan Amendment (RMPA) and Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to analyze resource management issues for lands in San Juan, Rio Arriba, McKinley, and Sandoval counties, including lands surrounding the Chaco Culture National Historical Park. “The Draft Resource Management Plan will help guide BIA’s stewardship and development of energy resources on Indian trust lands and assists tribal governments in managing, developing and protecting important cultural sites, surface acres of trust lands, and subsurface trust mineral estates,” said BIA Deputy Director for Field Operations Jim James. “Further, the Draft RMPA/EIS will help us optimize the conservation and use of trust resources to produce revenues and jobs for families in the area.” https://on.doi.gov/39grda9 – BLM.gov (press release)

Link to the plan: https://go.usa.gov/xdrjD

Draft Management Plan Draws Swift Opposition
“APCG is disappointed in DOI’s preferred alternative to allow more oil and gas leasing in an area of great cultural and sacred importance that is already over 90% leased, contrary to the consistent input provided by our Pueblo Nations. We will be providing strong comment on the RMPA reflecting APCG’s long-standing efforts to permanently protect the withdrawal area designated as part of the Chaco Cultural Heritage Area Protection Act, and we will call upon supporters to participate in the public comment period.” – Chairman J. Michael Chavarria, All Pueblo Council of Governors. http://bit.ly/3aonVBL – All Pueblo Council of Governors

So much for creating a better plan to manage the area around Chaco Culture National Historical Park. Much of the long-awaited management plan for the area just released by the Bureau of Land Management fails to protect the region adequately and emphasizes oil and gas development over the health of either the environment or the people living nearby. The news release headline says it all: “BLM and BIA move forward with planning process to responsibly develop energy resources on the Navajo Nation.” The plan to manage the area, however, needs to be more about developing energy resources…. Without adequate protection in the management plan for the region and without permanent action from Congress, the opportunity to preserve this unique part of New Mexico could be lost forever. – http://bit.ly/32KhyGs – Editorial Board, Santa Fe New Mexican

“The Trump Administration’s preferred alternative in this plan envisions opening the entire Chaco Protection Zone to leasing, including lands that directly border the National Park. Even where protections are proposed for Chaco, they will do little to protect the Park, other nearby Chacoan cultural resources, and the Native people who live on the landscape surrounding the Park.” – Paul F. Reed, Archaeology Southwest. http://bit.ly/2wY169J – Archaeology Southwest

Editors’ note: We will keep you informed about actions you might take regarding this draft management plan as we learn more.

Act to Expand Yucca House National Monument Passes U.S. House
A proposed expansion of Yucca House National Monument to protect ancient ruins and facilitate improved access is a step closer to reality. House Bill 1492, which would expand the monument southwest of Cortez from 33 acres to 193 acres passed the U.S. House of Representatives Wednesday. Its companion bill, S641, will be reviewed for a vote in the Senate. In 2015, Bernard and Nancy Karwick offered to donate a 160-acre parcel along the southeastern border of the monument to help preserve ancient cultural sites. But because of the significant boundary adjustment, the expansion must be facilitated through an act of Congress. https://the-journal.com/articles/169683 – The Journal

Bears Ears Monument Advisory Committee Convened Last Week
“Am I the only Indigenous person in the room right now?” asked Angelo Baca, a Navajo and Hopi resident of San Juan County and member of Utah Diné Bikeyah who attended the meeting as an observer. “That’s unacceptable.” Concerns about the lack of Indigenous representation on the committee and in the management planning process surfaced throughout the meetings. Committee members also discussed appropriate concepts to include in educational messaging about the monument, planning for signage and development at cultural sites designated for public use in the monument management plan released last month. http://bit.ly/2IfwiUr – KUER (NPR)

Continuing Coverage: The Four Corners Potato
The Four Corners potato is much more than a delicious ingredient. “This potato is strong, resilient, and it is still here,” says Wilson, symbolizing her own community. “Native Americans are still here. We embrace the values of traditional knowledge as science.” And while the Four Corners potato may be small, it’s only the beginning of what respect for Native traditions can bring, both to scientific understanding and the stewardship of public lands. http://bit.ly/3annpUx – Gastro Obscura blog at Atlas Obscura

Sinagua and Use of Color
Coconino National Forest archaeologist of 45 years, Peter J. Pilles Jr., spoke at a Sedona Gem and Mineral Club meeting on Feb. 18 on the pre-Columbian Sinagua’s use of minerals. Much of his talk highlighted the ancient people’s use of color, since minerals were a major source of color. By Pilles’ account, the Sinagua led color-filled lives, bringing it into their world through a variety of means. The Sinagua — a modern name applied to people who lived in the Verde Valley and the Flagstaff area between A.D. 650 and 1400 — painted blankets and baskets, tie dyed cloth and tinted it with red hematite powder, Pilles said. http://bit.ly/2x5vHCd – Sedona Red Rock News

Publication Announcement: Early Farming and Warfare in Northwest Mexico
Early Farming and Warfare in Northwest Mexico, by Robert J. Hard and John R. Roney. University of Utah Press. https://uofupress.lib.utah.edu/early-farming-and-warfare-in-northwest-mexico/

“Symphony Chaco” to Be Performed at Lincoln Center March 30
Manhattan Concert Productions presents St. Louis Community College at Meramec Orchestra, Symphonic Band and Concert Choir with Native American flutist R. Carlos Nakai performing Gary Gackstatter’s “Symphony Chaco: A Journey of the Spirit,” led by directors Gary Gackstetter and Jerry Myers. Inspired by the composer’s recent sabbatical to Chaco Canyon in the wilds of New Mexico, Symphony Chaco draws from the spirit of Chaco culture and the fascinating history of Native Americans. http://bit.ly/38fybLe – Lincoln Center

Field School Opportunity, Eastern New Mexico University
Eastern New Mexico University’s summer archaeology field school will be held June 28 – July 24 at a Jornada Mogollon rockshelter site along the Rio Grande south of Hatch, New Mexico. For more information, contact Robert Stokes at robert.stokes@enmu.edu or 575-562-2696. https://my.enmu.edu/web/anthropology/field-school

Teacher Workshop Opportunity, Phoenix AZ
Arizona Project Archaeology, which provides a fully developed, interdisciplinary, science-based Archaeological curriculum to 3^rd to 5th grade teachers, is holding our first all-day Teacher Workshop at the Pueblo Grande Museum on Saturday March 21, 2020. There will be no cost to participants for this workshop. Our generous sponsors will provide space, food and program materials. Registration deadline is March 7, 2020. The class is limited to 20 participants – apply soon. http://bit.ly/2PIkG00 – Arizona Project Archaeology

Job Opportunities at Regional Museums
The University of Colorado Museum of Natural History seeks an Assistant Director. We seek a highly motivated and self-directed individual who will work with museum staff as well as on- and off-campus partners to elevate the impact of public programs of the museum. The successful candidate will be responsible for developing the overall direction, supervision, and management of the Public Section of the Museum. Broadly stated, duties include vision and program development, project management, supervisory and budget responsibilities, overseeing campus and community outreach, and graduate program teaching and mentoring. https://jobs.colorado.edu/jobs/JobDetail/?jobId=24550 – University of Colorado Boulder

The University Museum at New Mexico State University (NMSU) invites applications for a collegial and enthusiastic museum curator who is broadly trained to direct the development, care, maintenance, exhibition, loan, and use of collections in compliance with state and federal law. Successful applicants will supervise undergraduate and graduate student interns and volunteers and teach Museum studies courses that foster experiential learning. Under the supervision of the Director of the University Museum, the curator will serve as a liaison between the University Museum, the Department of Anthropology, other campus museums and departments, and state and community museums in Las Cruces and southern New Mexico. https://jobs.nmsu.edu/postings/38105 – New Mexico State University

The Arizona State Museum’s Archaeological Repository is currently looking for Assistant Repatriation and Repository Coordinator (Collections Cultural Institutions Compliance Professional III). It is a full-time, benefits eligible university staff position reporting to the Archaeological Repository Manager that will perform duties in fulfillment of ASM’s state- and federally-mandated policies and responsibilities. Minimum requirements include a Master’s degree in a relevant field, 5 years relevant work experience, archaeological field and laboratory experience. http://bit.ly/2TCJ843 – Arizona State Museum, University of Arizona

Fellowship Opportunity, Laboratory of Tree-Ring Research, University of Arizona
These fellowships are provided by the Agnese Nelms Haury Fund (Endowment) for the Laboratory of Tree-Ring Research. The fellowships are intended to foster dendrochronology training of scientists from any country in the world and/or to promote research exchange and collaborations with faculty, staff, and students at the LTRR. Visitors/trainees may be graduate students, postdoctoral fellows or established scientists. The Fellowships typically last one or two months (but could be shorter). The financial support is reimbursement based and will usually cover travel costs to Tucson (and return) and offset living expenses. Interested individuals are required to contact a faculty member at the LTRR and to develop a tentative plan and schedule for the visit before submitting an application. The plan should specify potential areas of training or collaborations. Special attention will be given to applications pertaining to archaeology, but all areas of dendrochronology will receive full consideration. https://ltrr.arizona.edu/fellowships

Lecture Opportunity, Santa Fe NM
Southwest Seminars Presents Dr. Thomas Dalton Dillehay, the Rebecca Webb Wilson University Distinguished Professor of Anthropology, Religion, and Culture; Distinguished Professor of Anthropology and Latin American Studies, Vanderbilt University; Senior Scholar, School for Advanced Research Author, The Settlement of the Americas: A New Prehistory; Monuments, Empires and Resistance: The Araucanian Polity and Ritual Narratives; and Co-Editor (w/D.J. Meltzer), The First Americans: Search and Research, who will give a lecture “America’s Oldest Known Textiles: Social and Cultural Context of Cotton Fabrics in Peru” on March 9 at 6:00 p.m. at Hotel Santa Fe. Admission is by subscription or $15 at the door. No reservations are necessary. Refreshments are served. Seating is limited. Contact Connie Eichstaedt, tel: 505 466-2775; email: southwestseminar@aol.com; website: southwestseminars.org

Lecture Opportunity, Grand Junction CO
At the Colorado Archaeological Society —Grand Junction Chapter’s March 9 meeting, former Utah state archaeologist Kevin Jones of Cortez will talk about Standing on the Walls of Time, a book he recently co-authored with Layne Miller. The book features photographs of Utah’s magnificent rock art by longtime rock art researcher Miller and essays by Jones, viewing “rock art through a different lens.” The book will be available for sale at the meeting. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. and the lecture is at 7:00 p.m., at Redlands United Methodist Church, 527 Village Way. Meetings are free and open to the public. A small donation is requested to help pay expenses. Go to cas-gj.org or email casgjinfo@gmail.com for information.

Lecture Opportunity, Durango CO
The public is invited to the next meeting of the San Juan Basin Archaeological Society at 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday, March 11, at the Center of Southwest Studies at Fort Lewis College in Durango. Dr. John Hoffecker will present “The Early Upper Paleolithic Archaeology of the East European Plain.” Hoffecker’s primary research focus is the global dispersal of anatomically modern humans, which began more than 50,000 years ago in Africa. He has done field and lab research in Russia and Ukraine since the late 1980s. There will be a pre-meeting social at 6:30. See sjbas.org for more information.

Lecture Opportunity, Cave Creek AZ
On March 11 at 7:00 p.m., the Desert Foothills Chapter of the Arizona Archaeological Society will welcome Andy Seagle for “Tim’s Cave: The Discovery and The Story.” Seagle will share an event that testifies to the deep connections of the human experience: as his older brother archaeologist Tim was dying, an unimagined future story unfolded. Andy’s later discovery of Tim’s Cave in the Sedona area gives back to the study of the Colorado Plateau, as well as mirrors the love and shared experiences of these two brothers that is still present today. The events include archaeological discoveries, an encounter with “pot hunter” activity, posthumous reunion of friendship with the Coconino County National Forest Service and improbable Sinagua archaeological discovery. Community Building (Maitland Hall) at The Good Shepherd of the Hills Episcopal Church, 6502 East Cave Creek Road. https://www.azarchsoc.org/DesertFoothills/

Lecture Opportunity, Tucson AZ
At 7:00 p.m. on March 16, the Arizona Archaeological and Historical Society will welcome Kelsey Hanson for “Technologies of Capturing Color: Paint Practice and Its Analysis in the U.S. Southwest.” The presentation will take place in ENR2, 1064 E. Lowell St., on the University of Arizona campus. http://bit.ly/2VD5OUJ

Lecture and Tour Opportunities, Casa Grande Ruins National Monument, Coolidge AZ
At noon on March 11, Casa Grande Ruins will host Laura Tohe for “More than Pocahontas and Squaws: Indigenous Women Coming into Visibility.” This is the final presentation of the 2020 Casa Grande Ruins National Monument Speaker Series. The program will be held in the Casa Grande Ruins visitor center theater at 1100 W Ruins Drive. http://bit.ly/39mJ8vW

On March 18, join us for sunset and experience the wonder of Casa Grande Ruins National Monument after hours. A short program will begin at 6:00 p.m., then time will be allowed until 8:00 p.m. for photography, self-guided exploration, and questions. On March 18, official sunset time is at 6:39 p.m. Those who want to attend this event must be in the gate before 5:45 pm at the Casa Grande Ruins National Monument located at 1100 W Ruins Drive. http://bit.ly/32NAowg

Editors’ note: Today, March 4, the U.S. Senate Subcommittee on National Parks is holding a hearing that will consider, among other proposed legislation, S.3119, the Casa Grande Ruins National Monument Boundary Modification Act of 2019. Archaeology Southwest President and CEO Bill Doelle has written about why we support this boundary expansion. You can read his statement here. We’ll keep you informed on the status of the legislation going forward.

We’re happy to help get the word out, but we’re not mind readers! Please submit news, book announcements, and events at this link for consideration: https://www.archaeologysouthwest.org/submit-to-sat/

Questions? sat-editor@archaeologysouthwest.org