New Mexico officials have criticized the short public comment period on the proposal to allow mineral leasing around Chaco Canyon, which is a site that contains ruins from pre-Columbian Indigenous pueblos. The proposal would remove 336,425 acres of public lands within a 10-mile radius surrounding Chaco Culter National Historic Park. Critics argue that the seven-day period was too brief and attempts to undermine tribal sovereignty are being undermined. The U.S. Bureau of Land Management is preparing an environmental assessment to review the proposal.