Oil and Gas Development Threaten UNESCO World Heritage

We do not know what still lies hidden under tumbled stone hillocks and mounds. Yet, the potential impact to the remains of the Ancient Chacoan Culture is minimized, while the pursuit of economic gain is maximized. Developers claim oil and gas beneath the surface must be rapidly extracted by means as drastic as fracking. The drill rig whines as the bit cracks through mancos shale and rivets it apart. Dirt rises from the roadways as oil trucks race by. Pipelines penetrate land that contains irreplaceable cultural resources. "Frack off Chaco," the people say. "Stop the desecration of sacred lands. Stop the disrespect for spiritual sites and stop the disregard of our cultural heritage," a heritage to which we all belong.