If reaource exploration and extraction WERE a rational argument that it's a danger to a heritage site.
Which it's not, an absurd assertion; a red herring.
But even if it were, bye bye Chaco. The well being of 300,000,000 fellow citizens is more important than making a few national pets feel good about themselves.
If there’s no threat to the site, then develop the energy resources. We can’t afford to tie up every inch of the United States because some group wants us to.
What say those FReepers living in the Four Corners area?
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As a little context, 1000 years ago, Chaco was the equivalent of Chicago, today. It was the midpoint of a trading route from New England all the way to South America. Their most convertible currency was chips of turquoise, and tens of thousands of such chips have been found at Chaco. Something of an abandoned bank.
This is not what might be thought of as primitive, as even the stonework in their buildings is of three different types, showing technological innovation. And South of there, in the great empires in Mexico, were lots of great cities built of stone, often with multistory buildings.
Likewise, heading East from Chaco were the great Plains and Mississippi River tribes, the latter of whom also built great cities, that were, unfortunately, far more biodegradable.
Then around the year 1,000, there was a heck of an extended drought, which pretty much wiped out the Indians of the southwest.
Haven’t been to that particular site but, I hear the roads are horrible. Perhaps the energy companies could improve them?