Source New Mexico · Aug 13, 2026

Most of New Mexico’s oil-related water contamination in area around Chaco, advocate tells lawmakers

The majority of water contamination linked to oil and gas spills in New Mexico happens in a county that includes much of Chaco Culture National Historical Park, a culturally and spiritually significant site for many Pueblos and tribes that the Trump administration is proposing to open up to more oil and gas operations, an environmental advocate told state lawmakers on Thursday.