VOA慢速英语--美国计划在圣公园附近出售石油租约

US Plans to Sell Oil Leases Near Holy Park

In March, United States officials will move forward with plans to sell leases for oil and gas exploration in two states: New Mexico and Oklahoma.

The leases include land near the Chaco Culture National Historical Park and other areas that Native American tribes consider holy.

The sale comes against the wishes of tribal¹ leaders, environmentalists and Democratic Party lawmakers. All three groups have criticized the U.S. Bureau of Land Management for pushing ahead with drilling permit inspections³ and preparations for energy leases.

The bureau had few people working when the federal government was partially⁴ closed for five weeks in December and January.

Critics have said that they were barred from the process because the government failed to release any information about the sale. Critics also questioned if the bureau would be able to effectively examine the land available for leasing and whether it would consider objections to the plans.

Tom Udall is a U.S. Senator and Democrat² from New Mexico. He told The Associated Press in an email that he is concerned about the latest attempt to lease culturally important land without a more complete plan.

Udall said it was a mistake for the agency to move forward with such an unclear process since critical government services were closed for 35 days.

An agency representative said officials decided⁵ to delay the sale by a few weeks to provide time for a public protest period that was delayed during the government shutdown. It confirmed on its website that it would take comments starting February 11, and that the sale was set for March 28.

Depending on the result of the protests, it is possible for the agency to delay or withdraw nine pieces of land that lie within 16 kilometers of Chaco. The park is a world heritage site -- a place chosen by the United Nations as having cultural, historical, scientific or other importance.

Chaco has massive stone structures as well as kivas – centuries-old rooms that native Pueblo⁶ people have used for spiritual ceremonies and political meetings.

For tribes, the fight centers on protecting what remains⁷ of a ceremonial and economic center that goes back hundreds of years.

In all, more than 50 pieces of land in New Mexico and Oklahoma will be up for lease.

Kurt Riley is a former governor of the Acoma Pueblo. Last week, during a congressional gathering⁸, he spoke⁹ of protesting the bureau’s support for oil and gas development over other interests.

Riley and others said the government shutdown worsened the already worrisome situation of oil and gas expansion in northwestern New Mexico.

In recent years, U.S. land officials have rejected oil and gas exploration on land near Chaco, creating a kind of unofficial protective barrier. In early 2018, for example, Ryan Zinke stopped a lease sale because of cultural concerns after hundreds of people protested. At the time, Zinke was heading the Department of the Interior.

The battle over energy development around Chaco has been around for years. Chaco is bordered by the Navajo Nation and a number of state and federal lands. In 2015, government officials visited the area in hopes of making an agreement between the tribes and energy companies.

The Bureau of Land Management and the Bureau of Indian Affairs began working together to improve the resource management plan for the San Juan Basin. It covers a large part of northwestern New Mexico and parts of southern Colorado.

The partnership¹⁰ aimed to ensure tribes would be part of the decision making, and that scientific and archaeological studies would be done to ensure cultural sensitivity.

The nine pieces of land are on the outer edge of the informal barrier area near the park. Critics have warned that park visitors might see drilling equipment in some places if those areas were leased. Whether the sound of the equipment could be heard would depend on wind direction. There are also concerns about light pollution affecting Chaco’s night sky.

Paul Reed is with Archaeology¹¹ Southwest, a research group. He said many communities within the 16 kilometer area need a greater level of protection.

I’m Alice Bryant. And I'm Jonathan Evans.

Words in This Story

lease – n. a legal agreement that lets someone use a car, house, etc., for a period of time in return for payment

drill – v. to make a hole in something using a tool or equipment

critical – adj. extremely important

site – n. the place where something is, was or will be located

basin – b. the area of land around a large river and the small rivers that flow into it

archaeological – adj. relating to a science that deals with past human activities by studying the bones, tools and other objects

1 tribal   

adj.部族的，种族的

参考例句：

• He became skilled in several tribal lingoes.他精通几种部族的语言。
• The country was torn apart by fierce tribal hostilities.那个国家被部落间的激烈冲突弄得四分五裂。

2 democrat   

n.民主主义者，民主人士；民主党党员

参考例句：

• The Democrat and the Public criticized each other.民主党人和共和党人互相攻击。
• About two years later,he was defeated by Democrat Jimmy Carter.大约两年后，他被民主党人杰米卡特击败。

3 inspections   

n.检查( inspection的名词复数 )；检验；视察；检阅

参考例句：

• Regular inspections are carried out at the prison. 经常有人来视察这座监狱。
• Government inspections ensure a high degree of uniformity in the standard of service. 政府检查确保了在服务标准方面的高度一致。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 partially   

adv.部分地，从某些方面讲

参考例句：

• The door was partially concealed by the drapes.门有一部分被门帘遮住了。
• The police managed to restore calm and the curfew was partially lifted.警方设法恢复了平静，宵禁部分解除。

5 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

6 pueblo   

n.（美国西南部或墨西哥等）印第安人的村庄

参考例句：

• For over 2,000 years,Pueblo peoples occupied a vast region of the south-western United States.在长达2，000多年的时间里，印第安人统治着现在美国西南部的大片土地。
• The cross memorializes the Spanish victims of the 1680 revolt,when the region's Pueblo Indians rose up in violent protest against their mistreatment and burned the cit

7 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

8 gathering   

n.集会，聚会，聚集

参考例句：

• He called on Mr. White to speak at the gathering.他请怀特先生在集会上讲话。
• He is on the wing gathering material for his novels.他正忙于为他的小说收集资料。

9 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

10 partnership   

n.合作关系，伙伴关系

参考例句：

• The company has gone into partnership with Swiss Bank Corporation.这家公司已经和瑞士银行公司建立合作关系。
• Martin has taken him into general partnership in his company.马丁已让他成为公司的普通合伙人。

11 archaeology   

n.考古学

参考例句：

• She teaches archaeology at the university.她在大学里教考古学。
• He displayed interest in archaeology.他对考古学有兴趣。