New Mexico Legislature celebrates American Indian culture

SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — American Indian tribal leaders are converging on the New Mexico Statehouse for an annual celebration of indigenous communities and culture. Amid Friday's festivities, a state Senate panel is scheduled to hear testimony about oil and natural gas development in the vicinity of Chaco Culture National Historical Park and legislative efforts to ensure local tribes are consulted before federal mineral leases are issued. An upcoming lease sale by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management is stoking a long-running dispute over management of vast expanses of land surrounding Chaco park and its admired pre-colonial structures. The state also is marking the 15th anniversary of laws designed to provide equitable access to public education and maintain indigenous languages. A pending lawsuit accuses the state of not following through with the reforms.