Report outlines considerations for oil, gas drilling

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Federal land managers have laid out their plans for weighing the effects of oil and gas development in northwestern New Mexico on everything from archaeological resources to light pollution. The Bureau of Land Management and the Bureau of Indian Affairs have completed a scoping report as they look to update a management plan that will guide development in one of the nation's largest basins. Environmentalists and Navajo Nation officials have voiced concerns in recent years about the uptick of drilling in the San Juan Basin and the proximity of wells and roads to Chaco Culture National Historical Park and other cultural sites. They praised this week's report, saying it has the potential to set the stage for greater accountability. The planning process is expected to be done by 2020.