The 2020 federal spending package was passed last week and gives the Chaco Culture National Historical Park a 10-mile buffer zone, Farmington Daily Times reported this week.
No federal money can be used to accept a nomination for oil and gas leasing in the zone until a cultural resources investigation is completed, officials said.
The buffer protects ancient roads and significant cultural resources pending needed studies and consultation with tribal communities, advocates said.
The bill also includes $4 million for continued water quality monitoring in areas affected by the Gold King Mine spill and allocates $8 million in funding for tribal law enforcement, officials said.
It is a bipartisan Interior funding bill that makes major investments in public lands and environmental protection, some senators said.