The Bureau recalled that the potential impact of the extension of the Taos Airport on the World Heritage site of Taos Pueblo was discussed at various Bureau and Committee meetings and that the Committee’s concerns were transmitted to the United States authorities. The Secretariat informed the Bureau that it had received preliminary monitoring reports from the Taos Pueblo War Chief and the US National Park Service. Both reports indicated that the major issue was the size of the area determined to be affected by the proposed airport extension. It was reported that this area was defined by the Federal Aviation Administration
(FAA) without consultations with the Taos Pueblo or the United States National Park Service (USNPS) and did include the Taos Pueblo Land Tracts immediately surrounding the proposed flight routes, whereas the Blue Lake Wilderness, a federally protected area for tribal religious activity, was excluded. Most of the Tribe's complaints about expected impacts related to this sensitive area.
The Bureau recommended to the authorities of the United States that an impartial professional review of the area defined by the Federal Aviation Administration for the impact study be carried out with the cooperation of ICOMOS, the Taos Pueblo, the United States National Park Service and the Federal Aviation Administration, and that a report be submitted to the nineteenth session of the World Heritage Committee. The Bureau also requested the Secretariat to consult with the State Party regarding the possible extension of the World Heritage site to include the culturally valuable areas related to the Taos Pueblo under the cultural landscape criteria.