The federal Bureau of Land Management reportedly blocked at least 14 staff archaeologists — including some specialists from Utah — from attending a conference of the Society for American Archaeology in Washington, D.C. over cost concerns
The staffers were scheduled to lead a symposium entitled "Tough Issues in Land Management Archaeology."
A few days before the conference, BLM supervisors decided not to send the staffers.
The majority of the staffers are based in Western states where BLM manages millions of acres that contain numerous sites and artifacts left by ancient civilizations.
BLM says the decision was based on saving money.
Three Utah staffers were allowed to attend the conference.
Each delivered a 15-minute presentation on the management of archaeological resources on public land.
