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119-hr-10054119th Congress
Chama Basin Watershed Protection Act
Sponsored By: Representative Leger Fernandez, Teresa [D-NM-3]
Introduced
Summary
Withdraws the federal mineral estate in the Rio Chama Watershed from location, entry, and patent under the mining laws. This change aims to protect watershed lands while keeping historic and Tribal mineral rights intact.
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- Communities organized as a qualified land grant-merced and acequia members can still gather common‑variety materials like stone, sand, gravel, clay, adobe, and mineral earths for domestic, cultural, religious, ceremonial, subsistence, agricultural, or noncommercial construction purposes consistent with Federal law and National Forest System management.
- Federally recognized Indian Tribes retain any right, title, interest, or claim in minerals they own or hold in trust; those Tribal mineral rights are not diminished or impaired.
- Mining interests would be blocked from locating, entering, or patenting United States‑owned minerals inside the map‑defined Rio Chama Watershed boundary.
*The bill would remove federal mining claim access to the mapped Rio Chama Watershed while explicitly preserving qualified land grant and Tribal mineral rights.*
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
3 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.
Define tribes and land grants
If enacted, the bill would define who counts as an "Indian Tribe" for this Act using the Federally Recognized Indian Tribe List Act of 1994. It would define "qualified land grant‑merced" as a community land grant recognized under New Mexico law that has historic use on, or a patented outer boundary on or next to, Federal land inside the Rio Chama Watershed area. These definitions would take effect upon enactment and determine which tribes and land grants get rights or recognition under the bill.
Protect traditional mineral gathering rights
If enacted, the bill would say that nothing in the Act stops or limits members of qualified land grants, acequia communities, or other individuals from gathering common minerals like stone, sand, gravel, clay, adobe, and mineral earths for domestic, cultural, religious, ceremonial, subsistence, agricultural, or noncommercial construction uses. These gathering rights would be preserved so long as the activities remain consistent with applicable Federal law and National Forest System management. The protection would take effect upon enactment.
Withdraw Rio Chama lands from mining
If enacted, the bill would withdraw Federal land inside the "Rio Chama Watershed" boundary shown on the April 22, 2026 map from all forms of location, entry, and patent under the mining laws. The withdrawal would apply only to minerals owned by the United States. It would explicitly preserve any right, title, interest, or claim in minerals owned by, held in trust for, or claimed by a qualified land grant‑merced or an Indian Tribe.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Leger Fernandez, Teresa [D-NM-3]
NM • D
Cosponsors
There are no cosponsors for this bill.
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov