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119-hr-2893119th Congress

Buffalo Tract Protection Act

Sponsored By: Representative Stansbury, Melanie A. [D-NM-1]

Introduced

Summary

Permanently withdraws about 4,288 acres near Placitas, New Mexico from mineral development. The bill would bar location, entry, and patent under the mining laws and block disposition under the mineral leasing, mineral materials, and geothermal leasing laws for the parcels shown as Tract A–D on the Placitas map dated November 13, 2019, subject to valid existing rights. It would let the Bureau of Land Management convey the surface under the Federal Land Policy and Management Act and the Recreation and Public Purposes Act, but any surface conveyance must reserve the mineral estate to the United States. The measure does not create new funding or programs.

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

1 provisions identified: 0 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.

No new mining on Placitas lands

If enacted, this would block new mining claims and new mineral, oil, gas, and geothermal leasing on about 4,288 acres near Placitas, New Mexico. It would cover Tracts A–D shown on a map dated November 13, 2019. Valid existing rights would still stand. Interior could sell or transfer the surface under existing land laws, but the United States would keep the mineral rights. The change would take effect upon enactment.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Stansbury, Melanie A. [D-NM-1]

NM • D

Cosponsors

  • Rep. Huffman, Jared [D-CA-2]

    CA • D

    Sponsored 4/10/2025

  • Rep. Leger Fernandez, Teresa [D-NM-3]

    NM • D

    Sponsored 4/10/2025

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

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