# 119-s-1319: Pecos Watershed Protection Act

119-s-1319, Pecos Watershed Protection Act, is a 119th Congress bill sponsored by Sen. Heinrich, Martin [D-NM] (D-NM); status in_committee (as of 2026-09-10).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-1319
- As of: 2026-09-10
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: 119-s-1319
- Congress: 119
- Title: Pecos Watershed Protection Act
- Status: in_committee
- Introduced: 2025-04-08
- Sponsor: Sen. Heinrich, Martin [D-NM] (D-NM)
- Cosponsors: 1
- Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources
- Touches household money: no
- Last recorded action: 2026-09-10

## Summary

**Permanent protections for the Pecos Watershed.** The bill withdraws the area shown on the "Pecos Withdrawal" map from public land entry, mining claims, and mineral or geothermal leasing and designates about 11,599 acres of Forest Service land as the Thompson Peak Wilderness Area. - Outdoor visitors and local communities get long-term protection of scenery and recreation because the land is set aside as wilderness and removed from new mineral development. - Ranchers and existing livestock permit holders may continue grazing where it existed before enactment under existing rules. - Mining and energy companies lose access for new mining claims, patents, mineral leasing, and geothermal leasing on the withdrawn lands, subject to valid existing rights. - The State of New Mexico retains authority over fish and wildlife, including hunting, fishing, and trapping. The Forest Service will administer the Thompson Peak Wilderness and may add any future land acquisitions to the wilderness.

## Cosponsors (1)

- Sen. Luján, Ben Ray [D-NM] (D-NM), 2025-04-08T00:00:00.000Z

## Provisions PRIA read

- Create Thompson Peak wilderness: benefit, low. This bill would designate about 11,599 acres in New Mexico as the Thompson Peak Wilderness Area. If enacted, the Forest Service would manage the area under the Wilderness Act and add any future federal land acquired there to the wilderness. The Secretary could continue grazing that existed before e…
- Stop new mining and leases: benefit, low. This bill would withdraw the Federal land shown as the "Pecos Withdrawal" on the map dated September 11, 2023. If enacted, that land and the designated Thompson Peak Wilderness Area would be removed from public-land entry, patenting, and mineral or geothermal leasing laws. The withdrawal would take…

## Related bills

- 119-s-4504: Full-Service Community School Expansion Act of 2026
- 119-s-3990: PrEP Access and Coverage Act of 2026
- 119-s-2823: FAMILY Act
- 119-s-51: Washington, D.C. Admission Act
- 119-s-5108: Right to IVF Act of 2026
- 119-s-1503: Equality Act

## Sources
- [119-s-1319 on Congress.gov](https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/1319)

## Related
- [119-s-4504: Full-Service Community School Expansion Act of 2026](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-4504)
- [119-s-3990: PrEP Access and Coverage Act of 2026](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-3990)
- [119-s-2823: FAMILY Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-2823)
- [119-s-51: Washington, D.C. Admission Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-51)
- [119-s-5108: Right to IVF Act of 2026](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-5108)
- [119-s-1503: Equality Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-1503)
- [All bills in Congress](https://policyrisk.com/legislation)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-1319 (as of 2026-09-10).