Federal RuleAug 21
62
DOL Rewrites Disability Rules for 'Merit-Based Opportunity' Push
RuleLabor DepartmentFederal Contract Compliance Programs OfficeSignificant Wallet
119-s-1363119th Congress
New Mexico Land Grant-Mercedes Historical or Traditional Use Cooperation and Coordination Act
Sponsored By: Senator Luján, Ben Ray [D-NM]
Passed Senate
Summary
Establishes a cooperative framework to recognize and manage historical and traditional noncommercial uses of Federal public land by New Mexico Spanish/Mexican community land grants. It creates a process for memoranda of understanding that spell out permits, fees, maintenance, and consultation between land grant communities and Federal land managers.
Show full summary
- Heirs and community users: Heirs of qualified New Mexico land grants gain a formal pathway to request permits for noncommercial historical uses like grazing, gathering plants and wood, water use, cemetery upkeep, and subsistence hunting or fishing.
- Governing bodies and the New Mexico Land Grant Council: The Council and local governing bodies can negotiate and be represented in MOUs and may sign subsidiary project agreements. MOUs must include rules on fees and let the Secretary consider community socioeconomic conditions and a governing body's annual budget for fee reductions or waivers.
- Federal agencies and Tribal consultation: The Secretary of Agriculture or the Interior must negotiate an initial MOU within 2 years and may renew it later. MOUs must route uses through existing permit and land-use authorities, require procedures for Tribal consultation, and explicitly preserve Tribal treaty rights and State water and wildlife authorities.
Personalized for You
How does this bill affect your finances?
Personalize government policy and PRIA will tell you what this bill means for your household, plus every other piece of legislation we track. PRIA reads each provision against your financial profile to show you exactly what matters to your wallet.
Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
3 provisions identified: 3 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
Permit steps and fee relief for land grants
If enacted, heirs of qualified New Mexico land grants would get clear permit steps for long‑standing, noncommercial uses on federal land. Indian reservations and trust lands would be excluded. The Secretary would sign an agreement with the New Mexico Land Grant Council within two years. Each agreement would list which uses need permits, how to apply, and what fees can be charged. When the law allows fee cuts or waivers, the Secretary would weigh local economic conditions and the governing body’s annual budget. Agreements would cover routine maintenance and could set steps for bigger work, like wells and community water or wastewater projects.
Land plans must consider traditional uses
If enacted, federal land use plans in New Mexico would need to consider how other uses affect traditional uses by qualified land grants. This would apply when plans are developed, revised, or maintained under federal land and forest laws. The Secretary would decide how to include this, following applicable law.
Tribal, state, and existing rights preserved
If enacted, the bill would not change tribal treaty rights or state authority over water, game, or fish. It would not change valid existing rights or create a new right to use federal land.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Luján, Ben Ray [D-NM]
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