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119-s-5282119th Congress

Chama Basin Watershed Protection Act

Sponsored By: Senator Luján, Ben Ray [D-NM]

Introduced

Summary

Withdrawal of federal minerals within the Rio Chama Watershed would bar location, entry, and patent claims under federal mining laws on minerals owned by the United States inside the watershed. The bill preserves minerals owned by qualified land grant-merced communities and by Indian Tribes and protects traditional, cultural, subsistence, and domestic uses of common minerals consistent with federal law and National Forest System management.

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  • Members of qualified land grant-merced and acequia communities and Indian Tribes keep access to common variety materials like stone, sand, gravel, clay, and adobe for domestic, cultural, ceremonial, subsistence, agricultural, or noncommercial construction uses.
  • Miners and companies could not establish federal mining claims or seek patents on U.S.-owned minerals within the watershed boundary.
  • The withdrawal is tied to National Forest System management and to a withdrawal map dated April 22, 2026 that defines the boundary.

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

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

Protect Rio Chama watershed minerals

If enacted, the bill would withdraw Federal land inside the Rio Chama Watershed from new federal mining claims. The withdrawal would apply to the area shown on the map titled "Rio Chama Watershed Draft" dated April 22, 2026, and would bar location, entry, or patent under the mining laws for minerals owned by the United States. The bill would not affect mineral rights owned by a qualified land grant‑merced or an Indian Tribe, including minerals held in trust. Members of qualified land grant‑merced or acequia communities and other individuals would still be able to gather common materials like stone, sand, gravel, clay, and adobe for domestic, cultural, religious, ceremonial, subsistence, agricultural, or noncommercial construction uses, as long as those uses follow Federal law and National Forest System management. The bill would also define "Indian Tribe" by the federal list of recognized tribes and would define "qualified land grant‑merced" under New Mexico law and by historical use or a patented exterior boundary.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Luján, Ben Ray [D-NM]

NM • D

Cosponsors

  • Sen. Heinrich, Martin [D-NM]

    NM • D

    Sponsored 8/6/2026

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

View on Congress.gov
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