[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 5282 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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119th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 5282

To withdraw certain Federal land in the Rio Chama Watershed area of the 
    State of New Mexico from mineral entry, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             August 6, 2026

Mr. Lujan (for himself and Mr. Heinrich) introduced the following bill; 
   which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and 
                           Natural Resources

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To withdraw certain Federal land in the Rio Chama Watershed area of the 
    State of New Mexico from mineral entry, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Chama Basin Watershed Protection 
Act''.

SEC. 2. WITHDRAWAL OF FEDERAL LAND IN RIO CHAMA WATERSHED AREA, NEW 
              MEXICO.

    (a) Withdrawal.--The Federal land located within the boundary area 
depicted as ``Rio Chama Watershed'' on the map entitled ``Rio Chama 
Watershed Draft'' and dated April 22, 2026, is withdrawn from all forms 
of location, entry, and patent under the mining laws.
    (b) Effect on Non-Federal Mineral Interests.--The withdrawal 
described in subsection (a) applies only to minerals owned by the 
United States and nothing in this Act affects, diminishes, impairs, 
encumbers, or otherwise applies to any right, title, interest, or claim 
in minerals owned by, held in trust on behalf of, or claimed by--
            (1) a qualified land grant-merced; or
            (2) an Indian Tribe.
    (c) Effect on Traditional and Customary Uses.--Nothing in this Act 
prohibits, restricts, or otherwise affects the traditional, customary, 
or personal use, gathering, or collection of common variety minerals, 
stone, sand, gravel, clay, adobe, mineral earths, or other similar 
materials by members of a qualified land grant-merced or acequia 
community, or by other individuals, for domestic, cultural, religious, 
ceremonial, subsistence, agricultural, or noncommercial construction 
purposes, consistent with applicable Federal law and the management of 
the National Forest System.
    (d) Definitions.--In this Act:
            (1) Indian tribe.--The term ``Indian Tribe'' means the 
        governing body of any individually identified and federally 
        recognized Indian or Alaska Native tribe, band, nation, pueblo, 
        village, community, affiliated Tribal group, or component 
        reservation included on the most recent list published pursuant 
        to section 104(a) of the Federally Recognized Indian Tribe List 
        Act of 1994 (25 U.S.C. 5131(a)).
            (2) Qualified land grant-merced.--The term ``qualified land 
        grant-merced'' means a community land grant issued under the 
        laws or customs of the Government of Spain or Mexico that--
                    (A) is recognized under New Mexico Statutes Chapter 
                49, Articles 1 and 4 (or a successor statute); and
                    (B)(i) has a record of historical or traditional 
                use on Federal land within the boundary area described 
                in subsection (a); or
                    (ii) has a patented exterior boundary that is or 
                previously was located on or adjacent to Federal land 
                within the boundary area described in subsection (a).
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