[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 119 (Tuesday, July 23, 2024)]
[Senate]
[Page S5240]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
SA 2968. Mr. HEINRICH submitted an amendment intended to be proposed
by him to the bill S. 4638, to authorize appropriations for fiscal year
2025 for military activities of the Department of Defense, for military
construction, and for defense activities of the Department of Energy,
to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for
other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:
At the end of subtitle H of title X, add the following:
SEC. 1095. WITHDRAWAL OF FEDERAL LAND IN PECOS WATERSHED
AREA, NEW MEXICO.
(a) Definition of Federal Land.--In this section, the term
``Federal land'' means the Federal land depicted as ``Pecos
Withdrawal'' on the map entitled ``Proposed Mineral
Withdrawal Legislative Map'' and dated September 11, 2023.
(b) Withdrawal.--Subject to valid rights in existence on
the date of enactment of this Act, the Federal land is
withdrawn from all forms of--
(1) entry, appropriation, or disposal under the public land
laws;
(2) location, entry, and patent under the mining laws; and
(3) disposition under all laws pertaining to mineral and
geothermal leasing or mineral materials.
SEC. 1096. DESIGNATION OF THOMPSON PEAK WILDERNESS AREA, NEW
MEXICO.
(a) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of Agriculture.
(2) State.--The term ``State'' means the State of New
Mexico.
(3) Wilderness area.--The term ``wilderness area'' means
the Thompson Peak Wilderness Area designated by subsection
(b).
(b) Designation.--In accordance with the Wilderness Act (16
U.S.C. 1131 et seq.), the approximately 11,599 acres of land
managed by the Forest Service in the State, as generally
depicted on the map entitled ``Proposed Mineral Withdrawal
Legislative Map'' and dated September 11, 2023, is designated
as a wilderness area and as a component of the National
Wilderness Preservation System, to be known as the ``Thompson
Peak Wilderness Area''.
(c) Map and Legal Description.--
(1) In general.--As soon as practicable after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall file a map and
legal description of the wilderness area with--
(A) the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the
Senate; and
(B) the Committee on Natural Resources of the House of
Representatives.
(2) Effect.--The map and legal description filed under
paragraph (1) shall have the same force and effect as if
included in this section, except that the Secretary may
correct clerical and typographical errors in the map and
legal description.
(3) Availability.--The map and legal description filed
under paragraph (1) shall be on file and available for public
inspection in the Office of the Chief of the Forest Service.
(d) Administration.--
(1) In general.--Subject to valid existing rights, the
wilderness area shall be administered by the Secretary in
accordance with the Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. 1131 et seq.),
except that any reference in that Act to the effective date
of that Act shall be considered to be a reference to the date
of enactment of this Act.
(2) Adjacent management.--
(A) No protective perimeters or buffer zones.--Congress
does not intend for the designation of the wilderness area to
create a protective perimeter or buffer zone around the
wilderness area.
(B) Nonwilderness activities.--The fact that nonwilderness
activities or uses outside of the wilderness area can be seen
or heard from an area within the wilderness area shall not
preclude the conduct of the nonwilderness activities or uses
outside the boundaries of the wilderness area.
(3) Fish and wildlife management.--In accordance with
section 4(d)(7) of the Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. 1133(d)(7)),
nothing in this section affects the jurisdiction or
responsibilities of the State with respect to fish and
wildlife management in the wilderness area (including the
regulation of hunting, fishing, and trapping).
(4) Grazing.--The Secretary shall allow the continuation of
the grazing of livestock in the wilderness area, if
established before the date of enactment of this Act, in
accordance with--
(A) section 4(d)(4) of the Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C.
1133(d)(4)); and
(B) the guidelines set forth in Appendix A of the report of
the Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs of the House of
Representatives accompanying H.R. 2570 of the 101st Congress
(H. Rept. 101-405).
(5) Wildfire, insect, and disease control.--The Secretary
may carry out measures in the wilderness area that the
Secretary determines to be necessary to control fire,
insects, or diseases, in accordance with section 4(d)(1) of
the Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. 1133(d)(1)).
(e) Incorporation of Acquired Land and Interests in Land.--
Any land or interest in land within the boundaries of the
wilderness area that is acquired by the United States after
the date of enactment of this Act shall be added to and
administered as part of the wilderness area.
(f) Withdrawal.--Subject to valid existing rights, the
wilderness area is withdrawn from--
(1) entry, appropriation, or disposal under the public land
laws;
(2) location, entry, and patent under the mining laws; and
(3) disposition under all laws relating to mineral and
geothermal leasing or mineral materials.
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