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Pecos Watershed Protection Act
To withdraw certain Federal land in the Pecos Watershed area of the State of New Mexico from mineral entry, and for other purposes.
Summary
This bill protects certain Federal land in the Pecos Watershed area of New Mexico by withdrawing it from mineral entry and related commercial uses. It designates approximately 11,599 acres of Forest Service land as the Thompson Peak Wilderness Area, adding it to the National Wilderness Preservation System. The wilderness area will be managed according to federal wilderness laws, though hunting, fishing, and trapping authority remain with the State of New Mexico. Grazing activities that existed before the bill's enactment may continue, and the Secretary of Agriculture may take action to control wildfires, insects, and diseases. Any additional land acquired within the designated wilderness area will be incorporated and managed as part of it.
AI-generated plain-language summary of the bill text — neutral, and may be imperfect. See the full text below for the exact wording.
Sponsor (1)
- Sen. Heinrich, Martin [D-NM] (D-NM)
1 cosponsor
- Sen. Luján, Ben Ray [D-NM] (D-NM)
Actions (3)
- Dec 2, 2025 Committee on Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on Public Lands, Forests, and Mining. Hearings held. · senate
- Apr 8, 2025 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. · senate
- Apr 8, 2025 Introduced in Senate
More bills on these subjects (8)
Other bills that carry the most legislative subjects in common with this one (topical discovery — distinct from the procedural related bills above).
Similar bills (6)
Bills with similar text or summary — includes reintroductions across Congresses. Ranked by semantic similarity of the bill text (computed locally); a neutral discovery aid, not a claim the bills are duplicates.
Committee action
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Meetings where this bill was on the agenda
Full text
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
April 8, 2025
Mr. Heinrich (for himself and Mr. Lujan) 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 Pecos 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 “Pecos Watershed Protection Act”.
SEC. 2. 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. 3. 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 Act, 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. <all>
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