I 
119TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 2727 
To withdraw certain Federal land in the Pecos Watershed area of the State 
of New Mexico from mineral entry, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
APRIL 8, 2025 
Ms. LEGER FERNANDEZ (for herself and Ms. STANSBURY) introduced the 
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on 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 Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Pecos Watershed Pro-
tection Act’’. 
SEC. 2. WITHDRAWAL OF FEDERAL LAND IN PECOS WATER-
SHED AREA, NEW MEXICO. 
(a) DEFINITION OF FEDERAL LAND.—In this sec-
tion, the term ‘‘Federal land’’ means the Federal land de-
picted as ‘‘Pecos Withdrawal’’ on the map entitled ‘‘Pro-
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posed Mineral Withdrawal Legislative Map’’ and dated 
September 11, 2023. 
(b) WITHDRAWAL.—Subject to valid rights in exist-
ence 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land is withdrawn from all forms of— 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 min-
eral 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 Wilder-
ness 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 ‘‘Pro-
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posed Mineral Withdrawal Legislative Map’’ and dated 
September 11, 2023, is designated as a wilderness area 
and as a component of the National Wilderness Preserva-
tion System, to be known as the ‘‘Thompson Peak Wilder-
ness 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 wilder-
ness 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 er-
rors in the map and legal description. 
(3) AVAILABILITY.—The map and legal descrip-
tion 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.— 
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(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 enact-
ment 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 out-
side 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 ac-
cordance with section 4(d)(7) of the Wilderness Act 
(16 U.S.C. 1133(d)(7)), nothing in this section af-
fects the jurisdiction or responsibilities of the State 
with respect to fish and wildlife management in the 
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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 wilder-
ness area, if established before the date of enact-
ment 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
CON-
TROL.—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 INTER-
ESTS 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. 
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