Pecos Watershed Protection Act

Bill: 118-hr-5943
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Leger Fernandez, Teresa [D-NM-3]
Introduced: 2023-10-12
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources
Subjects: Geography and mapping

Land use and conservation

Mining

New Mexico

Watersheds

Wilderness and natural areas, wildlife refuges, wild rivers, habitats
Latest action: action_date: 2023-10-25
text: Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.

Summaries:

tv_txt: I 118th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 5943 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES October 12, 2023 Ms. Leger Fernandez (for herself and Ms. Stansbury ) introduced the following bill October 25, 2023 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, to designate the Thompson Peak Wilderness Area in the State of New Mexico, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Pecos Watershed Protection Act . 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 (b) Withdrawal Subject to valid rights in existence on the date of enactment of this Act, the Federal land is withdrawn from all forms of— (1) entry, appropriation, or disposal under the public land laws; (2) location, entry, and patent under the mining laws; and (3) disposition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. 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.