[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2727 Introduced in House (IH)]
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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 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of enactment of this Act, the Federal land is withdrawn from all forms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.
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