Bill > HR2727

This bill establishes two key protections for federal lands in New Mexico's Pecos Watershed: first, it withdraws certain federal lands from mineral entry, which means these lands cannot be used for mining, mineral leasing, or geothermal energy development, while preserving existing valid rights. Second, the bill designates approximately 11,599 acres of Forest Service-managed land as the Thompson Peak Wilderness Area, which provides additional conservation protections under the Wilderness Act. The wilderness area designation allows for continued livestock grazing and does not create buffer zones around its boundaries, but restricts new development and resource extraction. The Secretary of Agriculture will be responsible for administering the wilderness area, filing official maps and legal descriptions, and managing activities like wildfire, insect, and disease control. The bill also explicitly preserves the state's existing jurisdiction over fish and wildlife management within the newly designated wilderness area. Importantly, any future federal land acquisitions within the wilderness area's boundaries will automatically be incorporated into and managed under the same protective guidelines.

Agriculture and Natural Resources

https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/2727/all-info