S. 5282Senate119th Congress (2025-2027)In Committee

Chama Basin Watershed Protection Act

AI-Generated Summary

Updated August 11, 2026 at 5:54 AM UTC

The Chama Basin Watershed Protection Act removes federal lands in New Mexico’s Rio Chama watershed from all forms of mineral leasing and mining. It safeguards the mineral rights of recognized Spanish‑origin land‑grant communities and federally recognized Indian tribes, and it preserves their ability to collect common natural materials for everyday and cultural purposes. The measure applies only to U.S.‑owned minerals and does not change any private or tribal mineral claims.

Key Provisions

All federal land within the Rio Chama Watershed (as shown on the April 22, 2026 draft map) is taken out of any mining activity, meaning no new mineral leases, claims, or patents can be issued on that land.
The withdrawal only applies to minerals owned by the United States; it does not affect mineral rights that belong to qualified Spanish‑ or Mexican‑origin land‑grant communities or to federally recognized Indian tribes.
Members of those land‑grant communities, tribal members, and other local residents can still gather stones, sand, gravel, clay, adobe, and other common materials for personal, cultural, religious, subsistence, agricultural, or non‑commercial building uses, as long as they follow existing federal law and forest‑service rules.
The bill defines “Indian tribe” and “qualified land‑grant‑merced” to clarify which groups retain their mineral interests and traditional use rights.

Legislative Activity

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1 earlier action

SenateIntro Referral Latest Action

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.

Energy and Natural Resources Committee

August 6, 2026

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SenateIntro Referral

Introduced in Senate

August 6, 2026

SenateIntro Referral

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.

Energy and Natural Resources Committee

August 6, 2026

Bill Text

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Introduced in SenateIssued August 6, 2026

119th CONGRESS

2d Session

S. 5282

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

August 6, 2026

Mr. Luján (for himself and Mr. Heinrich) 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 Rio Chama Watershed area of the State of New Mexico from mineral entry, and for other purposes.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Chama Basin Watershed Protection Act.

Withdrawal of Federal land in Rio Chama Watershed area, New Mexico

(a)

Withdrawal

The Federal land located within the boundary area depicted as Rio Chama Watershed on the map entitled Rio Chama Watershed Draft and dated April 22, 2026, is withdrawn from all forms of location, entry, and patent under the mining laws.

(b)

Effect on non-Federal mineral interests

The withdrawal described in subsection (a) applies only to minerals owned by the United States and nothing in this Act affects, diminishes, impairs, encumbers, or otherwise applies to any right, title, interest, or claim in minerals owned by, held in trust on behalf of, or claimed by—

(1)

a qualified land grant-merced; or

(2)

an Indian Tribe.

(c)

Effect on traditional and customary uses

Nothing in this Act prohibits, restricts, or otherwise affects the traditional, customary, or personal use, gathering, or collection of common variety minerals, stone, sand, gravel, clay, adobe, mineral earths, or other similar materials by members of a qualified land grant-merced or acequia community, or by other individuals, for domestic, cultural, religious, ceremonial, subsistence, agricultural, or noncommercial construction purposes, consistent with applicable Federal law and the management of the National Forest System.

(d)

Definitions

In this Act:

(1)

Indian Tribe

The term Indian Tribe means the governing body of any individually identified and federally recognized Indian or Alaska Native tribe, band, nation, pueblo, village, community, affiliated Tribal group, or component reservation included on the most recent list published pursuant to section 104(a) of the Federally Recognized Indian Tribe List Act of 1994 (25 U.S.C. 5131(a)).

(2)

Qualified land grant-merced

The term qualified land grant-merced means a community land grant issued under the laws or customs of the Government of Spain or Mexico that—

(A)

is recognized under New Mexico Statutes Chapter 49, Articles 1 and 4 (or a successor statute); and

(B)

(i)

has a record of historical or traditional use on Federal land within the boundary area described in subsection (a); or

(ii)

has a patented exterior boundary that is or previously was located on or adjacent to Federal land within the boundary area described in subsection (a).