The Pecos Watershed Protection Act withdraws federal land in New Mexico's Pecos Watershed from mineral development and designates the Thompson Peak Wilderness Area.
Teresa Leger Fernandez
Representative
NM-3
The Pecos Watershed Protection Act withdraws federal land in the Pecos Watershed area of New Mexico from mineral and geothermal leasing, as well as mining activities. It also designates the Thompson Peak Wilderness Area as part of the National Wilderness Preservation System, protecting it from development while allowing for continued state jurisdiction over fish and wildlife management, established livestock grazing, and necessary measures for wildfire, insect, and disease control. Any land acquired by the U.S. within the wilderness area will be incorporated into and managed as part of the wilderness area.
Pecos Watershed Gets Mining Ban, Thompson Peak Gains Wilderness Status Under New Bill
This proposed legislation, the Pecos Watershed Protection Act, does two main things: it blocks new mining and drilling on federal lands within the Pecos Watershed area in New Mexico, and it officially designates about 11,599 acres as the Thompson Peak Wilderness Area.
Locking the Gate on the Pecos Watershed
Section 2 of the act puts a stop sign up for certain activities on federal land within the watershed boundaries, as specifically shown on a map dated September 11, 2023. What does this 'withdrawal' mean in practice? It means no new claims can be staked under mining laws, and the government can't sell or lease out this land for mineral extraction, geothermal energy development, or other similar uses. Think of it as taking these specific federal lands off the market for future resource development. However, it's crucial to note this respects 'valid existing rights' – so, if someone already holds legitimate rights established before this act, those aren't automatically wiped out.
A Wilderness Is Born: Hello, Thompson Peak
Section 3 carves out a new protected space: the Thompson Peak Wilderness Area. This area, spanning roughly 11,599 acres of Forest Service land, gets added to the National Wilderness Preservation System. This designation generally means stricter conservation rules, managed according to the Wilderness Act. But the bill clarifies some important points: New Mexico still manages fish and wildlife within the area, just like before. If ranchers have permits to graze livestock there already, that can continue under established guidelines. The Forest Service can also still take necessary actions to fight wildfires or control major insect or disease outbreaks, following specific Wilderness Act provisions. Like the broader watershed withdrawal, the land within the new wilderness area is also explicitly barred from new mining or mineral leasing activities, again respecting any valid pre-existing rights. Any federal land acquired within its boundaries later automatically becomes part of the wilderness.