S 4458
Caja del Rio Protection Act
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Bill overview
The Caja del Rio Protection Act establishes the Caja del Rio Special Management Area and Caja del Rio National Conservation Area in New Mexico. These areas aim to protect the cultural, spiritual, scenic, ecological, and historical values of the land, while also enhancing opportunities for interested Indian Tribes to engage in preservation and management activities. The act includes provisions for travel management, decommissioning roads, and incorporating Indigenous knowledge into management plans. It also addresses land exchanges and tribal contracting rights.
Key provisions
- Establishes the Caja del Rio Special Management Area and Caja del Rio National Conservation Area.
- Requires the development of comprehensive management plans for both areas, incorporating tribal consultation and Indigenous knowledge.
- Includes a travel management plan to reduce unauthorized road access and motorized use.
- Addresses land exchanges with the State of New Mexico.
- Allows for tribal contracting to assist with administrative and management functions.
- Protects tribal cultural and religious uses of the areas.
- Establishes a withdrawal area to limit development and resource extraction.
- Provides for the collection of plants and mineral resources for traditional and cultural purposes by enrolled members of interested Indian Tribes.
Who is affected
- Interested Indian Tribes
- The State of New Mexico
- The Federal Government (Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management)
Sponsors
Official sponsors from legislative records.
Primary sponsor
Cosponsor
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119th CONGRESS — 2d Session
S. 4458
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
A BILL
To establish the Caja del Rio Special Management Area and Caja del Rio National Conservation Area in the State of New Mexico, and for other purposes.
.Caja del Rio Protection Act
The table of contents for this Act is as follows:
In this Act:
Conservation Areameans the Caja del Rio National Conservation Area established by section 201(a)(1).
The term covered area
means each of—
the Special Management Area.
The term decommission, with respect to a road, means—
reestablishing native vegetation on the road;
effectively blocking the road to vehicular traffic, where feasible; and
developing and implementing an effective monitoring and response plan for invasive species and vehicular traffic incursions.
The term ecological restoration has the meaning given the term restoration in section 4 of the Southwest Forest Health and Wildfire Prevention Act of 2004 (16 U.S.C. 6703).
The term Indian land
has the meaning given the term Indian lands
in section 4 of the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (25 U.S.C. 2703).
The tern Indian Tribe
means the governing body of any Indian or Alaska Native tribe, band, nation, pueblo, village, community, component band, or component reservation individually identified (including parenthetically) in the list published most recently as of the date of enactment of this Act pursuant to section 104 of the Federally Recognized Indian Tribe List Act of 1994 (25 U.S.C. 5131).
The term Indigenous knowledge
has the meaning given the term in section 219.19 of title 36, Code of Federal Regulations (or a successor regulation).
The term interested Indian Tribe, with respect to the covered area, means an Indian Tribe with—
The term land grant-merced means a community land grant issued under the laws or customs of the Government of Spain or Mexico that—
is recognized under New Mexico Statutes Chapter 49, Articles 1 and 4 (or a successor statute);
has a record of traditional historic use in the covered area; or
has a patented exterior boundary that is or was previously located on or adjacent to the covered area.
The term Map
means the map entitled The Caja del Rio Special Management Area and National Conservation Area
and dated April 20, 2026.
The term Secretary means—
in title I, the Secretary of Agriculture;
in title II, the Secretary of the Interior; and
in this section and title III—
the Secretary of the Interior, with respect to land under the jurisdiction of the Secretary of the Interior; and
the Secretary of Agriculture, with respect to land under the jurisdiction of the Secretary of Agriculture.
The term Special Management Area
means the Caja del Rio Special Management Area established by section 101(a)(1).
The term State
means the State of New Mexico.
The term traditional historic community means a historic community that—
meets the definition of that term in New Mexico Statutes Section 3–7–1.1 (or a successor statute); and
has a record of traditional historic use in the covered area.
The term traditional historic use means a habitual use conducted by a land grant-merced or traditional historic community within the covered area for noncommercial or personal benefit, including—
hunting, fishing, grazing, wood gathering, pinon harvesting, or herb and plant gathering; or
any long-established and habitual and sustainable use by the land grant-merced or traditional historic community, as determined by the Secretary, in coordination with the land grant-merced or traditional historic community, that is agreed to in writing by the Secretary and the land grant-merced or traditional historic community.
The term Tribal organization has the meaning given that term in section 4 of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 5304), except that such organization shall be affiliated with an interested Indian Tribe.
The term withdrawal area
means the area withdrawn by section 401.
The Special Management Area shall consist of approximately 67,163 acres of Federal land in the Santa Fe National Forest in the State as generally depicted as Caja del Rio Special Management Area
on the Map.
to conserve and permanently protect the cultural, spiritual, religious, scenic viewshed, ecological, wildlife habitat, natural, geological, historical, and traditional values of the Special Management Area; and
subject to valid existing rights;
the Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources Planning Act of 1974 (16 U.S.C. 1600 et seq.); and
The Secretary shall allow only uses of the Special Management Area that are consistent with—
in coordination with—
the Director of the National Park Service and the Director of the Bureau of Land Management, with respect to the administration, protection, and interpretation of the El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro National Historic Trail;
the State; and
applicable units of local government, including any applicable land grant-mercedes or traditional historic communities; and
in consultation with interested Indian Tribes.
Except as provided in clause (ii), only roads depicted on the Map shall be designated and maintained by the Secretary in the Special Management Area.
The Secretary may designate roads in the Special Management Area in addition to the roads referred to in clause (i) if the Secretary determines the additional roads are necessary—
not more than 1 mile from the historic settlement area commonly known as Buckman
, to accommodate critical water infrastructure or recreation access.
To the maximum extent practicable, the Secretary shall incorporate into the management plan required under paragraph (1) stewardship agreements or contracts relating to the Federal land described in section 101(a)(2) that exist on the date of enactment of this Act.
At the request of an interested Indian Tribe, the Secretary shall ensure that Indigenous knowledge is incorporated into the development and revision of the management plan required under paragraph (1).
As soon as practicable after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall file maps and legal descriptions of the Special Management Area with—
the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate; and
the Committee on Natural Resources of the House of Representatives.
The maps and legal descriptions filed under paragraph (1) shall have the same force and effect as if included in this Act, except that the Secretary may correct errors in the maps and legal descriptions.
The maps and legal descriptions filed under paragraph (1) shall be on file and available for public inspection in the appropriate offices of the Forest Service.
The Conservation Area shall consist of approximately 17,837 acres of Bureau of Land Management land in the State as generally depicted as Caja del Rio-National Conservation Area
on the Map.
as a component of the National Landscape Conservation System.
The Secretary shall allow only uses of the Conservation Area that are consistent with—
opportunities to undertake cultural, spiritual, medicinal, religious, or traditional historic use practices in the Conservation Area; and
the purposes described in section 201(b).
in coordination with—
the Director of the National Park Service and the Chief of the Forest Service, with respect to the administration, protection, and interpretation of the El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro National Historic Trail;
the State; and
applicable units of local government, including any applicable land grant-mercedes or traditional historic communities; and
in consultation with interested Indian Tribes.
To the maximum extent practicable, the Secretary shall incorporate into the management plan required under paragraph (1) stewardship agreements or contracts relating to the Federal land described in section 201(a)(2) that exist on the date of enactment of this Act.
At the request of an interested Indian Tribe, the Secretary shall ensure that Indigenous knowledge is incorporated into the development and revision of the management plan required under paragraph (1).
Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall prepare a travel management plan to decrease unauthorized road access and motorized use in the Conservation Area and the withdrawal area.
In preparing the travel management plan under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall designate the use of motorized vehicles only on—
the road within the Conservation Area identified as CR 55C or Old Route 66
; and
any roads in the Conservation Area and the withdrawal area that the Secretary determines to be necessary—
to achieve the purposes described in section 201(b); and
to allow for access to private property or critical infrastructure.
As soon as practicable after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall file maps and legal descriptions of the Conservation Area with—
the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate; and
the Committee on Natural Resources of the House of Representatives.
The maps and legal descriptions filed under paragraph (1) shall have the same force and effect as if included in this Act, except that the Secretary may correct errors in the maps and legal descriptions.
The maps and legal descriptions filed under paragraph (1) shall be on file and available for public inspection in the appropriate offices of the Bureau of Land Management.
Subject to subsections (c) through (f), the Secretary shall attempt to enter into an agreement to initiate an exchange under section 2201.1 of title 43, Code of Federal Regulations (or successor regulations), with the Commissioner of Public Lands of New Mexico, by the date that is 18 months after the date of enactment of this Act, to provide for a conveyance to the State of all right, title, and interest of the United States in and to the Bureau of Land Management land in the State identified under subsection (b) in exchange for the conveyance by the State to the Secretary of all right, title, and interest of the State in and to parcels of State trust land within the boundary of the Conservation Area described in section 201(a)(2) or the boundary of the withdrawal area described in section 401.
The Secretary and the Commissioner of Public Lands of New Mexico shall jointly identify the Bureau of Land Management land in the State and State trust land eligible for exchange under this section, the exact acreage and legal description of which shall be determined by surveys approved by the Secretary and the New Mexico State Land Office.
A land exchange under subsection (a) shall be carried out in accordance with section 206 of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1716).
A land exchange under subsection (a) shall be subject to—
valid existing rights; and
such terms as the Secretary and the State shall establish.
The value of the Bureau of Land Management land and the State trust land to be conveyed in a land exchange under this section—
shall be equal, as determined by appraisals conducted in accordance with paragraph (2); or
if not equal, shall be equalized in accordance with paragraph (3).
The Bureau of Land Management land and State trust land to be exchanged under this section shall be appraised by an independent, qualified appraiser that is agreed to by the Secretary and the State.
An appraisal under subparagraph (A) shall be conducted in accordance with—
the Uniform Appraisal Standards for Federal Land Acquisitions; and
the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice.
If the value of the Bureau of Land Management land and the State trust land to be conveyed in a land exchange under this section is not equal, the value may be equalized by—
making a cash equalization payment to the Secretary or to the State, as appropriate, in accordance with section 206(b) of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1716(b)); or
reducing the acreage of the Bureau of Land Management land or State trust land to be exchanged, as appropriate.
Any cash equalization payments received by the Secretary under subparagraph (A)(i) shall be—
deposited in the Federal Land Disposal Account established by section 206(a) of the Federal Land Transaction Facilitation Act (43 U.S.C. 2305(a)); and
used in accordance with that Act (43 U.S.C. 2301 et seq.).
No exchange of land shall be conducted under this section unless mutually agreed to by the Secretary and the State.
No new permanent road construction shall be permitted in a covered area unless otherwise designated under section 102(c)(3)(B) or 202(d)(2).
Not later than 3 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall decommission any road in a covered area that has not been designated on the Map or in the applicable travel management plan for the covered area.
Except as provided in paragraph (2), the use of motorized vehicles in a covered area shall be permitted only on roads that are designated on the Map or in the applicable travel management plan for the covered area.
for Tribal religious or cultural practices; or
for grazing in accordance with subsection (d).
If the Secretary acquires additional land within a covered area or the withdrawal area after the date of enactment of this Act, the acquired land is withdrawn from operation of the laws referred to in paragraph (1) on the date of acquisition of the land.
to support the resilience of watersheds and wildlife habitat.
The Secretary may acquire any land or interest in land within the boundary of a covered area or contiguous to a covered area, as depicted on the Map, by donation, purchase from a willing seller, or exchange.
The Secretary of the Interior may acquire any land or interest in land within the boundary of the withdrawal area, as depicted on the Map, by donation, purchase from a willing seller, or exchange.
In developing a management plan for a covered area, the Secretary may consider provisions for increased penalties for unauthorized activities in the covered area, including littering, vandalism, damage to cultural sites, and unauthorized recreational shooting.
The Secretary shall ensure that visitors to a covered area have access to adequate notice relating to designated routes, roads, and prohibited uses in the covered area through—
the placement of appropriate signage along designated routes, parking areas, trailheads, or any other highly visited area, including notice of penalties for prohibited uses; and
the distribution of maps, safety education materials, and other information that the Secretary determines to be appropriate.
agreements or contracts for stewardship contracting projects entered into under section 604 of the Healthy Forests Restoration Act of 2003 (16 U.S.C. 6591c); and
any other applicable authority.
American Indian Religious Freedom Act) (42 U.S.C. 1996 et seq.) and other applicable law.
Nothing in this Act affects the treaty rights of any Indian Tribe or land grant-merced.
affects an interstate water compact existing on the date of enactment of this Act; or
imposes any mandatory streamflow requirement or any Federal water quality standard within the covered land.
The Secretary may grant to Santa Fe County or the city of Santa Fe in the State new permits or rights-of-way to build water supply infrastructure not more than 1 mile from the historic settlement area commonly known as Buckman
within the Special Management Area.
Any repair, operations, maintenance, replacement, expansion, or new construction of water supply infrastructure in a covered area shall be conducted in a manner that is consistent with the purposes of this Act.
Nothing in this Act affects the jurisdiction of the State with respect to fish and wildlife located on public land in the State, except that the Secretary, after consultation with the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish, may designate zones where, and establish periods during which, hunting shall not be allowed within a covered area for reasons of public safety, administration, or public use and enjoyment.
information relating to the covered area that is derived from Indigenous knowledge that has not otherwise been released to the public as of the date of enactment of this Act; or
Subject to any valid existing rights, the Federal land and any interest in the Federal land depicted as Caja del Rio Withdrawal Area
on the Map is withdrawn from—
all forms of entry, appropriation, and disposal under the public land laws;
location, entry, and patent under the mining laws; and
operation of the mineral leasing, mineral materials, and geothermal leasing laws.