Chama Basin Watershed Protection Act

This legislation, titled the Chama Basin Watershed Protection Act, designates certain federal lands within the Rio Chama Watershed area in New Mexico for withdrawal from all forms of location, entry, and patent under federal mining laws. The primary goal is to prevent new mining claims and activities within this specified watershed region, as depicted on a dated map. Crucially, this withdrawal applies exclusively to minerals owned by the United States and does not diminish or affect any existing rights, titles, or interests in minerals owned by or held in trust for Indian Tribes or qualified land grant-merced . Furthermore, the Act explicitly preserves the traditional, customary, or personal use and collection of common variety minerals, such as stone, sand, and gravel, by members of land grant-merced or acequia communities, or other individuals, for domestic, cultural, or agricultural purposes, consistent with applicable federal law.