119-hr2861

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2861 Introduced in House

    (IH) ]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
 1st Session
 H. R. 2861

To provide for the withdrawal and protection of certain Federal land in 
 the State of New Mexico, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

 April 10, 2025

 Ms. Leger Fernandez (for herself, Ms. Stansbury, and Mr. Vasquez) 
 introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on 
 Natural Resources

_______________________________________________________________________

 A BILL

To provide for the withdrawal and protection of certain Federal land in 
 the State of New Mexico, and for other purposes.

 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

 This Act may be cited as the ``Chaco Cultural Heritage Area 
Protection Act of 2025''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

 Congress finds that--

    (1) there are archeological, sacred, and historic resources 
 located throughout the Greater Chaco region, which spans the 
 States of New Mexico, Arizona, Utah, and Colorado;

    (2) the Chaco Culture National Historical Park, a unit of 
 the National Park System and a United Nations Educational, 
 Scientific and Cultural Organization World Heritage Site, is 
 known around the world--
        (A) for multi-story buildings constructed by the 
 Chacoan people that are still standing; and
        (B) as the nerve center of a culture that spread 
 throughout and dominated the Four Corners area during 
 the 9th, 10th, and 11th centuries;

    (3) the Chacoan people built hundreds of miles of roads and 
 a network of villages, shrines, and communications sites, many 
 of which are still visible;

    (4) many Pueblos and Indian Tribes in the Four Corners area 
 claim cultural affiliation with, and are descended from, the 
 Chacoan people;

    (5) the landscape around the Chaco Culture National 
 Historical Park includes hundreds of internationally and 
 nationally significant cultural resources, including 
 prehistoric roads, communities, and shrines--
        (A) many of which are related to the resources 
 found in the Chaco Culture National Historical Park, 
 including the resources recognized by the amendment 
 made by 

section 3 of the Chacoan Outliers Protection 
 Act of 1995 (16 U.S.C. 410ii note; Public Law 104-11) 
 providing for additional Chaco Culture Archeological 
 Protection Sites;
        (B) a significant number of which are concentrated 
 within the immediate area surrounding the Chaco Culture 
 National Historical Park; and
            (C) that are commonly recognized by archeologists;

    (6) long considered one of the best places for stargazing 
 in the world, Chaco Culture National Historical Park--
        (A) in 1991, established a night skies protection 
 initiative and interpretive program to protect the 
 night sky in the area of the Chaco Culture National 
 Historical Park; and
        (B) in 2013, was certified as an International Dark 
 Sky Park;

    (7) the Greater Chaco region extends beyond Chaco Culture 
 National Historical Park and encompasses--
        (A) local communities, including the Pueblo Indian 
 Tribes, the Navajo Nation, the Hopi Tribe, and other 
 Indian Tribes; and
        (B) public and private land, which includes 
 additional cultural resources and sacred sites;

    (8) for over 110 years, the Federal Government has 
 recognized the importance of the area in which the Chacoan 
 people lived and has acted to protect historic and sacred sites 
 in the area, including--
        (A) Chaco Canyon, which was designated as a 
 National Monument in 1907 and as the Chaco Culture 
 National Historical Park in 1980;
        (B) the Aztec Ruins, which was designated as a 
 National Monument in 1923 and expanded in each of 1928, 
 1930, 1948, and 1988; and
            (C) the 39 Chaco Culture Archeological Protection 
 Sites designated in 1995;

    (9) recognizes that the standard for Tribal consultation is 
 outlined in Executive Order 13175 (25 U.S.C. 5301 note; 
 relating to consultation and coordination with Indian Tribal 
 governments);

    (10) extensive natural gas development has occurred in the 
 Greater Chaco region that affect the health, safety, economies, 
 and quality of life of local communities;

    (11) renewed interest in oil exploration and production 
 within the Mancos/Gallup Shale play has increased the potential 
 for--
        (A) significant impacts on cultural and other 
 resources, the holistic experience of the sacred 
 landscape, and visitor experiences at the Chaco Culture 
 National Historical Park; and
        (B) additional impacts on local communities in the 
 Greater Chaco region, including the Pueblo Indian 
 Tribes, the Navajo Nation, the Hopi Tribe, and other 
 Indian Tribes;

    (12) a mineral withdrawal in the landscape around the Chaco 
 Culture National Historical Park would prevent leasing and 
 development on Federal land and of Federal minerals in the 
 immediate area surrounding the Chaco Culture National 
 Historical Park, which would protect resources and visitor 
 experiences at the Chaco Culture National Historical Park;

    (13) additional studies and protective measures should be 
 undertaken to address health, safety, and environmental impacts 
 on communities and interests of the Pueblo Indian Tribes, the 
 Navajo Nation, the Hopi Tribe, and other Indian Tribes in the 
 Greater Chaco region; and

    (14) the Greater Chaco region continues to be used for 
 ceremonial and cultural purposes by the Pueblo Indian Tribes, 
 the Navajo Nation, the Hopi Tribe, and other Indian Tribes.

SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

 In this Act:

    (1) Covered lease.--The term ``covered lease'' means any 
 oil or gas lease for Federal land--
        (A) on which drilling operations have not been 
 commenced before the end of the primary term of the 
 applicable lease;
        (B) that is not producing oil or gas in paying 
 quantities; and
            (C) that is not subject to a valid cooperative or 
 unit plan of development or operation certified by the 
 Secretary to be necessary.

    (2) Federal land.--
        (A) In general.--The term ``Federal land'' means--
            (i) any Federal land or interest in Federal 
 land that is within the boundaries of the Chaco 
 Cultural Heritage Withdrawal Area, as depicted 
 on the Withdrawal Map; and
            (ii) any land or interest in land located 
 within the boundaries of the Chaco Cultural 
 Heritage Withdrawal Area, as depicted on the 
 Withdrawal Map, that is acquired by the Federal 
 Government after the date of enactment of this 
 Act.
        (B) Exclusion.--The term ``Federal land'' does not 
 include trust land (as defined in 

section 3765 of title 
 38, United States Code).

    (3) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
 of the Interior.

    (4) Withdrawal map.--The term ``Withdrawal Map'' means the 
 map prepared by the Bureau of Land Management entitled 
 ``Proposed Withdrawal Chaco Culture National Historic Park 
 Surrounding Area'' and dated January 6, 2022, as referred to in 
 the notice of the Secretary entitled ``Notice of Proposed 
 Withdrawal and Public Meetings; San Juan County, NM'' (87 Fed. 
 Reg. 785 (January 6, 2022)).

SEC. 4. WITHDRAWAL OF CERTAIN FEDERAL LAND IN THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO.

    (a) In General.--Subject to any valid existing rights, the Federal 
land is withdrawn from--

    (1) all forms of entry, appropriation, and disposal under 
 the public land laws;

    (2) location, entry, and patent under the mining laws; and

    (3) operation of the mineral leasing, mineral materials, 
 and geothermal leasing laws.

    (b) Availability of Withdrawal Map.--The Withdrawal Map shall be 
made available for inspection at each appropriate office of the Bureau 
of Land Management.
            (c) Conveyance of Federal Land to Indian Tribes.--Notwithstanding 
subsection

    (a) , the Secretary may convey the Federal land to, or 
exchange the Federal land with, an Indian Tribe in accordance with a 
resource management plan that is approved as of the date of enactment 
of this Act, as subsequently developed, amended, or revised in 
accordance with the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (43 
U.S.C. 1701 et seq.) and any other applicable law.
            (d) Oil and Gas Lease Management.--

    (1) Termination of non-producing leases.--A covered lease--
        (A) shall automatically terminate by operation of 
 law pursuant to 

section 17

    (e) of the Mineral Leasing 
 Act (30 U.S.C. 226

    (e) ) and subpart 3108 of title 43, 
 Code of Federal Regulations (or successor regulations); 
 and
        (B) may not be extended by the Secretary.

    (2) Withdrawal of terminated, relinquished, or acquired 
 leases.--Any portion of the Federal land subject to a covered 
 lease terminated under paragraph

    (1) or otherwise or 
 relinquished or acquired by the United States on or after the 
 date of enactment of this Act is withdrawn from--
        (A) all forms of entry, appropriation, and disposal 
 under the public land laws;
        (B) location, entry, and patent under the mining 
 laws; and
            (C) operation of the mineral leasing, mineral 
 materials, and geothermal leasing laws.

    (e) Effect.--Nothing in this section--

    (1) affects the mineral rights of an Indian Tribe or a 
 member of the Navajo Nation or any other Indian Tribe to trust 
 land or allotment land; or

    (2) precludes improvements to, or rights-of-way for water, 
 power, utility, or road development on, the Federal land to 
 assist communities adjacent to or in the vicinity of the 
 Federal land.
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