Teresa Leger Fernandez (D-NM)
Caja del Rio Protection Act
A Democratic bill with 2 Democratic cosponsors · See all 2 cosponsors
Last activity — Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.
In committee
Introduced and handed to a committee in the chamber it started in.
The committee holds it, and most bills are never heard from again. A hearing or a committee vote would be news; silence is the usual outcome, and it kills the bill without anyone voting against it.
Its path through Congress
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
This bill, known as the "Caja del Rio Protection Act," establishes the Caja del Rio Special Management Area and the Caja del Rio National Conservation Area in New Mexico. The Special Management Area includes approximately 67,163 acres of Federal land within the Santa Fe National Forest. The National Conservation Area includes approximately 17,837 acres of Bureau of Land Management land. The Act aims to protect the cultural, ecological, and historical values of these lands while enhancing opportunities for Indian Tribes. It also includes provisions for land exchanges, management plans, and the withdrawal of certain lands from specific uses.
Yes· 3 of 6
- Scored +8
Does this better protect air, water and wildlife?
The bill establishes conservation areas to permanently protect ecological, wildlife habitat, and natural values.
- Scored +8
Would Native Americans be better off under this?
The bill specifically protects tribal rights, cultural practices, and provides opportunities for tribal management of lands.
- Scored +6
Does this narrow racial gaps in how people are treated?
The bill enhances opportunities for Indian Tribes to participate in the preservation and management of protected lands.
The opposite
- Scored -3
Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see?
The bill mandates the non-disclosure of information regarding the location or nature of sacred sites.
- Scored -2
Would people in rural areas be better off under this?
The bill restricts motorized access and road construction, which may impact rural movement and access.
- Scored -2
Does this make it easier to run a small business?
The bill restricts certain land uses and resource extraction which may impact local small businesses involved in those industries.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
-
Protection of Natural and Cultural Values: The bill aims to "conserve and permanently protect" the cultural, spiritual, religious, scenic, ecological, wildlife habitat, natural, geological, historical, and traditional values of the designated areas (Section 101(b) and Section 201(b)).
-
Enhanced Tribal Engagement: The Act seeks to "enhance opportunities for interested Indian Tribes to engage in the preservation and management" of both the Special Management Area and the National Conservation Area (Section 101(b) and Section 201(b)).
-
Tribal Contracting and Assistance: The Secretary may contract with Indian Tribes or Tribal organizations to perform management functions and may provide "technical and financial assistance" to help these tribes improve their capacity to carry out these activities (Section 302(a)).
-
Protection of Cultural and Religious Practices: The bill ensures access for Tribal members for "traditional cultural and religious purposes" and allows certain members to collect plants and mineral resources for "noncommercial traditional and cultural uses" (Section s 302(b) and Section 302(d)).
-
Protection of Sacred Sites: The Secretary is prohibited from disclosing information regarding the nature or location of sacred sites if such disclosure would "risk harm to the cultural resources of the sacred site" or "cause a significant invasion of privacy" (Section 303(e)).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
-
Restrictions on Motorized Use and Road Access: The Act requires the development of travel management plans to "decrease unauthorized road access and motorized use" (Section 102(c)(3) and Section 202(d)). Additionally, new permanent road construction is generally prohibited in covered areas (Section 301(a)(1)).
-
Restrictions on Land Entry and Resource Extraction: Federal lands within the covered areas and the withdrawal area are removed from "all forms of entry, appropriation, or disposal under public land laws," as well as from "location, entry, and patent under the mining laws" and "operation of the mineral leasing, mineral materials, and geothermal leasing laws" (Section 301(c) and Section 401).
-
Decommissioning of Roads: The Secretary is required to "decommission any road in a covered area that has not been designated on the Map or in the applicable travel management plan" within three years of the Act's enactment (Section 301(a)(3)).
-
Potential Restrictions on Hunting: The Secretary may designate specific zones and periods during which "hunting shall not be allowed" within a covered area (Section 303(d)).
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Tap or hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Environment Energy And Infrastructure
- Does this better protect air, water and wildlife? — The bill establishes conservation areas to permanently protect ecological, wildlife habitat, and natural values. Does this invest in rural communities? — The bill protects water supply infrastructure and provides for managed access in rural New Mexico.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would Native Americans be better off under this? — The bill specifically protects tribal rights, cultural practices, and provides opportunities for tribal management of lands. Would households on low incomes be better off under this? — The bill supports tribal capacity building through financial and technical assistance. Would people in rural areas be better off under this? — The bill restricts motorized access and road construction, which may impact rural movement and access.
- Social Issues And Justice
- Does this narrow racial gaps in how people are treated? — The bill enhances opportunities for Indian Tribes to participate in the preservation and management of protected lands. Is this likely to lift people out of poverty? — The bill provides technical and financial assistance to Indian Tribes to improve their management capacity.
- Governance And Ideology
- Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see? — The bill mandates the non-disclosure of information regarding the location or nature of sacred sites.
- Economy And Finance
- Does this make it easier to run a small business? — The bill restricts certain land uses and resource extraction which may impact local small businesses involved in those industries.
- 5/11/2026
- 2 Cosponsors added.
- 4/30/2026
- Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.
- Introduced in House
One bill Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.
Melanie StansburyDemocrat · New Mexico
Gabe VasquezDemocrat · New Mexico