New Mexico Land Grant-Mercedes Historical or Traditional Use Cooperation and Coordination Act

Public Lands and Natural Resources

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Introduced on May 7, 2024 by Teresa Leger Fernandez

Cosponsors

Legislation Details

Establishes greater cooperation and coordination between the Federal Government and the governing bodies and community users of land grant-mercedes in New Mexico for historical or traditional uses of certain land grant-mercedes on Federal public land.
Defines terms such as “community user,” “Federal land,” “governing body,” “historical or traditional use,” and “qualified land grant-merced.”
Requires the Secretary concerned (Secretary of Agriculture or Secretary of the Interior) to enter into a memorandum of understanding with the New Mexico Land Grant Council within 2 years of the Act’s enactment.
Outlines the contents of the memorandum of understanding, including enhanced cooperation, subsidiary agreements for specific projects, and descriptions of historical or traditional uses requiring permits or other land use authorizations.
Addresses the authorization of routine maintenance and minor improvements, and may describe the process for authorizing major improvements related to historical or traditional uses on Federal land.
Specifies the role of the New Mexico Land Grant Council and the governing bodies of qualified land grant-mercedes in developing, executing, and implementing the memorandum of understanding.
Includes considerations for reducing or waiving fees for qualified land grant-mercedes based on socioeconomic conditions and the annual operating budget of the governing body.
Requires the Secretary concerned to consider and evaluate the impact of other uses on historical or traditional uses by qualified land grant-mercedes in land use planning.
Clarifies that the Act does not modify or affect treaty-reserved rights, water use regulation by the State, the management of game and fish, any valid existing rights or permitted uses of Federal land, or create any new rights to use Federal land.

Last updated 8/10/2024