Sponsors (2)
The bill expands local access to surface land for parks and protects landscapes from new mineral development, but does so by retaining federal subsurface rights and withdrawing areas from resource development—trading potential local economic and energy development opportunities for conservation and public recreational benefits.
Local governments and nonprofits can acquire surface parcels for parks, recreation, or community uses under R&PP or FLPMA conveyance authorities, enabling more local open space and community facilities.
The measure protects conveyed surface lands from new mining and mineral leasing, preserving landscape, recreational value, and outdoor access for rural communities and visitors.
Federal ownership of subsurface minerals is retained, preserving long‑term federal control over mineral resources and potential future royalty revenue for taxpayers.
Withdrawing lands from mineral leasing and development reduces opportunities for mining, geothermal, and other resource projects, potentially costing local jobs and royalty revenue.
Conveying surface while reserving federal subsurface minerals can limit how recipients can use or develop the land, complicating projects for local governments and small businesses.
Existing valid mineral rights could constrain conveyances and the intended protections, creating legal complexity and potential litigation or administrative costs for state and local governments.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Withdraws ~4,288 acres of BLM land near Placitas, NM from mining and mineral leasing; allows surface conveyance but reserves subsurface mineral rights to the U.S., subject to existing rights.
Withdraws about 4,288 acres of Bureau of Land Management (BLM) land near Placitas, New Mexico from location and entry under the mining laws and from disposition under mineral leasing, mineral materials, and geothermal leasing laws, while preserving any valid existing rights. The Secretary of the Interior may convey the surface estate of the withdrawn land under federal land-sale authorities, but any conveyance must reserve the subsurface mineral estate to the United States.
Introduced April 10, 2025 by Martin Heinrich · Last progress April 10, 2025