Chama Basin Watershed Protection Act

The Chama Basin Watershed Protection Act withdraws federal lands within the Rio Chama Watershed in New Mexico from mining claims, preventing new locations, entries, and patents under existing mining laws. This restriction applies exclusively to minerals owned by the United States and does not affect mineral rights held by federally recognized Indian Tribes or qualified land grant-merced communities. The legislation explicitly preserves the traditional and customary use of common materials such as stone, sand, and clay for domestic, cultural, agricultural, or noncommercial construction purposes by these communities and other individuals.