Communities in New Mexico that trace their roots to Spanish and Mexican land grants — called "land grant-mercedes" — have used nearby federal land for generations to gather herbs, graze livestock, hunt, collect firewood, and maintain cemeteries and shrines. This bill would formalize those traditional, noncommercial uses by requiring the federal government to work out memorandums of understanding with the New Mexico Land Grant Council. It would also create a process for reducing or waiving permit fees for these communities, taking into account their financial circumstances. The bill is careful to protect existing tribal rights and doesn't create any new land ownership claims — it's about preserving access to long-established cultural practices on public land.
Congressional Summary
New Mexico Land Grant-Mercedes Historical or Traditional Use Cooperation and Coordination ActThis bill directs the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the Forest Service to enter a memorandum of understanding with the New Mexico Land Grant Council to describe existing processes that land grants-mercedes may use to obtain authorization for historical, traditional, or other uses of federal lands. Land grants-mercedes were created when Spain and Mexico issued grants of land to communities or individuals. When the United States acquired the land, including New Mexico, a process was created for adjudicating and recognizing these property rights. During that process, most land grants-mercedes lands became federal lands. Today, New Mexico recognizes 27 community land grants-mercedes as political subdivisions. When entering into the memorandum of understanding, the BLM and the Forest Service must consult with Indian tribes. The memorandum of understanding must provide for (1) enhanced cooperation and coordination between the BLM, the Forest Service, and qualified land grants-mercedes; and (2) subsidiary agreements with certain land grants-mercedes for specific projects.Additionally, the bill outlines what the memorandum of understanding must describe, such as the procedures for notice and comments on land management planning decisions.Finally, the BLM and the Forest Service must include in land use plans a section that evaluates the impact of other uses in the plan on historical or traditional uses by land grants-mercedes.
Legislative Subjects
Details
- Congress
- 119th
- Chamber
- House
- Status
- summarized
- Action
- Introduced in House
- Action Date
- 2025-04-09
- Date Added
- 2026-03-30