The Buffalo Tract Protection Act would permanently prohibit mining and mineral development on approximately 4,288 acres of federal land near Placitas, New Mexico that is currently managed by the Bureau of Land Management. The bill prevents companies from staking mining claims, extracting minerals, or obtaining mineral leases on this land, though it allows the federal government to sell the surface of the property for recreation or public purposes while retaining ownership of any minerals underneath. The legislation does not affect any mining rights that were already legally established before the bill's enactment. Introduced by Senators Heinrich and Luján in April 2025, the bill has been referred to the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources and contains no specific federal funding allocation or implementation deadline. The protection would be indefinite unless Congress takes future action to modify or repeal the withdrawal.
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