The Caja del Rio Protection Act designates approximately 85,000 acres of federal and state land in New Mexico's Santa Fe area as protected conservation and special management areas to preserve their cultural, spiritual, ecological, and scenic resources. The bill prohibits mining and mineral extraction across the designated areas while restricting motorized vehicle use to specified roads and allowing only uses consistent with conservation purposes, though it preserves existing livestock grazing, wildfire management, and ecological restoration activities. Within three years, the Secretary of Agriculture and Secretary of Interior must develop comprehensive management plans that incorporate tribal input, establish travel management strategies to limit unauthorized access, and decommission undeclared roads. The legislation grants Indian Tribes guaranteed access for cultural, religious, and traditional gathering practices without quantity restrictions and authorizes the Secretary to contract with tribes for area management and provide technical assistance. The bill also authorizes the federal government to negotiate a land exchange with New Mexico to acquire state trust lands within the conservation area, with values to be appraised equally or adjusted through cash payments or additional acreage.
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