This bill establishes the Caja del Rio National Conservation Area, protecting approximately 17,837 acres of federal land in New Mexico to preserve the region's cultural, spiritual, religious, ecological, and historical values while enhancing Indian tribes' participation in its management. The legislation requires the federal government to create a comprehensive management plan within three years and a travel management plan within one year that restricts motorized vehicle use to a single road and necessary access routes, while authorizing an optional land exchange with New Mexico within eighteen months. The bill grants Indian tribes authority to manage portions of the conservation area, protects their access for cultural and spiritual practices including the ability to temporarily close areas to the public, and allows tribal members to collect plants and minerals for traditional purposes without regulatory quantity restrictions. The protected area is withdrawn from mining, mineral leasing, and geothermal leasing activities, though the law preserves any rights that existed before its enactment. Overall, the bill creates a comprehensive framework balancing resource protection with tribal sovereignty and traditional use rights.
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