April 17, 2025
Ms. Leger Fernandez introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources
To amend the John D. Dingell, Jr. Conservation, Management, and Recreation Act to establish the Cerro de la Olla Wilderness in the Río Grande del Norte National Monument and to modify the boundary of the Río Grande del Norte National Monument.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
Section 1. Short title
This Act may be cited as the Cerro de la Olla Wilderness Establishment Act
.
Sec. 2. Designation of Cerro de la Olla Wilderness
(a) Designation
(1) In general
Section 1202 of the John D. Dingell, Jr. Conservation, Management, and Recreation Act (16 U.S.C. 1132 note; Public Law 116–9; 133 Stat. 651) is amended—
(A)
in the section heading, by striking Cerro del Yuta and Río San Antonio
and inserting Río Grande del Norte National Monument
;
(B)
in subsection (a), by striking paragraph (1) and inserting the following:
(1) Map
The term map means the map entitled
Proposed Cerro de la Olla Wilderness and Río Grande del Norte National Monument Boundaryand dated April 1, 2025.; and
(C)
in subsection (b)—
(i)
in paragraph (1), by adding at the end the following:
(C) Cerro de la olla wilderness
Certain Federal land administered by the Bureau of Land Management in Taos County, New Mexico, comprising approximately 12,295 acres as generally depicted on the map, which shall be known as the
Cerro de la Olla Wilderness.;
(ii)
in paragraph (4), in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by striking this Act
and inserting this Act (including a reserve common grazing allotment)
; and
(iii)
by adding at the end the following:
(12) Wildlife water development projects in cerro de la olla wilderness
(A) In general
Subject to subparagraph (B) and in accordance with section 4(c) of the Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. 1133(c)), the Secretary may authorize the maintenance of any structure or facility in existence on the date of enactment of this paragraph for wildlife water development projects (including guzzlers) in the Cerro de la Olla Wilderness if, as determined by the Secretary—
(i)
the structure or facility would enhance wilderness values by promoting healthy, viable, and more naturally distributed wildlife populations; and
(ii)
the visual impacts of the structure or facility on the Cerro de la Olla Wilderness can reasonably be minimized.
(B) Cooperative agreement
Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this paragraph, the Secretary shall enter into a cooperative agreement with the State of New Mexico that specifies, subject to section 4(c) of the Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. 1133(c)), the terms and conditions under which wildlife management activities in the Cerro de la Olla Wilderness may be carried out.
(2) Clerical amendment
The table of contents for the John D. Dingell, Jr. Conservation, Management, and Recreation Act (Public Law 116–9; 133 Stat. 581) is amended by striking the item relating to section 1202 and inserting the following:
(b) Río grande del norte national monument boundary modification
The boundary of the Río Grande del Norte National Monument in the State of New Mexico is modified, as depicted on the map entitled Proposed Cerro de la Olla Wilderness and Río Grande del Norte National Monument Boundary
and dated April 1, 2025.