Luján, Heinrich, Leger Fernández Introduce Legislation to Protect Chama Watershed from Uranium Mining

Coalition of Local Leaders, Advocates, and Lawmakers Back Luján Push to Protect the Chama Watershed and Surrounding Communities in Northern New Mexico

Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), a member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, and U.S. Representative Teresa Leger Fernández (D-N.M.), a member of the House Committee on Natural Resources, introduced the Chama Basin Watershed Protection Act. The legislation would permanently withdraw the federal lands of the Rio Chama Watershed in Northern New Mexico from all forms of location, entry, and patent under the mining laws.

The Chama Basin Watershed Protection Act responds directly to a proposal by the Canadian-based uranium company, Gamma Resources Ltd. to conduct exploratory uranium drilling in the Carson National Forest near Canjilon - the first step in the company's publicly stated plan to extract uranium from a four-mile stretch of the Chama Basin. The bill would prevent new mining claims across the watershed, protecting the headwaters that sustain acequia communities, Tribal Nations, land grant communities, ranchers, and downstream water users throughout the Rio Grande system and ensuring these waters are never put at risk for the benefit of a speculative foreign mining venture.

"The communities of the Chama Valley - acequia farmers, Land Grant communities, Tribal members, ranchers, and rural families - have cared for their land and water for generations," said Senator Luján. "These cherished lands and waters must be protected for future generations. I will not stand by and allow a foreign mining company to threaten the communities of the Chama Valley and disregard the respect these communities deserve. That is why I'm leading this legislation to permanently withdraw the Chama Watershed from mineral development. I remain committed to protecting the communities and waters of Northern New Mexico, and this legislation will do just that for generations to come."

"We will not allow a foreign mining company to threaten the Chama Watershed with radioactive uranium waste. That is unacceptable," said Senator Heinrich, Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee. "Our Chama Basin Watershed Protection Act sends a clear message: Back off. The Chama Watershed belongs to the acequia parciantes, Tribal communities, ranchers, and rural families who care for and depend on this landscape and its water - not a foreign mining company looking to exploit it for profit."

"New Mexicans know the true cost of uranium mining," said Congresswoman Leger Fernández. "Across our state, abandoned uranium mines have poisoned our land, threatened our water, and harmed generations of families. Before anyone talks about opening another uranium mine, we should finish cleaning up the mess that was left behind. The Chama watershed is too precious to sell off to a foreign corporation. At a time when every drop of clean water matters, we should protect the rivers that sustain our communities-not open the door for a foreign mining corporation to profit from our public lands. The Chama Basin Watershed Protection Act protects our water, our people, and our future."

Senators Luján and Heinrich and Representative Leger Fernández have been fighting to protect communities in Northern New Mexico and the Chama Watershed from uranium mining and mineral development.

In June Senator Luján questioned Tom Schultz, Chief of the Forest Service, regarding the proposal to conduct uranium mining within the Carson National Forest by the Canadian-based uranium company, Gamma Resources Ltd. During the exchange, Senator Luján pressed Chief Tom Schultz on Gamma Resources Ltd. and emphasized his commitment to protect communities in Northern New Mexico and the Chama Watershed from uranium mining and mineral development in the region.

In May, Senator Luján convened local, state, and Tribal officials, community members, ranchers, farmers, acequia members and Land Grant Members to hear their concerns regarding the uranium drilling and mineral development proposal in the region. Senator Luján also toured the area that is being proposed for uranium drilling and mineral development in the region.

In April, Senators Luján and Heinrich and Representative Leger Fernández wrote to Carson National Forest Supervisor James Duran expressing strong opposition to a proposal to conduct uranium drilling within the Carson National Forest.

Supporting quotes for the Chama Basin Watershed Protection Act can be found here.

Full text of the bill can be found here.

The boundary map of the withdrawal area can be found here.

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