Rio Grande del Norte National Conservation Area Establishment Act

(This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The summary has been expanded because action occurred on the measure.)

Rio Grande Del Norte National Conservation Area Establishment Act - Establishes Rio Grande Del Norte National Conservation Area in New Mexico, consisting of approximately 235,980 acres of public land in Taos and Rio Arriba Counties for the purposes of conserving, protecting, and enhancing the cultural, archaeological, natural, ecological, geological, historical, wildlife, educational, recreational, and scenic resources of such Conservation Area.

Sets forth requirements for the management of the Conservation Area regarding motorized vehicles and new roads, grazing, collection of pine nuts and firewood for noncommercial use, and utility right-of-way upgrades.

Requires the Secretary to ensure the protection of religious and cultural sites and to provide occasional access to them by tribal members for traditional cultural and customary uses.

Requires the Secretary to develop a management plan for the Conservation Area. Makes any acquired land within the boundary of the Conservation Area part of such Area.

Bars the changing of the management status of any area within the boundary of the Conservation Area that is: (1) designated as a component of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System, or (2) managed as an area of critical environmental concern.

Designates the Cerro Del Yuta Wilderness and Rio San Antonio Wilderness as wilderness and as components of the National Wilderness Preservation System. Makes any acquired land or interests within the boundary of the wilderness areas part of the area in which the land is located. Sets forth requirements for the management of the wilderness areas regarding livestock grazing, protective perimeters and buffer zones, and activities and uses conducted outside the wilderness areas.

Releases the public land within the San Antonio Wilderness Study Area not designated as wilderness from further study for designation as wilderness.

Requires the Conservation Area and the wilderness areas designated by this Act to be administered as components of the National Landscape Conservation System.

Specifies this Act's effect on fish and wildlife located on public land in New Mexico.

Withdraws federal land within the Conservation Area and the Wilderness designated by this Act, including any acquired land and interests, from: (1) entry, appropriation, or disposal under the public land laws; (2) location, entry, and patent under the mining laws; and (3) operation of the mineral leasing, mineral materials, and geothermal leasing laws.

Prohibits anything in this Act from enlarging, diminishing, or otherwise modifying any treaty rights.

Authorizes appropriations.

Written by the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service. All summary versions on Congress.gov