Lujan Introduces Legislation to Recognize Traditional Land Uses

Today, Congressman Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), the U.S. House Assistant Speaker, introduced legislation to ensure greater consultation between the federal government and New Mexico's land grants and acequias.

The Land Grant and Acequia Traditional Use Recognition Act recognizes how land grants and acequias depend on community care and resources, while also ensuring that the federal government recognizes the importance of these water resources in New Mexico. Luján has long recognized the importance that acequias and land grants hold in communities across New Mexico.

Specifically, this legislation will:

Ensure that land management agencies make land grant-mercedes aware of changes to management plans and any impacts of federal actions;
Instruct the federal government to issue guidance on permitting and permissible uses of these lands to the land grant-mercedes;
Provide better information when land grant-mercedes work through the National Environmental Policy Act process;
Ensure that the federal government appropriately recognizes spiritual and cultural sites;
Create a process for New Mexico's land grants to establish their historical boundaries and provide pathways for acquiring land that falls within those boundaries when the federal government disposes of land; and
Codify a previous legal ruling that determined consultation and special use permits are not required for maintenance and improvements within the historic easement for Acequias.
"For generations, acequias and land grants have played a critical role in our way of life as New Mexicans. I know firsthand how culturally significant that acequias are for our families -- something I learned from working with my family and neighbors to maintain our Acequia de la Comunidad in Nambé. This legislation recognizes the importance of land grants and acequias, and ensures greater access and consultation between the federal government and local stakeholders," said Luján.

Source