Heinrich Spotlights Legislation to Permanently Protect Caja del Rio, Criticizes Trump Admin Opposition to Caja del Rio Protection Act

WASHINGTON - Today, during a U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee Hearing on Public Lands, Forests, and Mining to receive testimony on pending legislation, U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Ranking Member of the Committee, spotlighted his Caja del Rio Protection Act, emphasizing the plateau's cultural significance in New Mexico and the importance of public lands protections.

Introduced in May, Heinrich's Caja del Rio Protection Act permanently protects the Caja del Rio Plateau for future generations by establishing two new areas near Santa Fe - the Caja del Rio Special Management Area (SMA) and National Conservation Area (NCA) - to conserve and steward local cultural, spiritual, scenic viewshed, ecological, wildlife habitat, natural, geological, historical, and traditional values of the area and to enhance opportunities for Tribes to engage in the preservation and management of the area.

VIDEO: U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, spotlights his Caja del Rio Protection Act during the Public Lands, Forests, and Mining Subcommittee hearing, July 15, 2026.

"The Caja del Rio Protection Act is an example of a home-grown legislative product and a representation of a partnership built from common ground," began Heinrich. "The Caja del Rio is one of the Southwest's most culturally significant landscapes that holds deep importance for land grants, acequia communities, for livestock permittees, and is vital to a number of Tribal communities."

"Threats such as desecration of petroglyphs, illegal dumping, and efforts to sell off public lands continue to endanger the plateau. These threats have united local governments, Tribes, Traditional Historic Communities, and community organizations to preserve the shared yet distinct heritages of the region... As a result, we have the Caja del Rio Protection Act,"continued Heinrich. "This bill also begins a new chapter in the stewardship of this land - one that includes opportunities for Tribes and Traditional Historic Communities to have a voice in land management plans. This bill recognizes that stewardship works best when it is shared."

Heinrich's full remarks as delivered are below:

Thank you, Chairman Barrasso and Ranking Member Cortez Masto for organizing this legislative hearing.

I'm excited to have this opportunity to highlight a bill of mine that has been years in the making.

The Caja del Rio Protection Act is an example of a home-grown legislative product and a representation of a partnership built from common ground.

In this case, the common ground is permanent protection for the Caja del Rio Plateau.

The Caja del Rio is one of the Southwest's most culturally significant landscapes that holds deep importance for land grants, acequia communities, for livestock permittees, and is vital to a number of Tribal communities.

I cannot emphasize enough the level of traditional and cultural value that is held within this landscape.

Yet, threats such as desecration of petroglyphs, illegal dumping, and efforts to sell off public lands continue to endanger the plateau.

These threats have united local governments, Tribes, Traditional Historic Communities, and community organizations to preserve the shared yet distinct heritages of the region.

And as a result, we have the Caja del Rio Protection Act.

This bill will create two new stewardship areas: a new Special Management Area on over 67,000 acres of U.S. Forest Service land; and a new National Conservation Area on over 17,000 acres of Bureau of Land Management land.

It will permit traditional uses, like herb and mineral gathering, hunting, and livestock grazing, and it will conserve an important wildlife corridor in New Mexico and preserve one of the most historically intact sections of El Camino Real.

It prevents new rights-of-way, giving the land an opportunity to heal in this brittle area, and taken together, these measures will protect the Caja for generations to come.

This bill also begins a new chapter in the stewardship of this land - one that includes opportunities for Tribes and Traditional Historic Communities to have a voice in land management plans.

This bill recognizes that stewardship works best when it is shared.

I'd like to thank everyone who worked with my office in developing this proposal.

And I'd also like to submit a number of letters and resolutions of support from Pueblos, counties, groups, elected officials, land grants, and others to show the immense coalition that is rallying behind this effort.

And I'd ask unanimous consent for that.

I'd like to end my statement today with a similar sentiment that I have shared in the past.

This hearing, and next week's National Parks legislative hearing, will add to our growing list of land-based conservation bills ready for markup.

Many of these bills have the same level of community support and input as my bill on the agenda today - yet those voices of support are going unheard.

With only six months left in this Congress, it is my hope that we will see conservation bills considered in future business meetings so that we can get them marked up, passed, and signed into law.

I look forward to working with both of you, as well as Chairman Lee, in this effort.

Thank you.

Heinrich additionally questioned John Crockett, Deputy Chief of State, Private and Tribal Forestry of the United States Forest Service (USFS), on the Caja del Rio Act, and criticized Crockett's opposition of the legislation and his lack of knowledge on the Caja del Rio Plateau.

On Heinrich's Caja del Rio Protection Act:

Heinrich asked, "Mr. Crockett, in in your opposition to S. 4458, you cited timber production and mineral production in your opposition. Have you personally been to the Caja del Rio?"

Crockett responded, "I have not personally been to the Caja del Rio."

Heinrich asked, "Do you know how much mineral potential or development there currently is?"

Crockett, "I've not done the analysis on that."

Heinrich followed, "Actually, I think your staff has because it's in your written testimony. It says 'mapping of the area does not show potential for mineral development, and there are no current operations in the area.' In addition, it doesn't take more than a few minutes on the Caja del Rio to realize that the forest cover on the Forest Service lands is primarily one-seed juniper, Juniperus monosperma, which gets to be about nine feet tall and has no commercial production, and Pinus edulis, which is also a non-commercial species. I think probably the last time a ponderosa pine was actually harvested commercially on the plateau would have been before either of us were in our current positions. So I just think it's important that the facts line up here, and what we've heard today is a continual opposition to any level of conservation, but support for all the development pieces. And we don't have timber to develop here. We do have these other species, and they're important for firewood. We've protected that in this legislation. It's also important to be able to do fire treatments on this plateau, and we have preserved the ability of the Forest Service to do that. I think it's important what Senator Cortez Masto said, which is that this is a balance. And if you look at the interests that came out to speak about these things at the local level, if you look at what the county said, if you consult with the Tribes, if you engage the agricultural interests, I think you would come to a very different conclusion about these pieces of legislation."

A video of Heinrich's remarks and questioning can be found here.

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