Commissioner Garcia Richard Bans Mineral Development on State Lands in Upper Pecos Watershed

SANTA FE, N.M. – New Mexico Commissioner of Public Lands Stephanie Garcia Richard today issued an executive order banning mining on state lands in the Upper Pecos Watershed. The order, which goes into effect immediately and expires on December 31, 2045, would prohibit any new mineral development on about 2,552 acres of state trust lands located in the Upper Pecos region.

The Upper Pecos Watershed is a critical resource for surrounding communities and a diverse set of stakeholders. The Greater Pecos Valley region is the ancestral home of the Pueblo of Pecos, and holds deep cultural significance to Indigenous peoples, including the Pueblo of Jemez and the Pueblo of Tesuque, as well as Hispanic communities and the land grant Mercedes. The river supplies agriculturally and culturally significant acequia systems. The local economy also benefits from visitation for outdoor recreational activities including fishing, camping, swimming and hiking.

“Some New Mexico landscapes are just too special to carve up with aggressive mineral development, and the Upper Pecos Watershed is one of those places,” said Commissioner Garcia Richard. “Pueblos and traditional Hispanic communities have relied on the river and its watershed for everyday uses for centuries. It is as much a cultural landmark as it is a natural ecosystem. I view it as my duty to protect state lands that are part of such meaningful landscapes. The Upper Pecos Watershed continues be threatened by mining companies and federal policies that put it in the crosshairs. As I’ve made clear today with this executive order, those companies will not be welcome on these state lands under my watch.”

The Upper Pecos Watershed has a history of devastation caused by mining activities. A toxic runoff from the Tererro and El Molino mine and mill sites killed more than 90,000 fish in the Pecos River in 1991 and polluted wildlife and community drinking supplies. In 2019, the Australian mining company New World Resources Ltd acquired 20 mining claims near Tererro through its subsidiary Comexico, LLC, again raising the possibility of contamination of local water sources and other damage.

On December 16, 2024, the U.S. Department of Interior initiated a process to propose a mineral withdrawal of 165,000 acres of federal public land in the region. However, on January 20, 2025, President Trump issued an executive order to advance mineral development on federal lands and consider reversing proposed and existing mineral withdrawals.

View the executive order here.

Additional Quotes:

As Mayor of the Village of Pecos, I fully support Commissioner Garcia Richard’s moratorium on mineral leasing in the Upper Pecos River Watershed. Our community depends on the Pecos River for clean drinking water, agriculture, and outdoor recreation, all of which are threatened by the dangers of mining. We have lived through the devastation caused by past mining operations, and we cannot allow further harm to our watershed. This moratorium is a necessary step to protect our water, our land, and our way of life for future generations.”
~Telesfor Benavidez, Mayor of the Village of Pecos

“Our Watershed is one of our most valuable natural and cultural resources, and protecting it is essential for the health and well-being of our communities. San Miguel County has long stood against the threat of mining in this region because we know the lasting damage it can cause to our water, land, and local economy. I commend Commissioner Garcia Richard for taking decisive action to safeguard state trust lands from mineral development. This moratorium is a critical step in ensuring that our water remains clean, our environment stays healthy, and our traditions are preserved well into the future.”
~San Miguel County Commissioner Bernadette Baca

“I am extremely grateful that our State Land Commissioner is protecting our state, our water, our environment, and our climate.  We all need to stand together to protect the Pecos.”
~Sen. Liz Stefanics

“The San Miguel del Bado Land Grant has fought for generations to protect the land and water that sustain our communities. Some of the lands included in this moratorium fall within our historical land grant boundaries, making this action even more significant for us. We are deeply grateful to Commissioner Garcia Richard for recognizing the importance of these protections. This moratorium is a crucial step in preserving our land and water for future Herederos.”
~Clareese Romero, President, San Miguel del Bado Land Grant Board

The Upper Pecos Watershed is the lifeblood of our communities, sustaining our acequias, our farms, our wildlife, and our way of life. We have already seen the devastating consequences of irresponsible mining in this region, and our watershed is still healing from past contamination. This moratorium is crucial in protecting our water, our lands, and our cultural heritage for generations to come. I applaud Commissioner Garcia Richard’s decision to safeguard these irreplaceable resources from harmful mineral development.”
~Ralph Vigil, local acequia parciante and farmer

“We at UPWA are deeply grateful to Commissioner Garcia Richard for her decisive action in protecting the Upper Pecos Watershed. This historic executive order not only safeguards our cherished landscape from aggressive mineral development but also preserves a vital resource for the communities that depend on it. We thank her for prioritizing the health and heritage of our region.”
~Lela McFarrin, Upper Pecos Watershed Association

“We are grateful to Commissioner Garcia Richard for her leadership in protecting the sensitive headwaters of the Pecos River, which supports clean water for communities, agriculture, fish and wildlife, local economies, and recreation. This is a necessary and appropriate exercise of the land commissioner’s constitutional authority and statutory jurisdiction to manage state trust lands for the benefit of current and future New Mexicans.”
~Sally Paez, Staff Attorney, New Mexico Wild 

Commissioner of Public Lands Stephanie Garcia Richard was first elected by New Mexico voters to lead the State Land Office in 2018. Since she took office in January 2019, the agency has earned more than $11 billion for New Mexico public schools, hospitals, and universities. Over 13 million acres of state trust land are leased for a variety of uses, including ranching and farming, renewable energy, business development, mineral development, and outdoor recreation. The State Land Office has a dual mandate to use state trust land to financially support vital public institutions, while simultaneously working to protect the land for future generations.