Caja del Rio Protection Act

Protection of Natural and Cultural Values: The bill aims to "conserve and permanently protect" the cultural, spiritual, religious, scenic, ecological, wildlife habitat, natural, geological, historical, and traditional values of the designated areas (Section 101(b) and Section 201(b)).

Enhanced Tribal Engagement: The Act seeks to "enhance opportunities for interested Indian Tribes to engage in the preservation and management" of both the Special Management Area and the National Conservation Area (Section 101(b) and Section 201(b)).

Tribal Contracting and Assistance: The Secretary may contract with Indian Tribes or Tribal organizations to perform management functions and may provide "technical and financial assistance" to help these tribes improve their capacity to carry out these activities (Section 302(a)).

Protection of Cultural and Religious Practices: The bill ensures access for Tribal members for "traditional cultural and religious purposes" and allows certain members to collect plants and mineral resources for "noncommercial traditional and cultural uses" (Section s 302(b) and Section 302(d)).

Protection of Sacred Sites: The Secretary is prohibited from disclosing information regarding the nature or location of sacred sites if such disclosure would "risk harm to the cultural resources of the sacred site" or "cause a significant invasion of privacy" (Section 303(e)).

Restrictions on Motorized Use and Road Access: The Act requires the development of travel management plans to "decrease unauthorized road access and motorized use" (Section 102(c)(3) and Section 202(d)). Additionally, new permanent road construction is generally prohibited in covered areas (Section 301(a)(1)).

Restrictions on Land Entry and Resource Extraction: Federal lands within the covered areas and the withdrawal area are removed from "all forms of entry, appropriation, or disposal under public land laws," as well as from "location, entry, and patent under the mining laws" and "operation of the mineral leasing, mineral materials, and geothermal leasing laws" (Section 301(c) and Section 401).

Decommissioning of Roads: The Secretary is required to "decommission any road in a covered area that has not been designated on the Map or in the applicable travel management plan" within three years of the Act's enactment (Section 301(a)(3)).

Potential Restrictions on Hunting: The Secretary may designate specific zones and periods during which "hunting shall not be allowed" within a covered area (Section 303(d)).