On July 18, 2026, the Santa Fe New Mexican published an op-ed by Jeff Weber, President of the Truchas Chapter of Trout Unlimited, under the headline “Congress must act to protect the Pecos.” It makes the case for permanent protection of the upper Pecos watershed, and we want every member and neighbor to read it. Here is the argument in brief, and what you can do to help.
What happened in the upper Pecos
Earlier this year, the U.S. Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management abruptly canceled a proposal that would have protected roughly 165,000 acres of the upper Pecos River watershed from new mining claims. The cancellation bypassed public comment, local meetings, and environmental review. The result: a watershed that communities have worked for years to safeguard is again exposed to mineral extraction.
Behind that decision sits an old problem. Mining on public lands is still governed by the General Mining Law of 1872, which returns no public value for extracted minerals and gives land managers little authority to say no, even in places as sensitive as the Pecos.
Why the Pecos matters
The Pecos is a critical water source for downstream communities, historic acequias, and irrigators. Its cold, clear tributaries hold native Rio Grande Cutthroat Trout, the species our chapter works to protect. And it is the state’s second most popular trout fishery, hosting over 1 million angler days each year. This is not an abstract landscape. It is drinking water, irrigation water, native trout habitat, and the place many of us learned to fish.
What Congress can do
Jeff’s op-ed points to two bills that would change the picture:
- The Pecos Watershed Protection Act, introduced by Rep. Teresa Leger Fernández and Sen. Martin Heinrich, would permanently prohibit new mining claims in the watershed and create a Thompson Peak Wilderness Area.
- The Mining Waste, Fraud, and Abuse Prevention Act of 2025, introduced by Sen. Ben Ray Luján and co-sponsored by Sen. Heinrich, would establish royalty requirements and improve how land is determined suitable, or not, for mining.
Together they would give the Pecos durable protection and start correcting the 1872 law’s imbalance.
How can I help protect the Pecos?
Three things, in order. First, read the full op-ed in the Santa Fe New Mexican (a subscription may be required). Second, contact New Mexico’s congressional delegation and voice your support for the Pecos Watershed Protection Act and the Mining Waste, Fraud, and Abuse Prevention Act of 2025; a short, personal note from a constituent carries real weight. Third, get involved with the chapter’s conservation work: reach our Conservation Chair, Nick Tsapataris, at [email protected].
This op-ed is part of a broader push. As Jeff noted in his mid-summer letter, chapter board members have also been submitting comments in public hearings on the watershed’s behalf.
The Pecos is a living, shared resource for everyone downstream. The Truchas Chapter of Trout Unlimited is proud that our president took this case to the state’s largest opinion page, and we hope you will add your voice to his.
Read the op-ed: Congress must act to protect the Pecos (Santa Fe New Mexican, July 18, 2026)
