No FED in West Texas Act
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This bill would prohibit the Department of the Interior from expanding the Muleshoe National Wildlife Refuge in Texas and New Mexico.
What it does
This bill would prohibit the Department of the Interior from finalizing or enforcing its 2023 land protection plan and environmental assessment regarding the Muleshoe National Wildlife Refuge. Under that plan, the federal government is authorized to expand the refuge by acquiring up to 700,000 acres of land or conservation easements in the Southern High Plains region near the Texas-New Mexico border.
Who is affected
This bill directly affects the Department of the Interior by prohibiting the agency from finalizing or enforcing its 2023 land protection plan for the Muleshoe National Wildlife Refuge. The legislation also impacts landowners in the Southern High Plains region along the Texas-New Mexico border where the Department intended to purchase land or acquire conservation easements on up to 700,000 acres.
Key provisions
- Prohibition on 2023 Muleshoe National Wildlife Refuge Plan. The bill prevents the Department of the Interior from finalizing, implementing, administering, or enforcing the 2023 land protection plan and environmental assessment for the Muleshoe National Wildlife Refuge.
- Restriction on Federal Land Acquisition. The legislation blocks the Department of the Interior from expanding the refuge through the purchase of lands or the acquisition of conservation easements. This restriction applies to up to 700,000 acres in the Southern High Plains region along the Texas-New Mexico border.
Fiscal impact
- H.R. 839, No FED in West Texas Act· As reported by the House Committee on Natural Resources on January 8, 2026
Effective dates
Not applicable: Official Summary does not address effective dates
Relationship to existing law
This bill restricts the Department of the Interior's authority to carry out its 2023 land protection plan and environmental assessment regarding the Muleshoe National Wildlife Refuge. It specifically prohibits the enforcement of administrative plans intended to expand the refuge's boundaries through land purchases or conservation easements in the Southern High Plains region.
Stated purpose
The bill seeks to prevent the Department of the Interior from implementing or enforcing its 2023 land protection plan for the Muleshoe National Wildlife Refuge. This would effectively block the federal government from expanding the refuge or acquiring up to 700,000 acres of land and conservation easements in the Southern High Plains region of Texas and New Mexico.