No FED in West Texas Act
Summary
What This Bill Does
The No FED in West Texas Act bars the Secretary of the Interior from finalizing, implementing, administering, or enforcing the Land Protection Plan described in the United States Fish and Wildlife Service document titled Final Land Protection Plan and Environmental Assessment Muleshoe National Wildlife Refuge, dated February 2023. The operative effect is to stop Interior and FWS from using that plan to expand or carry out land-protection work for the Muleshoe National Wildlife Refuge. The bill contains a short title and the prohibition; it does not replace the plan with an alternative refuge-management framework.
Who Benefits and How
West Texas landowners near Muleshoe National Wildlife Refuge benefit because the February 2023 land-protection plan could not be finalized or enforced against local property interests. Local ranchers and farmers benefit if the prohibition reduces federal acquisition, easement, or land-use pressure associated with the plan. County officials near the refuge benefit from blocking a federal refuge-expansion strategy they may view as affecting tax base or land control. Property-rights advocates benefit from a statutory bar on the Interior Department plan. Supporters of local control over land use benefit from a clear prohibition on federal implementation.
Who Bears the Burden and How
The Secretary of the Interior must halt finalization, implementation, administration, and enforcement of the February 2023 Muleshoe plan. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service refuge planners lose authority to carry out that land-protection plan. Wildlife habitat conservation groups bear a policy burden because a federal refuge protection strategy is blocked. Refuge managers may have fewer tools to protect habitat around Muleshoe National Wildlife Refuge. Federal land-acquisition staff must avoid actions tied to the prohibited plan. Environmental review staff may have to shelve or revise work associated with the 2023 environmental assessment.
Key Provisions
- Prohibits the Secretary of the Interior from finalizing the February 2023 Muleshoe National Wildlife Refuge Land Protection Plan.
- Blocks Interior from implementing, administering, or enforcing that land-protection plan.
- Restricts U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service refuge-planning authority for the identified Muleshoe plan.
- Provides the short title No Federal Expansion Designation in West Texas Act.
Evidence Chain:
This summary is generated from the full bill text using AI analysis. Expand "Detailed Analysis" below for identified beneficiaries/burden bearers with clause-level evidence links.
At a Glance
What This Bill Does
Prohibits the Secretary of the Interior from finalizing, implementing, administering, or enforcing the February 2023 United States Fish and Wildlife Service Final Land Protection Plan and Environmental Assessment for Muleshoe National Wildlife Refuge, blocking the refuge expansion or land-protection strategy described in that plan.
Key Policy Areas
Public Lands, Wildlife Refuge, Property Rights, Interior Department
Primary Purpose
Prohibits the Secretary of the Interior from finalizing, implementing, administering, or enforcing the February 2023 United States Fish and Wildlife Service Final Land Protection Plan and Environmental Assessment for Muleshoe National Wildlife Refuge, blocking the refuge expansion or land-protection strategy described in that plan.
Policy Domains
House resolution provisions
Identified Gains
- West Texas landowners
- Local ranchers near Muleshoe refuge
- Local farmers near Muleshoe refuge
- County officials near the refuge
- Property rights advocates
- Supporters of local land use control
Identified Costs
- Secretary of the Interior
- Fish and Wildlife Service refuge planners
- Wildlife habitat conservation groups
- Muleshoe refuge managers
- Federal land acquisition staff
- Environmental review staff
Sponsors
Legislative Progress
ReportedAdditional sponsor: Mr. Hunt
Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the …
Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 374.
Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Natural Resources. H. Rept. …
Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held
Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: …
Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife and Fisheries Discharged
Subcommittee Hearings Held
Referred to the Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife and Fisheries.
Introduced in House
Stakeholder Effects
cui bono?How this legislation distributes effects. Mention counts reflect frequency, not effect magnitude.
Local farmers near Muleshoe refuge, Local ranchers near Muleshoe refuge, West Texas landowners
Fish and Wildlife Service refuge planners, Muleshoe refuge managers
Bill Structure & Actor Mappings
Who is "The Secretary" in each section?
- "fws"
- → United States Fish and Wildlife Service
- "refuge"
- → Muleshoe National Wildlife Refuge
- "interior"
- → Secretary of the Interior
We use a combination of our own taxonomy and classification in addition to large language models to assess meaning and potential beneficiaries. High confidence means strong textual evidence. Always verify with the original bill text.
Learn more about our methodology