I 

110TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 1989 

To establish the Fort Stanton-Snowy River Cave National Conservation Area, 

and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

APRIL 20, 2007 

Mr. PEARCE introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 

Committee on Natural Resources 

A BILL 

To establish the Fort Stanton-Snowy River Cave National 

Conservation Area, and for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Fort Stanton-Snowy 

5 River Cave National Conservation Area Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 

7 In this Act: 

8 (1) CONSERVATION AREA.—The term ‘‘Con9 servation Area’’ means the Fort Stanton-Snowy 


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1 River Cave National Conservation Area established 

2 by section 3(a). 

3 (2) MANAGEMENT PLAN.—The term ‘‘manage4 ment plan’’ means the management plan developed 

5 for the Conservation Area under section 4(c). 

6 (3) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 

7 the Secretary of the Interior, acting through the Di8 rector of the Bureau of Land Management. 

9 SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT OF FORT STANTON-SNOWY RIVER 

10 CAVE NATIONAL CONSERVATION AREA. 

11 (a) ESTABLISHMENT; PURPOSES.—There is estab12 lished the Fort Stanton-Snowy River Cave National Con13 servation Area in Lincoln County, New Mexico, to protect, 

14 conserve, and enhance the unique and nationally impor15 tant historic, cultural, scientific, archaeological, natural, 

16 and educational subterranean cave resources of the Fort 

17 Stanton-Snowy River cave system. 

18 (b) AREA INCLUDED.—The Conservation Area shall 

19 include the area within the boundaries depicted on the 

20 map titled ‘‘Fort Stanton-Snowy River Cave National 

21 Conservation Area’’ and dated January 25, 2007. 

22 (c) MAP AND LEGAL DESCRIPTION.— 

23 (1) IN GENERAL.—As soon as practicable after 

24 the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary 


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1 shall submit to Congress a map and legal description 

2 of the Conservation Area. 

3 (2) EFFECT.—The map and legal description of 

4 the Conservation Area shall have the same force and 

5 effect as if included in this Act, except that the Sec6 retary may correct any minor errors in the map and 

7 legal description. 

8 (3) PUBLIC AVAILABILITY.—The map and legal 

9 description of the Conservation Area shall be avail10 able for public inspection in the appropriate offices 

11 of the Bureau of Land Management. 

12 SEC. 4. MANAGEMENT OF THE CONSERVATION AREA. 

13 (a) MANAGEMENT.— 

14 (1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall manage 

15 the Conservation Area— 

16 (A) in a manner that conserves, protects, 

17 and enhances the resources and values of the 

18 Conservation Area, including the resources and 

19 values described in section 3(a); and 

20 (B) in accordance with— 

21 (i) this Act; 

22 (ii) the Federal Land Policy and Man23 agement Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1701 et 

24 seq.); and 

25 (iii) any other applicable laws. 


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1 (2) USES.—The Secretary shall only allow uses 

2 of the Conservation Area that are consistent with 

3 the protection of the cave resources. 

4 (3) REQUIREMENTS.—In administering the 

5 Conservation Area, the Secretary shall provide for— 

6 (A) the conservation and protection of the 

7 natural and unique features and environs for 

8 scientific, educational, and other appropriate 

9 public uses of the Conservation Area; 

10 (B) public access, as appropriate, while 

11 providing for the protection of the cave re12 sources and for public safety; 

13 (C) the continuation of other existing uses 

14 or other new uses of the Conservation Area that 

15 do not impair the purposes for which the Con16 servation Area is established; 

17 (D) management of the surface area of the 

18 Conservation Area in accordance with the Fort 

19 Stanton Area of Critical Environmental Con20 cern Final Activity Plan dated March, 2001, or 

21 any amendments to the plan, consistent with 

22 this Act; and 

23 (E) scientific investigation and research 

24 opportunities within the Conservation Area, in25 cluding through partnerships with colleges, uniVerDate Aug 31 2005 16:11 Apr 22, 2007 Jkt 059200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H1989.IH H1989

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1 versities, schools, scientific institutions, re2 searchers, and scientists to conduct research 

3 and provide educational and interpretive serv4 ices within the Conservation Area. 

5 (b) WITHDRAWALS.—Subject to valid existing rights, 

6 all Federal surface and subsurface land within the Con7 servation Area and all land and interests in the land that 

8 are acquired by the United States after the date of enact9 ment of this Act for inclusion in the Conservation Area, 

10 are withdrawn from— 

11 (1) all forms of entry, appropriation, or disposal 

12 under the general land laws; 

13 (2) location, entry, and patent under the mining 

14 laws; and 

15 (3) operation under the mineral leasing and 

16 geothermal leasing laws. 

17 (c) MANAGEMENT PLAN.— 

18 (1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 2 years after 

19 the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary 

20 shall develop a comprehensive plan for the long-term 

21 management of the Conservation Area. 

22 (2) PURPOSES.—The management plan shall— 

23 (A) describe the appropriate uses and 

24 management of the Conservation Area; 


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1 (B) incorporate, as appropriate, decisions 

2 contained in any other management or activity 

3 plan for the land within or adjacent to the Con4 servation Area; 

5 (C) take into consideration any informa6 tion developed in studies of the land and re7 sources within or adjacent to the Conservation 

8 Area; and 

9 (D) provide for a cooperative agreement 

10 with Lincoln County, New Mexico, to address 

11 the historical involvement of the local commu12 nity in the interpretation and protection of the 

13 resources of the Conservation Area. 

14 (d) ACTIVITIES OUTSIDE CONSERVATION AREA.— 

15 The establishment of the Conservation Area shall not— 

16 (1) create a protective perimeter or buffer zone 

17 around the Conservation Area; or 

18 (2) preclude uses or activities outside the Con19 servation Area that are permitted under other appli20 cable laws, even if the uses or activities are prohib21 ited within the Conservation Area. 

22 (e) RESEARCH AND INTERPRETIVE FACILITIES.— 

23 (1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary may establish 

24 facilities for— 

25 (A) the conduct of scientific research; and 


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1 (B) the interpretation of the historical, cul2 tural, scientific, archaeological, natural, and 

3 educational resources of the Conservation Area. 

4 (2) COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS.—The Sec5 retary may, in a manner consistent with this Act, 

6 enter into cooperative agreements with the State of 

7 New Mexico and other institutions and organizations 

8 to carry out the purposes of this Act. 

9 (f) WATER RIGHTS.—Nothing in this Act constitutes 

10 an express or implied reservation of any water right. 

11 SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 

12 There are authorized to be appropriated such sums 

13 as are necessary to carry out this Act. 

Æ 


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