II 

109TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. 1170 

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

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

JUNE 6, 2005 

Mr. DOMENICI (for himself and Mr. BINGAMAN) introduced the following bill; 

which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources 

A BILL 

To establish the Fort Stanton-Snowy River National Cave 

Conservation Area. 

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 National Cave 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 National Cave 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 NATIONAL CAVE CONSERVATION AREA. 

11 (a) IN GENERAL.—There is established the Fort 

12 Stanton-Snowy River National Cave Conservation Area in 

13 Lincoln County, New Mexico, to secure, protect, and con14 serve subterranean natural and unique features and envi15 rons for scientific, educational, and other appropriate pub16 lic uses. 

17 (b) BOUNDARIES.—The Conservation Area shall in18 clude— 

19 (1) the minimum subsurface area necessary to 

20 provide for the Fort Stanton Cave, including the 

21 Snowy River passage in its entirety (which may in22 clude other significant caves); and 

23 (2) the minimum surface acreage, as deter24 mined by the Secretary, that is necessary to provide 

25 access to the cave entrance. 
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1 (c) MAP AND LEGAL DESCRIPTION.— 

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

3 the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary 

4 shall prepare a map and legal description of the 

5 Conservation Area. 

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

7 the Conservation Area shall have the same force and 

8 effect as if included in this Act, except that the Sec9 retary may correct any minor errors in the map and 

10 legal description. 

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

12 description of the Conservation Area shall be avail13 able for public inspection in the appropriate offices 

14 of the Bureau of Land Management. 

15 SEC. 4. ADMINISTRATION OF CONSERVATION AREA. 

16 (a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall administer 

17 the Conservation Area— 

18 (1) in accordance with the laws (including regu19 lations) applicable to public land and the manage20 ment plan required by this Act; and 

21 (2) in a manner that provides for— 

22 (A) the conservation and protection of the 

23 natural and unique features and environs for 

24 scientific, educational, and other appropriate 

25 public uses of the Conservation Area; 
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1 (B) public access, as appropriate, while 

2 providing for the protection of the cave re3 sources and for public safety; 

4 (C) the continuation of other existing uses 

5 and new uses of the Conservation Area that do 

6 not substantially impair the purposes for which 

7 the Conservation Area is established; 

8 (D) the protection of new caves within the 

9 Conservation Area, such as the Snowy River 

10 passage within Fort Stanton Cave; 

11 (E) the continuation of such uses on the 

12 surface acreage as exist under management ac13 tion in place prior to designation of the Con14 servation Area by this Act; and 

15 (F) scientific investigation and research 

16 opportunities within the Conservation Area, in17 cluding through partnerships with colleges, uni18 versities, schools, scientific institutions, re19 searchers, and scientists to conduct research 

20 and provide educational and interpretive serv21 ices within the Conservation Area. 

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

23 all Federal surface and subsurface land within the Con24 servation Area and all land and interests in the surface 

25 and subsurface land that are acquired by the United 
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1 States after the date of enactment of this Act for inclusion 

2 in the Conservation Area, are withdrawn from— 

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

4 under the general land laws; 

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

6 laws; and 

7 (3) operation under the mineral leasing and 

8 geothermal leasing laws. 

9 (c) MANAGEMENT PLAN.— 

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

11 the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary 

12 shall develop a comprehensive plan for the long-term 

13 management of the Conservation Area. 

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

15 (A) describe the appropriate uses and 

16 management of the Conservation Area; 

17 (B) incorporate, as appropriate, decisions 

18 contained in any other management or activity 

19 plan for the land within or adjacent to the Con20 servation Area; 

21 (C) take into consideration any informa22 tion developed in studies of the land and re23 sources within or adjacent to the Conservation 

24 Area; and 
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1 (D) engage in a cooperative agreement 

2 with Lincoln County, New Mexico, to address 

3 the historical involvement of the local commu4 nity in the interpretation and protection of the 

5 resources of the Conservation Area. 

6 (d) ACTIVITIES OUTSIDE CONSERVATION AREA.— 

7 (1) IN GENERAL.—The fact that an activity or 

8 use is not permitted inside the Conservation Area 

9 shall not preclude— 

10 (A) the conduct of the activity on land, or 

11 the use of land for the activity, outside the 

12 boundary of the Conservation Area, consistent 

13 with other applicable laws (including regula14 tions); or 

15 (B) any activity or use, including new uses, 

16 on the surface land above the Conservation 

17 Area or on any land appurtenant to that sur18 face land. 

19 (2) MANAGEMENT.—The surface land described 

20 in paragraph (1)(B) shall continue to be managed 

21 for multiple uses in accordance with all applicable 

22 laws (including regulations). 

23 (e) RESEARCH AND INTERPRETIVE FACILITIES.— 

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

25 facilities for— 
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1 (A) the conduct of scientific research; and 

2 (B) the interpretation of the historical, cul3 tural, scientific, archaeological, natural, and 

4 educational resources of the Conservation Area. 

5 (2) COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS.—The Sec6 retary may enter into cooperative agreements with 

7 the State of New Mexico and other institutions and 

8 organizations 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. 

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