I

103D CONGRESS

1ST SESSION H. R. 1879

To modify the boundaries of Carlsbad Caverns National Park, and for other

purposes.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

APRIL 28, 1993

Mr. ANDREWS of Texas introduced the following bill; which was referred to

the Committee on Natural Resources

A BILL

To modify the boundaries of Carlsbad Caverns National

Park, 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 ‘‘Capitan Reef Manage5 ment Consolidation Act’’.

6 SEC. 2. BOUNDARIES OF CARLSBAD CAVERNS NATIONAL

7 PARK.

8 (a) MODIFICATION OF BOUNDARIES.—The bound9 aries of Carlsbad Caverns National Park are hereby modi10 fied to include approximately 24,850 acres of the Capitan
2

•HR 1879 IH

1 Reef escarpment in the State of New Mexico, as generally

2 depicted on the map entitled ‘‘Carlsbad Caverns Boundary

3 Expansion’’, numbered CACA 80,052, and dated Feb4 ruary 1993. Lands and interests in lands (including caves)

5 within the boundaries of the Carlsbad Caverns National

6 Park, as modified by this subsection, which are adminis7 tered by the Bureau of Land Management and the United

8 States Forest Service are hereby transferred to the admin9 istrative jurisdiction of the National Park Service and

10 shall be administered as part of the park. Nothing in this

11 Act shall be construed to prohibit public recreation, in12 cluding horseback riding, hiking, and camping.

13 (b) PUBLICATION AND FILING.—As soon as possible

14 after the date of the enactment of this Act but not later

15 than 6 months, the Secretary of the Interior shall publish

16 in the Federal Register a notice containing the legal de17 scription of the lands added to Carlsbad Caverns National

18 Park by subsection (a) and shall file such legal description

19 and a detailed map of the lands referred to in such sub20 section with the Committee on Natural Resources of the

21 House of Representatives and the Committee on Energy

22 and Natural Resources of the Senate.

23 (c) TECHNICAL CORRECTIONS.—The map and legal

24 description referred to in subsection (b) shall have the

25 same force and effect as if they were included in this Act
3

•HR 1879 IH

1 except that the Secretary of the Interior may correct cleri2 cal and typographical errors in such map and legal de3 scription.

4 (d) PUBLIC INSPECTION.—Copies of the map and

5 legal description referred to in subsection (b) shall be

6 available for public inspection in the offices of the Direc7 tor, and of the Director of the Southwest Region, of the

8 National Park Service.

9 SEC. 3. APPLICATION OF CERTAIN LAWS.

10 (a) IN GENERAL.—Subject to valid existing rights,

11 lands within the area included within the Carlsbad Cav12 erns National Park pursuant to section 2 are withdrawn

13 from disposition under the public land laws and from all

14 forms of entry or appropriation under the mining laws of

15 the United States, from the operation of the mineral leas16 ing laws of the United States, and from operation of the

17 Geothermal Steam Act of 1970.

18 (b) MANAGEMENT OF EXISTING LEASES.—Notwith19 standing subsection (a), any person authorized, under a

20 permit or lease in effect on the date of the enactment of

21 this Act, to carry out grazing on lands included within

22 the Carlsbad Caverns National Park pursuant to section

23 2 may continue such operations pursuant to such permit

24 or lease until the expiration of the term of the permit or

25 lease concerned plus one period of renewal thereafter.
4

•HR 1879 IH

1 SEC. 4. TRAIL EASEMENT.

2 The Secretary is authorized to acquire an easement

3 to provide trail access from the Rattlesnake Springs Unit

4 of the National Park System to the Carlsbad Caverns Na5 tional Park, as generally depicted on the map referred to

6 in section 2, except that no such easement may be ac7 quired without the consent of the owner thereof.

Æ