103D CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 698
AN ACT
To protect Lechuguilla Cave and other resources
and values in and adjacent to Carlsbad Caverns
National Park.
103D CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 698
AN ACT
To protect Lechuguilla Cave and other resources and values
in and adjacent to Carlsbad Caverns National Park.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE, FINDING, AND DEFINITIONS.
(a) SHORT TITLE.—This Act may be cited as the
‘‘Lechuguilla Cave Protection Act of 1993’’.
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(b) FINDING.—Congress finds and declares that
Lechuguilla Cave and other significant cave resources of
Carlsbad Caverns National Park and adjacent public lands
in the cave protection area have internationally-significant
scientific, environmental, and other values and should be
retained in public ownership and protected against adverse
effects of mineral exploration and development and other
activities presenting threats to those values.
(c) DEFINITIONS.—As used in this Act—
(1) the term ‘‘the Secretary’’ means the Sec-
retary of the Interior.
(2) the term ‘‘cave protection area’’ means the
lands within the area depicted on the map referred
to in section 2(b).
(3) except as otherwise specified in this Act, all
other terms, including the term ‘‘public lands,’’ shall
have the same meaning as such terms have in the
Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976
(43 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.).
SEC. 2. LAND WITHDRAWAL.
(a) WITHDRAWAL.—Subject to valid existing rights,
the approximately 6,280 acres of public lands within the
cave protection area, and all other lands within the bound-
aries of the cave protection area which may hereafter be-
come subject to the operation of the public land laws, are
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(3) Copies of the map and legal description re-
ferred to in subsection (b) shall be available for pub-
lic inspection in the offices of the Director and ap-
propriate State Director of the Bureau of Land
Management.
(d) MANAGEMENT.—The public lands withdrawn by
this section shall be managed by the Secretary, through
the Director of the Bureau of Land Management, pursu-
ant to the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of
1976 (43 U.S.C. 17901 et seq.) and other applicable law,
including this Act.
SEC. 3. MANAGEMENT OF EXISTING LEASES.
(a) SUSPENSION OF NEW DRILLING.—(1)(A) Effec-
tive on the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary
shall not permit any new drilling on or involving any valid
mineral or geothermal leases within the lands withdrawn
by section 2.
(B) If the Secretary deems it appropriate in order
to prevent an adverse impact on Lechuguilla Cave or other
significant cave resources of Carlsbad Caverns National
Park and the lands within the cave protection area, the
Secretary shall require suspension of any other activities
with respect to such leases.
(2) The prohibition on new drilling imposed by para-
graph (1) shall remain in effect until the effective date
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of a record of decision regarding the proposal to drill ana-
lyzed in the Dark Canyon Environmental Impact State-
ment, or for 12 months after the date of enactment of
this Act, whichever first occurs. Nothing in this subsection
shall be construed as requiring the Secretary to permit
or prohibit new drilling after such period.
(b) NEGOTIATIONS.—(1) During the period specified
in subsection (a)(2), the Secretary shall seek the agree-
ment of the holders of existing valid mineral or geothermal
leases on the public lands withdrawn by section 2(a) for
the termination of such leases or to such restrictions on
activities on lands covered by such leases as the Secretary
deems appropriate to protect Lechuguilla Cave and the
other significant cave resources of Carlsbad Caverns Na-
tional Park and the lands within the cave protection area.
(2)(A) With respect to any lease for which no agree-
ment of the type described in paragraph (1) of this sub-
section has been reached at the end of the period specified
in subsection (a)(2), the Secretary shall take such steps
as the Secretary deems appropriate in order to protect
Lechuguilla Cave and the other significant cave resources
of Carlsbad Caverns National Park and the lands within
the cave protection area.
(B) The steps referred to in subparagraph (A) may
include acquisition of the lands covered by such leases or
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any interests therein. In the event of such acquisition, any
lands or interests therein so acquired shall be managed
pursuant to the Federal Land Policy and Management Act
of 1976 and other applicable law, including this Act.
(3) To the extent the Secretary deems desirable, the
Secretary shall seek the cooperation of the State of New
Mexico and any other parties owning lands within the cave
protection area with respect to such restrictions on the
use of relevant lands owned by such parties as the Sec-
retary may suggest in order to further the protection of
Lechuguilla Cave and the other significant cave resources
of Carlsbad Caverns National Park and the lands within
the cave protection area.
SEC. 4. ADDITIONAL PROTECTION AND RELATION TO
OTHER LAWS.
(a) ADDITIONAL PROTECTION.—(1) If on the basis
of scientific analysis found by the Secretary to be relevant
and credible, the Secretary deems it appropriate to take
additional steps to protect Lechuguilla Cave or the other
significant cave resources of Carlsbad Caverns National
Park and the lands within the cave protection area, the
Secretary, pursuant to the authority of the Federal Land
Policy and Management Act of 1976 or other applicable
law, shall take such steps.
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(2) To the extent the Secretary finds appropriate in
order to protect Lechuguilla Cave and the other significant
cave resources of Carlsbad Caverns National Park or the
lands within the cave protection area, the Secretary may
limit or prohibit access to or across lands owned by the
United States or prohibit the removal from such lands of
any mineral, geological, or cave resources except as the
Secretary may permit for scientific purposes.
(3) If the Secretary determines that existing law, in-
cluding this Act, provides the Secretary insufficient au-
thority to take any step the Secretary deems desirable in
order to protect Lechuguilla Cave or other significant cave
resources of Carlsbad Caverns National Park or the lands
within the cave protection area, the Secretary shall inform
the Committee on Natural Resources of the House of Rep-
resentatives and the Committee on Energy and Natural
Resources of the Senate concerning the additional author-
ity the Secretary believes desirable.
(b) RELATION TO OTHER LAWS.—Nothing in this
Act shall be construed as increasing or diminishing the
ability of any party to seek compensation pursuant to
other applicable law, including but not limited to the
Tucker Act (28 U.S.C. 1491), or as precluding any de-
fenses or claims otherwise available to the United States
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in connection with any action seeking such compensation
from the United States.
Passed the House of Representatives May 11, 1993.
Attest:
Clerk.