Fort Stanton-Snowy River Cave National Conservation Area Act

Bill: 110-s-260
Sponsor: Sen. Domenici, Pete V. [R-NM]
Introduced: 2007-01-11 in the Senate
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources
Subjects: Archaeology
Arts, Culture, Religion
Caves
Cultural property
Environmental Protection
History
Land use
Natural areas
Nature conservation
New Mexico
Research
Science, Technology, Communications

Summary:
action_date: 2007-01-11
text: 
Fort Stanton-Snowy River National Cave Conservation Area Act - Establishes the Fort Stanton-Snowy River National Cave Conservation Area in Lincoln county, New Mexico, to protect, conserve, and enhance the unique and nationally important historic, cultural, scientific, archaeological, natural, and educational subterranean cave resources of the Fort Stanton-Snowy River cave system. 
 
Directs the Secretary to develop a plan for the long-term management of the Conservation Area. 
 
Authorizes the Secretary to establish facilities for: (1) the conduct of scientific research; and (2) the interpretation of the resources of the Conservation Area. 

action_date: 2007-02-15
text: 
Fort Stanton-Snowy River National Cave Conservation Area Act - Establishes the Fort Stanton-Snowy River National Cave Conservation Area in Lincoln County, New Mexico, to protect, conserve, and enhance the unique and nationally important historic, cultural, scientific, archaeological, natural, and educational subterranean cave resources of the Fort Stanton-Snowy River cave system. 

Specifies that the Conservation Area include the area within the boundaries depicted on the map entitled "Fort Stanton-Snowy River Cave National Conservation Area" and dated November 2005. 

Instructs the Secretary to only allow uses of the Conservation Area that are consistent with the protection of the cave resources. 

Requires the Secretary of the Interior, acting through the Director of the Bureau of Land Management, in administering the Conservation Area, to include providing for management of the surface area of the Conservation Area in accordance with the Fort Stanton Area of Critical Environmental Concern Final Activity Plan dated March, 2001, or any amendments to such plan, consistent with this Act. 

Withdraws all federal surface and subsurface land within the Conservation Area and all lands and interests in the surface and subsurface land that are acquired by the United States for inclusion in the Conservation Area from: (1) all forms of entry, appropriation, or disposal under the general land laws; (2) location, entry, and patent under the mining laws; and (3) operation under the mineral leasing and geothermal leasing laws. 

Directs the Secretary to develop a plan for the long-term management of the Conservation Area. Requires that such plan provide for a cooperative agreement with Lincoln County to address the historical involvement of the local community in the interpretation and protection of the resources of such Area. 

Provides that the establishment of the Conservation Area shall not: (1) create a protective perimeter or buffer zone around the Conservation Area; or (2) preclude uses or activities outside the Conservation Area that are permitted under other applicable laws, even if the uses or activities are prohibited within such Area. 

Authorizes the Secretary to establish facilities for: (1) the conduct of scientific research; and (2) the interpretation of the historical, cultural, scientific, archaeological, natural, and educational resources of the Conservation Area. 

Prohibits anything in this Act from constituting an express or implied reservation of any water right. 

Authorizes appropriations. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2007-02-15
text: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 38.
action_date: 2007-02-15
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Reported by Senator Bingaman with an amendment. With written report No. 110-13.
action_date: 2007-02-15
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Reported by Senator Bingaman with an amendment. With written report No. 110-13.
action_date: 2007-01-31
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Ordered to be reported with an amendment favorably.
action_date: 2007-01-11
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. (text of measure as introduced: CR S450-451)
action_date: 2007-01-11
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S450)
action_date: 2007-01-11
text: Introduced in Senate