Enchanted National Forest, Cave Research Institute, and the Prehistoric Trackways Study Act of 1990
PL 101-578 (H.R.5796), enacted 11/15/1990

104 STAT. 2858 
PUBLIC LAW 101-578—NOV. 15, 1990 
Public Law 101-578 
101st Congress 
An Act 
To conduct certain studies in the State of New Mexico. 
Nov. 15,1990 
[H.R. 5796] 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
Natural 
United States of America in Congress assembled, 
resources. 
Public lands. 
T^rn.^ I—ENCHANTED NATIONAL FOREST INFORMATION 
AND EDUCATION STUDY 
SEC. 101. FINDINGS. 
The Congress finds that— 
(1) environmental education is fundamental to expanding our 
understanding of the environment; 
(2) the natural resources found on national forests in New 
Mexico, the Land of Enchantment, can contribute to environ-
mental education programs; 
(3) the Forest Service plays a vital role in the environmental 
education of all Americans; 
(4) a center to provide information on the national forests in 
New Mexico would increase public awareness of their national 
forests, increase participation in management decisions, and 
improve the public's appreciation of their national forests; 
(5) there is not a central facility dedicated to providing 
information on the national forests in New Mexico to residents 
and out-of-State visitors; and 
(6) in light of the opportunities provided by national forests 
and the importance of environmental education, it is necessary 
to identify, through a comprehensive study, the opportunities 
that are available to provide information to the public on the 
national forests of New Mexico and to expand the environ-
mental education program for those forests. 
SEC. 102. STUDY AND REPORT BY THE FOREST SERVICE. 
(a) STUDY.—The Secretary of Agriculture, acting through the 
Chief of the Forest Service, shall conduct a study of the opportuni-
ties to establish a center to provide information on the national 
forests in New Mexico and to expand the environmental education 
program for those forests. 
(b) REPORT.—Not later than 1 year after the date that funds are 
made available for the study referred to in subsection (a), the 
Secretary of Agriculture shall transmit the Study to the Committee 
on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate and the Committee 
on Interior and Insular Affairs of the House of Representatives. 
(c) CONTENTS OF STUDY.—The study referred to in subsection (a) 
shall develop alternative means for the national forests in New 
Mexico to provide information that improves public awareness and 
participation in management of their national forests and to expand 
the environmental education program for those forests. Alternatives 
shall include an information and education center located in or near 
PUBLIC LAW 101-578—NOV. 15, 1990 
104 STAT. 2859 
Albuquerque, New Mexico, and an expanded education outreach 
program. 
SEC. 103. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 
There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as are nec-
essary to carry out this title. 
TITLE II—CAVE RESEARCH INSTITUTE 
SEC. 201. FINDINGS. 
16 USC 4310 
The Congress makes the following findings: 
(1) The World's most exposed fossil reef, Capitan Reef, in 
. 
southern New Mexico that includes Carlsbad Caverns, contains 
over 300 caves, including 75 identified caves in Carlsbad Cav-
erns National Park and 22 caves in Guadalupe Mountains 
National Park. 
(2) Recent explorations of Lechuguilla Cave at Carlsbad Cav-
erns National Park have provided much new information about 
the wonders of this cave including the fact that it is the second 
deepest cave in the United States and contains outstanding 
world-class cave features such as gypsum crystal chandeliers 
and gypsum flowers. 
(3) The Lechuguilla Cave has been described by cave research-
ers as possibly the finest cave in America. 
(4) The interest and excitement of cave researchers through-
out the world have been focused on Carlsbad Caverns National 
Park. 
(5) Cave researchers could use this research institute as an 
operational base for study of caves in other regions and as a 
focal point for storage of data on cave geology and speleology. 
(6) The Congress, with the passage of Public Law 100-691, the 
Federal Cave Resources Protection Act of 1988, recognized the 
significance of cave resources on Federal lands and established 
the policy that Federal lands be managed in a manner which 
protects and maintains, to the extent practicable, significant 
cave resources. 
SEC. 202. ESTABLISHMENT OF CAVE RESEARCH PROGRAM. 
16 USC 4310. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—In order to provide for needed research relat-
ing to cave resources on certain lands in the United States, the 
Secretary of the Interior, acting through the Director of the Na-
tional Park Service shall establish and administer a Cave Research 
Program (hereinafter in this title referred to as the "Program"). The 
Program shall include the orderly and scholarly collection, analysis, 
and dissemination of research material related to caves in lands 
managed by the National Park Service including, but not limited to, 
Carlsbad Caverns National Park and the Capitan Reef area. 
(b) FUNCTIONS.—The Program shall produce educational and 
interpretive information and materials vital to public understand-
ing of cave geology, assist students and researchers, and provide for 
a comprehensive evaluation of cave resources and measures needed 
for their protection. 
(c) EMPHASIS.—The program shall be directed primarily toward 
lands managed by the National Park Service, but the Secretary of 
the Interior may enter into cooperative agreements with other 
agencies or entities as may be appropriate to carry out the purposes 
of this title. 
104 STAT. 2860 
PUBLIC LAW 101-578—NOV. 15, 1990 
16 use 4310 
SEC. 203. CAVE RESEARCH INSTITUTE STUDY. 
Not later than one year after enactment of this Act, the Secretary 
of the Interior shall prepare and transmit to the Committee on 
Energy and Natural Resources of the United States Senate and the 
Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs of the United States 
House of Representatives a study on the feasibility of establishing a 
Cave Research Institute. The Study shall include the need for such a 
facility, its costs, its purposes, what the facility should include and 
where it should be located. An analysis of potential sites for the 
Institute should include, but not be limited to, Carlsbad Caverns 
National Park. 
16 use 4310 
SEC. 204. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 
There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be 
necessary to carry out the provisions of this title. 
TITLE III—PREHISTORIC TRACKWAYS STUDY 
SEC. 301. FINDINGS AND PURPOSES. 
(a) FINDINGS.—The Congress finds that— 
(1) fossils are important for scientific studies of prehistoric life 
on earth; 
(2) lands administered by the Bureau of Land Management in 
the Robledo Mountains in New Mexico contain one of the most 
important fossil discoveries of the 20th century; 
(3) discoveries have included prehistoric tracks of amphibians, 
reptiles, arthropods and insects, extensive plant fossils, and 
clues to the weather and climate of the period; 
(4) fossil footprints that form trackways help scientists recre-
ate the environment and habitat that supported prehistoric life; 
(5) nearly one hundred trackways from the Permian Age have 
been uncovered in the Robledo Mountains; 
(6) the trackways are over 280 million years old and they 
document the emergence of life from water to land; 
(7) the trackways are unique in length and represent most 
taxonomic groups, including many prints of previously un-
known animals; 
(8) the trackways and other fossils are being lost for scientific 
study through unsupervised collecting, and commercial quarry-
ing; and 
(9) the trackways and fossils found in the Robledo Mountains 
and surrounding areas should be evaluated for their potential 
protection and value for scientific interpretation and education. 
0)) PURPOSES.—The purposes of this title are to— 
(1) require the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a study to 
consider appropriate means to protect the discoveries and iden-
tify the scientific, interpretive, and public education values 
associated with the trackways and fossils located in the Robledo 
Mountains in southeastern New Mexico; and 
(2) provide for interim protection of such trackways and 
fossils. 
SEC. 302. INTERIM WITHDRAWAL. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The area consisting of approximately 736 acres, 
as generally depicted on the map entitled Prehistoric Trackways 
Study Area", numbered NM 030-01 and dated September, 1990 
(hereafter referred to as the "study area"), is hereby withdrawn. 
PUBLIC LAW 101-578—NOV. 15, 1990 
104 STAT. 2861 
subject to valid existing rights, from all forms of entry, appropria-
tion, or disposal under the public land laws, from location, entry, or 
patent under the mining laws, but not from operation under the 
mineral leasing laws. Such withdrawal shall terminate on the date 2 
years after the date the study referred to in section 303 is transmit-
ted to CJongress. 
(b) MAP.—The map referred to in subsection (a) shall be on file 
and available for public inspection in the appropriate offices of the 
Bureau of Land Management, Department of the Interior. 
SEC. 303. STUDY. 
(a) STUDY.—(1) The Secretary of the Interior, in cooperation with l"*®^-
State and local governments, and institutions of higher education, felMioM^" 
shall conduct a study of the alternatives for the protection and 
interpretation of the fossil resources within the study area. 
(2) The study shall include an analysis of the importance of the 
discoveries at the site and an evaluation of the feasibility of develop-
ing a facility in New Mexico to evaluate, curate, display, and 
interpret the fossil resources located within the study area. 
(3) The study shall recommend the preferred administrative des-
ignation for the area, including but not limited to potential designa-
tion as a unit of the National Park System, and the appropriate 
management agency. 
(b) TRANSMITTAL TO CONGRESS.—Not later than 1 year after the 
date that funds are made available for the study required in subsec-
tion (a), the Secretary shall transmit such study to the Committee 
on Energy and Natural Resources of the United States Senate and 
the Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs of the United States 
House of Representatives. 
SEC. 304. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 
There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be 
necessary to carry out this title. 
Approved November 15, 1990. 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY—H.R. 5796: 
HOUSE REPORTS: No. 101-878 (Comm. on Interior and Insular Affairs). 
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 136 (1990): 
Oct. 15, considered and passed House. 
Oct. 26, considered and passed Senate. 
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