1.This Act may be cited as the Fort
Stanton-Snowy River Cave National Conservation Area Act
.
2.In this Act:
(1)The term Conservation Area means the Fort
Stanton-Snowy River Cave National Conservation Area established by section
3(a).
(2)The term management plan means the management
plan developed for the Conservation Area under section 4(c).
(3)The
term Secretary means the Secretary of the Interior, acting through
the Director of the Bureau of Land Management.
3.Establishment of
Fort Stanton-Snowy River Cave National Conservation Area
(a)There is established the Fort Stanton-Snowy River Cave
National 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.
(b)The Conservation Area shall include the area within the
boundaries depicted on the map entitled Fort Stanton-Snowy River Cave
National Conservation Area
and dated
November
2005January 25,
2007.
(c)Map and Legal
Description
(1)As soon as practicable after the date of enactment of
this Act, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a map and legal description of
the Conservation Area.
(2)The
map and legal description of the Conservation Area shall have the same force
and effect as if included in this Act, except that the Secretary may correct
any minor errors in the map and legal description.
(3)The map and legal description of the Conservation
Area shall be available for public inspection in the appropriate offices of the
Bureau of Land Management.
4.Management of
the Conservation Area
(a)
(1)The Secretary shall manage the Conservation Area—
(A)in a manner that
conserves, protects, and enhances the resources and values of the Conservation
Area, including the resources and values described in section 3(a); and
(B)in accordance
with—
(i)this Act;
(ii)the
Federal Land Policy and Management Act of
1976 (43 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.); and
(iii)any other
applicable laws.
(2)The
Secretary shall only allow uses of the Conservation Area that are consistent
with the protection of the cave resources.
(3)In
administering the Conservation Area, the Secretary shall provide for—
(A)the conservation
and protection of the natural and unique features and environs for scientific,
educational, and other appropriate public uses of the Conservation Area;
(B)public access, as
appropriate, while providing for the protection of the cave resources and for
public safety;
(C)the continuation
of other existing uses or other new uses of the Conservation Area that do not
impair the purposes for which the Conservation Area is established;
(D)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 the plan, consistent with this Act; and
(E)scientific
investigation and research opportunities within the Conservation Area,
including through partnerships with colleges, universities, schools, scientific
institutions, researchers, and scientists to conduct research and provide
educational and interpretive services within the Conservation Area.
(b)Subject
to valid existing rights, all Federal surface and subsurface land within the
Conservation Area and all land and interests in the land that are acquired by
the United States after the date of enactment of this Act for inclusion in the
Conservation Area, are withdrawn 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.
(c)
(1)Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of
this Act, the Secretary shall develop a comprehensive plan for the long-term
management of the Conservation Area.
(2)The
management plan shall—
(A)describe the
appropriate uses and management of the Conservation Area;
(B)incorporate, as
appropriate, decisions contained in any other management or activity plan for
the land within or adjacent to the Conservation Area;
(C)take into
consideration any information developed in studies of the land and resources
within or adjacent to the Conservation Area; and
(D)provide for a
cooperative agreement with Lincoln County, New Mexico, to address the
historical involvement of the local community in the interpretation and
protection of the resources of the Conservation Area.
(d)Activities
Outside Conservation AreaThe 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 the
Conservation Area.
(e)Research and
Interpretive Facilities
(1)The Secretary may establish facilities for—
(A)the conduct of
scientific research; and
(B)the
interpretation of the historical, cultural, scientific, archaeological,
natural, and educational resources of the Conservation Area.
(2)The Secretary may, in a manner consistent with this
Act, enter into cooperative agreements with the State of New Mexico and other
institutions and organizations to carry out the purposes of this Act.
(f)Nothing in this Act constitutes an express or implied
reservation of any water right.
5.Authorization of
appropriationsThere are
authorized to be appropriated such sums as are necessary to carry out this Act.
To establish the Fort Stanton-Snowy River Cave National Conservation
Area.
February 15, 2007
Reported with an amendment