1.This Act may be cited as
the Prehistoric Trackways National
Monument Establishment Act
.
2.In this Act:
(1)The
term Monument
means the Prehistoric Trackways National Monument
established by section 4(a).
(2)The term public land
has the meaning given
the term public lands
in section 103 of the Federal Land Policy
and Management Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1702).
(3)The
term Secretary
means the Secretary of the Interior.
3.Congress finds that—
(1)in 1987, a major
deposit of Paleozoic Era fossilized footprint megatrackways was discovered in
the Robledo Mountains in southern New Mexico;
(2)the trackways
contain footprints of numerous amphibians, reptiles, and insects (including
previously unknown species), plants, and petrified wood dating back
approximately 280,000,000 years, which collectively provide new opportunities
to understand animal behaviors and environments from a time predating the
dinosaurs;
(3)title III of
Public Law 101–578 (104 Stat. 2860)—
(A)provided interim
protection for the site at which the trackways were discovered; and
(B)directed the
Secretary of the Interior to—
(i)prepare a study
assessing the significance of the site; and
(ii)based on the
study, provide recommendations for protection of the paleontological resources
at the site;
(4)the Bureau of
Land Management completed the Paleozoic Trackways Scientific Study Report in
1994, which characterized the site as containing the most scientifically
significant Early Permian tracksites
in the world;
(5)despite the
conclusion of the study and the recommendations for protection, the site
remains unprotected and many irreplaceable trackways specimens have been lost
to vandalism or theft; and
(6)designation of
the trackways site as a National Monument would protect the unique fossil
resources for present and future generations while allowing for public
education and continued scientific research opportunities.
4.
(a)In order to conserve, protect, and enhance the unique and
nationally important paleontological, scientific, educational, scenic, and
recreational resources and values of the public land described in subsection
(b), there is established the Prehistoric Trackways National Monument in the
State of New Mexico.
(b)The Monument shall consist of approximately
5,3675,280
acres of public land in Doña Ana County, New Mexico, as generally depicted on
the map entitled Prehistoric Trackways National Monument
and
dated
June 1,
2006January 25,
2007.
(c)
(1)As soon as practicable after the date of enactment of
this Act, the Secretary shall prepare and submit to Congress an official map
and legal description of the Monument.
(2)The
map and legal description submitted under paragraph (1) shall have the same
force and effect as if included in this Act, except that the Secretary may
correct any clerical or typographical errors in the legal description and the
map.
(3)Conflict
between map and legal descriptionIn the case of a conflict
between the map and the legal description, the map shall control.
(4)Availability of
map and legal descriptionCopies of the map and legal description
shall be on file and available for public inspection in the appropriate offices
of the Bureau of Land Management.
(d)Minor boundary
adjustmentsIf additional paleontological resources are
discovered on public land adjacent to the Monument after the date of enactment
of this Act, the Secretary may make minor boundary adjustments to the Monument
to include the resources in the Monument.
5.
(a)
(1)The Secretary shall manage the Monument—
(A)in a manner that
conserves, protects, and enhances the resources and values of the Monument,
including the resources and values described in section 4(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)other
applicable laws.
(2)National
landscape conservation systemThe Monument shall be managed as a
component of the National Landscape Conservation System.
(3)Protection of
resources and valuesThe Secretary shall manage public land
adjacent to the Monument in a manner that is consistent with the protection of
the resources and values of the Monument.
(b)
(1)Not later than 3 years after the date of enactment of
this Act, the Secretary shall develop a comprehensive management plan for the
long-term protection and management of the Monument.
(2)The
management plan under paragraph (1)—
(A)shall—
(i)describe the
appropriate uses and management of the Monument, consistent with the provisions
of this Act; and
(ii)allow for
continued scientific research at the Monument during the development of the
management plan; and
(B)may—
(i)incorporate any
appropriate decisions contained in any current management or activity plan for
the land described in section 4(b); and
(ii)use information
developed in studies of any land within or adjacent to the Monument that were
conducted before the date of enactment of this Act.
(c)The Secretary shall only allow uses of the Monument that the
Secretary determines would further the purposes for which the Monument has been
established.
(d)Interpretation,
education, and scientific research
(1)The Secretary shall provide for public interpretation of,
and education and scientific research on, the paleontological resources of the
Monument, with priority given to exhibiting and curating the resources in Doña
Ana County, New Mexico.
(2)The Secretary may enter into cooperative agreements
with appropriate public entities to carry out paragraph (1).
(e)
(1)The establishment of the Monument shall not change the
management status of any area within the boundary of the Monument that
is—
(A)designated as a
wilderness study area and managed in accordance with section 603(c) of the
Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1782(c)); or
(B)managed as an
area of critical environment concern.
(2)If there is a conflict between the laws applicable to the
areas described in paragraph (1) and this Act, the more restrictive provision
shall control.
(f)
(1)Except as needed for administrative purposes or to
respond to an emergency, the use of motorized vehicles in the Monument shall be
allowed only on roads and trails designated for use by motorized vehicles under
the management plan prepared under subsection (b).
(2)The Secretary may issue permits for special recreation
events involving motorized vehicles within the boundaries of the Monument,
including the Chile Challenge
—
(A)to the extent the
events do not harm paleontological resources; and
(B)subject to any
terms and conditions that the Secretary determines to be necessary.
(g)Subject
to valid existing rights, any Federal land within the Monument and any land or
interest in land that is acquired by the United States for inclusion in the
Monument after the date of enactment of this Act are withdrawn from—
(1)entry,
appropriation, or disposal under the public land laws;
(2)location, entry,
and patent under the mining laws; and
(3)operation of the
mineral leasing laws, geothermal leasing laws, and minerals materials
laws.
(h)The
Secretary may allow grazing to continue in any area of the Monument in which
grazing is allowed before the date of enactment of this Act, subject to
applicable laws (including regulations).
(i)
(1)Nothing in this Act diminishes the jurisdiction of the
State of New Mexico with respect to fish and wildlife management, including
regulation of hunting on public land within the Monument.
(2)The
Secretary, after consultation with the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish,
may issue regulations designating zones in which and establishing periods
during which hunting shall not be allowed for reasons of public safety,
administration, or public use and enjoyment.
(j)Nothing in this Act constitutes an express or implied
reservation by the United States of any water or water rights with respect to
the Monument.
(i)Nothing in this Act constitutes an express or implied
reservation by the United States of any water or water rights with respect to
the Monument.
6.Authorization of
appropriationsThere are
authorized to be appropriated such sums as are necessary to carry out this
Act.
February 16, 2007
Reported with amendments