[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 28 (Tuesday, March 15, 1994)]
[House]
[Page H]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: March 15, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
                   RIO GRANDE DESIGNATION ACT OF 1994

  Mr. VENTO. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
Senate bill (S. 375) to amend the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act by 
designating a segment of the Rio Grande in New Mexico as a component of 
the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System, and for other purposes, as 
amended.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                                 S. 375

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Rio Grande Designation Act 
     of 1994''.

     SEC. 2. DESIGNATION OF SCENIC RIVER.

       Section 3(a) of the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act (16 U.S.C. 
     1274(a)) is amended by adding at the end the following new 
     paragraph:
       ``(  ) Rio Grande, New Mexico.--The main stem from the 
     southern boundary of the segment of the Rio Grande designated 
     pursuant to paragraph (4), downstream approximately 12 miles 
     to the west section line of Section 15, Township 23 North, 
     Range 10 East, to be administered by the Secretary of the 
     Interior as a scenic river.''.

     SEC. 3. DESIGNATION OF STUDY RIVER.

       (a) Study.--Section 5(a) of the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act 
     (16 U.S.C. 1276(a)) is amended by adding at the end of the 
     following new paragraph:
       ``(  ) Rio Grande, New Mexico.--The segment from the west 
     section line of Section 15, Township 23 North, Range 10 East, 
     downstream approximately 8 miles to the southern line of the 
     northwest quarter of Section 34, Township 23 North, Range 9 
     East.''.
       (b) Study Requirements.--Section 5(b) of such Act (16 
     U.S.C. 1276(b)) is amended by adding at the end the following 
     new paragraph:
       ``(  ) The study of the Rio Grande in New Mexico shall be 
     completed and the report submitted not later than 3 years 
     after the date of enactment of this paragraph.''.

     SEC. 4. RIO GRANDE CITIZENS ADVISORY BOARD.

       As soon as practicable after the date of enactment of this 
     Act, the Secretary of the Interior, acting through the 
     Director of the Bureau of Land Management, shall take 
     appropriate steps to obtain the views of the residents of the 
     village of Pilar and of those persons who are the owners of 
     property adjoining the river segments described in sections 2 
     and 3 concerning implementation of this Act, and to assure 
     that those views will be considered in connection with 
     preparation of a comprehensive management plan for the 
     segment designated by section 2 and the study required by 
     section 3.

     SEC. 5. WITHDRAWAL OF ORILLA VERDE RECREATION AREA.

       (a) In General.--Subject to valid existing rights, the 
     lands described in subsection (b) are withdrawn from--
       (1) all forms of entry, appropriation, or disposal under 
     the public land laws;
       (2) location, entry, and patent under the mining laws; and
       (3) disposition under all laws pertaining to mineral and 
     geothermal leasing.
       (b) Lands.--
       (1) Description.--The lands referred to in subsection (a) 
     comprise an area known as the ``Orilla Verde Recreation 
     Area'', including--
       (A) approximately 1,349 acres which were conveyed to the 
     United States by the State of New Mexico on July 23, 1980, 
     April 20, 1990, and July 17, 1990; and
       (B) an additional 4,339 acres of public lands, all as 
     generally depicted on the map entitled ``Orilla Verde 
     Recreation Area, New Mexico'', and dated February, 1994.
       (2) Public access.--The map referred to in paragraph (1) 
     shall be on file and available for public inspection in the 
     appropriate offices of the Bureau of Land Management.

     SEC. 6. COMPLETION OF PREHISTORIC TRACKWAYS STUDY.

       The Secretary of the Interior is authorized to contract 
     with the Smithsonian Institution for the completion of the 
     prehistoric trackways study required under section 303 of the 
     Act entitled ``An Act to conduct certain studies in the State 
     of New Mexico'', approved November 15, 1990 (Public Law 101-
     578).

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Minnesota [Mr. Vento] will be recognized for 20 minutes, and the 
gentleman from Utah [Mr. Hansen] will be recognized for 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Minnesota [Mr. Vento].

                          ____________________