[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 104 (Tuesday, August 2, 1994)]
[Senate]
[Page S]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: August 2, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
            SANTA FE NATIONAL FOREST BOUNDARY ADJUSTMENT ACT

                                 ______


                        RIO PUERCO WATERSHED ACT

  Mr. FORD. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate 
proceed to the immediate consideration of Calendar Nos. 510 and 512 en 
bloc; that the committee amendments, where appropriate, be agreed to; 
that bills each be read a third time and passed and the motion to 
reconsider be laid upon the table en bloc; and that any statements 
appear at the appropriate place in the Record.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  So the bills (S. 1897 and S. 1919) were deemed read the third time 
and passed as follows:

                                S. 1897

       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 ``Santa Fe National Forest 
     Boundary Adjustment Act of 1994''.

     SEC. 2. ACQUISITION OF LANDS.

       (a) In General.--(1) The Secretary of the Interior and the 
     Secretary of Agriculture (hereinafter referred to as the 
     ``Secretary'') are authorized to acquire the lands and 
     interests therein identified on the map entitled ``Santa Fe 
     National Forest Boundary Expansion--1994'', and dated June 
     13, 1994, by donation, purchase with donated or appropriated 
     funds, or exchange: Provided, however, That no lands or 
     interests therein may be acquired except with the consent of 
     the owner thereof.
       (2) The map referred to in paragraph (1) shall be on file 
     and available for public inspection in the Office of the 
     Chief of the Forest Service, in Washington, D.C.
       (b) Withdrawal.--Upon the acquisition of the lands referred 
     to in subsection (a) by the Secretary or the Secretary of the 
     Interior, and subject to valid existing rights, such lands 
     shall be withdrawn from all forms of entry, appropriation, or 
     disposal under the public land laws; from location, entry, 
     and patent under the mining laws; and from disposition under 
     all laws pertaining to mineral and geothermal leasing, and 
     all amendments thereto.

     SEC. 3. ADDITION OF LANDS TO SANTA FE NATIONAL FOREST.

       (a) Identification of Lands for Transfer to BLM.--As soon 
     as practicable after the lands referred to in section 2(a) 
     have been acquired by the Secretary of the Interior, the 
     Secretary shall, in consultation with the Secretary of the 
     Interior, identify appropriate lands within the boundaries of 
     the Santa Fe National Forest (hereinafter referred to as the 
     ``forest'') which are suitable for transfer to the Secretary 
     of the Interior, to be administered by the Bureau of Land 
     Management.
       (b) Transfer of Jurisdiction.--Upon the mutual agreement 
     between the Secretary and the Secretary of the Interior on 
     the lands to be transferred from the administrative 
     jurisdiction of the Secretary to the Secretary of the 
     Interior--
       (1) administrative jurisdiction over all of the lands and 
     interests therein acquired by the Secretary of the Interior 
     pursuant to section 2(a) shall be transferred to the 
     Secretary; and
       (2) administrative jurisdiction over the lands identified 
     by the Secretary and the Secretary of the Interior pursuant 
     to subsection (a) shall be transferred from the Secretary to 
     the Secretary of the Interior, to be administered by the 
     Bureau of Land Management.
       (c) Modification of Forest Boundaries.--(1) Upon the 
     transfer of lands as provided in subsection (b) the 
     boundaries of the forest shall be modified accordingly.
       (2) Upon the acquisition of lands by the Secretary pursuant 
     to section 2(a), the boundaries of the forest shall be 
     modified to reflect the inclusion of such lands within the 
     boundaries of the forest.
       (d) Management.--(1) Upon the inclusion of the lands and 
     interests therein referred to in section 2(a) within the 
     boundaries of the forest, the Secretary shall administer such 
     lands in accordance with the laws, rules, and regulations 
     applicable to the National Forest System: Provided, That the 
     Secretary shall manage such lands so as to preserve and 
     maintain the natural and scenic resources of the area.
       (2) The Secretary shall not convey by exchange, sale, or 
     otherwise, the lands or interests therein added to the forest 
     pursuant to this Act.
       (e) Effective Date.--For purposes of section 7(a)(1) of the 
     Land and Water Conservation Fund Act of 1965 (16 U.S.C. 460l-
     9(a)(1)), the boundary of the Santa Fe National Forest, as 
     modified pursuant to this Act, shall be treated as if it were 
     the boundary as of January 1, 1965.

     SEC. 4. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

       There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as are 
     necessary to carry out this Act.
                                  ____


                                S. 1919

       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 Puerco Watershed Act of 
     1994''.

     SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

       The Congress finds that--
       (1) over time, extensive ecological changes have occurred 
     in the Rio Puerco watershed, including--
       (A) erosion of agricultural and range lands;
       (B) impairment of waters due to heavy sedimentation;
       (C) reduced productivity of renewable resources;
       (D) loss of biological diversity;
       (E) loss of functioning riparian areas; and
       (F) loss of available surface water;
       (2) damage to the watershed has seriously affected the 
     economic and cultural well-being of its inhabitants, 
     including--
       (A) loss of existing communities that were based on the 
     land and were self-sustaining; and
       (B) adverse effects on the traditions, customs, and 
     cultures of the affected communities;
       (3) a healthy and sustainable ecosystem is essential to the 
     long-term economic and cultural viability of the region;
       (4) the impairment of the Rio Puerco watershed has damaged 
     the ecological and economic well-being of the area below the 
     junction of the Rio Puerco with the Rio Grande including--
       (A) disruption of ecological processes;
       (B) water quality impairment;
       (C) significant reduction in the water storage capacity and 
     life expectancy of the Elephant Butte Dam and Reservoir 
     system due to sedimentation;
       (D) chronic problems of irrigation system channel 
     maintenance; and
       (E) increased risk of flooding caused by sediment 
     accumulation;
       (5) the Rio Puerco is a major tributary of the Rio Grande 
     and the coordinated implementation of ecosystem-based best 
     management practices for the Rio Puerco system could benefit 
     the larger Rio Grande system;
       (6) the Rio Puerco watershed has been stressed from the 
     loss of native vegetation, introduction of exotic species, 
     and alteration of riparian habitat which have disrupted the 
     original dynamics of the river and disrupted natural 
     ecological processes;
       (7) the Rio Puerco watershed is a mosaic of private, 
     Federal, tribal trust, and State land ownership with diverse, 
     sometimes differing management objectives;
       (8) development, implementation, and monitoring of an 
     effective watershed management program for the Rio Puerco 
     watershed is best achieved through cooperation among affected 
     Federal, State, local, and tribal entities;
       (9) the Secretary of the Interior, acting through the 
     Director of the Bureau of Land Management, in consultation 
     with the entities listed in paragraph (8), and in cooperation 
     with the Rio Puerco Watershed Committee, is best suited to 
     coordinate management efforts in the Rio Puerco watershed; 
     and
       (10) accelerating the pace of improvement in Rio Puerco 
     watershed on a coordinated, cooperative basis will benefit 
     persons living in the watershed as well as downstream users 
     on the Rio Grande.

     SEC. 3. MANAGEMENT PROGRAM.

       (a) In General.--The Secretary of the Interior, acting 
     through the Bureau of Land Management and in consultation 
     with the Rio Puerco Management Committee established pursuant 
     to section 4, shall--
       (1) establish a clearinghouse for research and information 
     on management within the area identified as the Rio Puerco 
     Drainage Basin as depicted on the map entitled ``The Rio 
     Puerco Watershed'' dated June 1994, as described in the 
     attached map, including--
       (A) current and historical natural resource conditions; and
       (B) data concerning the extent and causes of watershed 
     impairment;
       (2) establish an inventory of best management practices and 
     related monitoring activities that have been or may be 
     implemented within the area identified as the Rio Puerco 
     Watershed Project as depicted on the map entitled ``The Rio 
     Puerco Watershed'' dated June 1994; and
       (3) provide support to the Rio Puerco Management Committee 
     to identify objectives, monitor results of ongoing projects, 
     and develop alternative watershed management plans for the 
     Rio Puerco Drainage Basin, based on best management 
     practices.
       (b) Rio Puerco Management Plan.--Not later than 2 years 
     after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary, in 
     consultation with the Rio Puerco Management Committee, shall 
     prepare a report of appropriate alternatives for the 
     improvement of watershed conditions in the Rio Puerco 
     Drainage Basin. The alternatives shall--
       (1) identify reasonable and appropriate goals and 
     objectives for landowners and managers in the Rio Puerco 
     watershed;
       (2) describe potential alternative actions to meet the 
     goals and objectives, including proven best management 
     practices and costs associated with implementing the actions;
       (3) recommend voluntary implementation of appropriate best 
     management practices on both public and private lands;
       (4) provide for cooperative development of management 
     guidelines for maintaining and improving the ecological, 
     cultural, and economic conditions on both public and private 
     lands;
       (5) provide for the development of public participation and 
     community outreach programs that would include proposals 
     for--
       (A) cooperative efforts with private landowners to 
     encourage implementation of best management practices within 
     the watershed; and
       (B) involving private citizens in restoring the watershed;
       (6) provide for the development of proposals for voluntary 
     cooperative programs among the Rio Puerco Management 
     Committee membership to implement best management practices 
     in a coordinated, consistent, and cost-effective manner;
       (7) provide for the encouragement and support 
     implementation of best management practices on private lands; 
     and
       (8) provide for the development of proposals for a 
     monitoring system that--
       (A) builds upon existing data available from private, 
     Federal, and State sources;
       (B) provides for the coordinated collection, evaluation, 
     and interpretation of additional data as needed or collected; 
     and
       (C) will provide information to--
       (i) assess existing resource and socioeconomic conditions;
       (ii) identify priority implementation actions; and
       (iii) assess the effectiveness of actions taken.

     SEC. 4. RIO PUERCO MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE.

       (a) Establishment.--There is established the Rio Puerco 
     Management Committee (referred to in this section as the 
     ``Committee'').
       (b) Membership.--The Committee shall be convened by a 
     representative of the Bureau of Land Management, and shall 
     include representatives from--
       (1) the Rio Puerco Watershed Committee;
       (2) affected tribes and pueblos;
       (3) the National Forest Service of the Department of 
     Agriculture;
       (4) the Bureau of Reclamation;
       (5) the Geological Survey;
       (6) the Bureau of Indian Affairs;
       (7) the Fish and Wildlife Service;
       (8) the Army Corps of Engineers;
       (9) the Soil Conservation Service of the Department of 
     Agriculture;
       (10) the State of New Mexico, including the New Mexico 
     Environment Department and the State Engineer;
       (11) affected local Soil and Water Conservation Districts;
       (12) the Elephant Butte Irrigation District;
       (13) private landowners; and
       (14) other interested citizens.
       (c) Duties.--The Rio Puerco Management Committee shall--
       (1) advise the Secretary of the Interior, acting through 
     the Director of the Bureau of Land Management, on the 
     development and implementation of the Rio Puerco Management 
     Program described in section 3; and
       (2) serve as a forum for information about activities that 
     may affect or further the development and implementation of 
     the best management practices described in section 3.

     SEC. 5. REPORT.

       Two years after the date of enactment of this Act, and 
     biennially thereafter, the Secretary of the Interior, in 
     consultation with the Rio Puerco Management Committee, shall 
     transmit to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of 
     the Senate and to the Committee on Natural Resources of the 
     House of Representatives a report containing--
       (1) a summary of accomplishments as outlined in section 3; 
     and
       (2) proposals for joint implementation efforts, including 
     funding recommendations.

     SEC. 6. LOWER RIO GRANDE HABITAT STUDY.

       (a) In General.--The Secretary of the Interior shall, in 
     cooperation with the State of New Mexico, conduct a study of 
     the Rio Grande from Caballo Lake to Sunland Park, New Mexico. 
     The study shall include--
       (1) a survey of the current habitat conditions of the river 
     and its riparian environment;
       (2) identification of the changes in vegetation and habitat 
     over the past 400 years and the effect of the changes on the 
     river and riparian area; and
       (3) an assessment of the feasibility, benefits, and 
     problems associated with activities to prevent further 
     habitat loss and restoration of habitat through 
     reintroduction or establishment of appropriate native plant 
     species.
       (b) Transmittal.--Not later than 3 years after the date on 
     which funds are made available to carry out this Act, the 
     Secretary shall transmit the study authorized by this section 
     to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the 
     Senate and to the Committee on Natural Resources of the House 
     of Representatives.

     SEC. 7. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

       There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as are 
     necessary to carry out this Act.

                          ____________________