[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 8 (Friday, January 13, 1995)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E91-E92]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                CHACOAN OUTLIERS PROTECTION ACT OF 1995

                                 ______


                          HON. BILL RICHARDSON

                             of new mexico

                    in the house of representatives

                        Friday, January 13, 1995
  Mr. RICHARDSON. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise today to introduce 
the Chacoan Outliers Protection Act of 1995. This legislation, versions 
of which I also introduced in the 102d and 103d Congresses, would 
recognize the importance of further protection of the Chaco Culture 
Archaeological Protection Site--the single most important prehistoric 
culture in the Western United States. Specifically, my bill would 
expand the Chaco Culture Archaeological Protection Site System to 
include an additional 5,519 acres, including eight newly evaluated 
sites, and designate administrative provisions that will improve 
interagency cooperation and assistance in protecting these important 
sites.
  Chaco Canyon, which is located in the San Juan Basin in northwestern 
New Mexico, was the center of the Anasazi civilization which flourished 
from 900 to 1300 and then disappeared, leaving behind spectacular 
archaeological remains. These remains comprise the Chaco Culture 
Archaeological Protection Site, which was designated a national 
monument in 1907.
  After the establishment of the monument, outlying sites were found 
and the monument was expanded to include some of these new areas. 
Additional sites, or outliers, were found again and the area was 
renamed the Chaco Culture National Historical Park with passage of 
Public Law 96-550 in 1980.
  Public Law 96-550 designated 33 outlying sites and provided for their 
protection and management by the Bureau of Land Management, the Bureau 
of Indian Affairs, and the Navajo Nation. My legislation would delete 
two sites from this list and add eight new sites which conservation 
groups, the BLM, and the Navajo Nation all agree are culturally and 
archaeologically significant.
  One of the two deleted sites has been incorporated into the El Pais 
National Monument, and the other is owned and protected by the Ute 
Mountain Tribe which prefers to manage this site without additional 
designation. The additions are all publicly owned. One of them, the 
Morris 41 site, has been repeatedly looted and will suffer irreparable 
damage without immediate protection as an outlying site.
  The Chacoan Outliers Protection Act would clarify the role of the 
National Park Service, the BLM, and the Navajo Nation to ensure that 
these sites are managed responsibly, and add language authorizing the 
acquisition of lands for the purpose of completing the inclusion of the 
new outlying sites.
  By adding an additional 5,519 acres to the Chaco Culture 
Archaeological Protection Site System, providing for improved 
interagency cooperation and assistance in preservation activities, and 
allowing for more direct acquisition of privately owned sites from 
willing sellers, my legislation will preserve these sites for future 
generations and assure that the sites are protected from further 
looting and degradation. These precious archaeological sites are part 
of the cultural heritage of all Americans. They deserve immediate 
protection and preservation. Once lost, cultural resources can never be 
restored or regained.
  With the support of the entire New Mexico congressional delegation 
and the cooperation of the Committee on Resources, I look forward to 
speedy consideration of this legislation during the 104th Congress.
  The full text of the bill follows:
                                 H.R.--

     A bill to amend title V of Public Law 96-550, designating the 
         Chaco Culture Archeological Protection Sites, and for 
         other purposes.
       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 ``Chacoan Outliers Protection 
     Act of 1995''.

     SEC. 2. CONFORMING AMENDMENT.

       Section 501(b) of Public Law 96-550 (16 U.S.C. 410ii(b)) is 
     amended by striking ``San Juan Basin;'' and inserting in lieu 
     thereof, ``San Juan Basin and surrounding areas;''.

     SEC. 3. ADDITIONS TO CHACO CULTURE ARCHEOLOGICAL PROTECTION 
                   SITES.

       Subsection 502(b) of Public Law 96-550 (16 U.S.C. 410ii-
     1(b)) is amended to read as follows:
       ``(b)(1) Thirty-nine outlying sites as generally depicted 
     on a map entitled `Chaco Culture Archeological Protection 
     Sites', numbered 310/80,033-B and dated September 1991, are 
     hereby designated as `Chaco Culture Archeological Protection 
     Sites'. The thirty-nine archeological protection sites 
     totaling approximately 14,372 acres identified as follows:

``Name:                                                           Acres 
  Allentown..................................................       380 
  Andrews Ranch..............................................       950 
  Bee Burrow.................................................       480 
  Bisa'ani...................................................       131 
  Casa del Rio...............................................        40 
  Casamero...................................................       160 
  Chimney Rock...............................................     3,160 
  Coolidge...................................................       450 
  Dalton Pass................................................       135 
  Dittert....................................................       480 
  Great Bend.................................................        26 
  Greenlee Ruin..............................................        60 
  Grey Hill Spring...........................................        23 
  Guadalupe..................................................       115 
  Halfway House..............................................        40 
  Haystack...................................................       565 
  Hogback....................................................       453 
  Indian Creek...............................................       100 
  Jaquez.....................................................        66 
  Kin Nizhoni................................................       726 
  Lake Valley................................................        30 
  Manuelito-Atsee Nitsaa.....................................        60 
  Manuelito-Kin Hochoi.......................................       116 
  Morris 41..................................................        85 
  Muddy Water................................................     1,090 
  Navajo Springs.............................................       260 
                                                                        


                                                                        
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  Newcomb....................................................        50 
  Peach Springs..............................................     1,046 
  Pierre's Site..............................................       440 
  Raton Well.................................................        23 
  Salmon Ruin................................................         5 
  San Mateo..................................................        61 
  Sanostee...................................................     1,565 
  Section 8..................................................        10 
  Skunk Springs/Crumbled House...............................       533 
  Standing Rock..............................................       348 
  Toh-la-kai.................................................        10 
  Twin Angeles...............................................        40 
  Upper Kin Klizhin..........................................        60 
                                                                        

     ``(2) The map referred to in paragraph (1) shall be kept on 
     file and available for public inspection in the appropriate 
     offices of the National Park Service, the office of the State 
     Director of the Bureau of Land Management located in Santa 
     Fe, New Mexico, the office of the Area Director of the Bureau 
     of Indian Affairs located in Window Rock, Arizona, and the 
     offices of the Arizona and New Mexico State Historic 
     Preservation Officers.''.

     SEC. 4. ACQUISITIONS.

       Section 504(c)(2) of Public Law 96-550 (16 U.S.C. 410ii-
     3(c)(2)) is amended to read as follows:
       ``(2) The Secretary shall seek to use a combination of land 
     acquisition authority under this section and cooperative 
     agreements (pursuant to section 505) to accomplish the 
     purposes of archeological resource protection at those sites 
     described in section 502(b) that remain in private 
     ownership.''.

     SEC. 5. ASSISTANCE TO THE NAVAJO NATION.

       Section 506 of Public Law 96-550 (16 U.S.C. 410ii-5) is 
     amended by adding the following new subsection at the end 
     thereof:
       ``(f) The Secretary, acting through the Director of the 
     National Park Service, shall assist the Navajo Nation in the 
     protection and management of those Chaco Culture 
     Archeological Protection Sites located on lands under the 
     jurisdiction of the Navajo Nation through a grant, contract, 
     or cooperative agreement entered into pursuant to the Indian 
     Self-Determination and Education Act (Public Law 93-638), as 
     amended, to assist the Navajo Nation in site planning, 
     resource protection, interpretation, resource management 
     actions, and such other purposes as may be identified in such 
     grant, contract, or cooperative agreement. This cooperative 
     assistance shall include assistance with the development of a 
     Navajo facility to serve those who seek to appreciate the 
     Chacoan Outlier Sites.''
     

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