New Mexico Wilderness Act of 1980

(Measure passed House, amended)

New Mexico Wilderness Act of 1980 - =Title I= - Designates the following National Forest System lands in the State of New Mexico as wilderness and components of the National Wilderness Preservation System: (1) the Aldo Leopold Wilderness in the Gila National Forest; (2) the Apache Kid Wilderness and the Withington Wilderness both in the Cibola National Forest; (3) the Blue Ridge Wilderness in the Apache and Gila National Forests; (4) the Captain Mountains Wilderness in the Lincoln National Forests; (5) the Cruces Basin Wilderness and the Latir Peak Wilderness both in the Carson National Forest; and (6) the Dome Wilderness in the Santa Fe National Forest. Specifies that the designation of the Cruces Basin Wilderness in the Carson National Forest shall not interfere with the construction of additional fencing authorized by the grazing allotment management plan for the area, and shall not be cause to require reductions in existing potential animal unit months under the applicable grazing allotment management plan for the area.

Designates certain additions to: (1) the Gila Wilderness in the Gila National Forest; (2) the Pecos Wilderness in the Carson and Santa Fe National Forests; (3) the Wheeler Peak Wilderness in the Carson National Forest; and (4) the White Mountain Wilderness in the Lincoln National Forest.

Repeals the previous classifications of the Black Range Primitive Area, the Blue Range Primitive Area, and the Gila Primitive Area.

Directs the Secretary of Agriculture to review the following lands as to their suitability or nonsuitability for preservation as wilderness, and to submit his report and findings to the President, who shall submit recommendations to the House and the Senate by January 1, 1986: (1) the Bunk Robinson Wilderness Study Area and the Whitmire Canyon Wilderness Study Area both in the Coronado National Forest; (2) the Columbine Hondo Wilderness Study Area in the Carson National Forest; (3) the Guadalupe Escarpment Wilderness Study Area in the Lincoln National Forest; (4) the Hell Hole Wilderness Study Area in the Gila National Forest; and (5) the Lower San Francisco Wilderness Study Area in the Apache and Gila National Forests.

Specifies that such wilderness study areas shall, until Congress determines otherwise, be administered by the Secretary so as to maintain their presently existing wilderness character and potential for inclusion in the National Wilderness Preservation System, subject to valid existing rights. Permits current levels of motorized and other uses and improvements to continue in such areas subject to reasonable regulation.

Declares that, with respect to National Forest System lands in the State of New Mexico, studied as a part of the Secretary's roadless area review and evaluation program (RARE II) Final Environmental Statement and not designated as wilderness or for study by this Act, such lands are not intended by Congress to be designated for inclusion in the National Wilderness Preservation System, and need not be managed for the purposes of protecting their suitability for wilderness designation pending revision of land management plans.

Prohibits judicial review of the RARE II Final Environmental Impact Statement with respect to National Forest Lands in the State of New Mexico.

Prohibits the Secretary, unless expressly authorized by Congress, from conducting any further statewide roadless area review and evaluation of National Forest System lands in the State of New Mexico for the purpose of determining their suitability for inclusion in the National Wilderness Preservation System.

Declares that Congress does not intend that designation of wilderness areas in the State of New Mexico lead to the creation of protective perimeters or buffer zones around each wilderness area.

=Title II: To Establish the Langmuir Research Site in the State of New Mexico= - Establishes the Langmuir Research Site in the Cibola National Forest in the State of New Mexico to encourage scientific research into atmospheric processes and astronomical phenomena.

Authorizes and directs the Secretary of Agriculture to enter into an appropriate land use agreement with the New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology for the Langmuir Research Site for the purpose of establishing conditions for use of the national forest land, and to set forth working relationships during such period of use.

Directs the Secretary to develop a comprehensive management plan for the research site which shall be incorporated into the initial Cibola National Forest Land and resources management plan as provided for under the National Forest Management Act of 1976.

Directs the Secretary, in developing such plan, to consult with the National Science Foundation, the New Mexico Academy of Science and appropriate conservation, wilderness, wildlife, industry, and other public interest groups.

Requires the plan to prescribe specific research and management objectives necessary for the protection, management, and regulation of the research site.

Sets forth specified management objectives.

=Title III - For the Relief of Albert and Eulalia Rodriguez= - Authorizes and directs the Secretary of the Interior to reimburse Albert and Eulalia Rodriguez for improvements to specified land in the State of New Mexico.

=Title IV - For the Relief of the Vermejo Conservancy District= - Authorizes the Secretary of the Interior, subject to the written consent of the Vermejo Conservancy District, New Mexico, to defer payments on the remaining repayment obligation of the District under a specified contract for the construction, operation, and maintenance of the Vermejo reclamation project. Transfers, with specified conditions, all right and title to such project facilities to the District.

Requires the District, to the extent practicable, to continue to operate and maintain the facilities of such project for the benefit of all authorized project beneficiaries in accordance with the authorized project purposes.

Specifies that, with the exception of assistance, if needed, under the Disaster Relief Act of 1974, the Federal Government shall incur no further expense on behalf of the Vermejo project or the District for the operation and maintenance or rehabilitation of existing facilities or for the development of any new facilities related to the delivery or impoundment of water.

=Title V - Chaco Culture National Historical Park= - Establishes the Chaco Culture National Historical Park in the State of New Mexico. Abolishes the Chaco Canyon National Monument and makes any funds available for the purpose of the monument available for the purpose of the Park.

Designates specified outlying sites as the Chaco Culture Archeological Protection Sites.

Requires the Secretary of the Interior to continue to search for additional evidences of Chacoan sites and to submit to Congress within two years recommendations for additions or deletions of such archeological protection sites. Specifies that additions or deletions from the archeological protection site list shall be made only by an Act of Congress.

Authorizes the Secretary to acquire lands, waters, and interests within the boundaries of the park and the sites by donation, purchase with donated or appropriated funds, or exchange. Specifies that property owned by the State of New Mexico or any political subdivision thereof, may be acquired by exchange or donation only. Specifies that property held in trust for the benefit of any Indian tribe or individual tribal member may be acquired only with their consent.

Authorizes the respective tribal authorities to convey, subject to terms consistent with the purposes of this Act, by exchange, purchase, or donation the beneficial interest in any lands designated by this Act to the Secretary.

Directs the Secretary to attempt to acquire private lands or interests by exchange prior to using other methods.

Directs the Secretary to attempt to enter into cooperative agreements, for specified purposes, with owners of private property; and, to acquire fee title to such private property only in specified circumstances.

Directs the Secretary, for the purpose of completing an exchange within the Park and the sites, to designate a pool of at least three times such private acreage, comprised of Federal property interests of a similar resource character to property to be exchanged. Requires such Federal property, whenever possible, to be designated in blocks of at least one section in size, but in no event less than one-quarter of a section in size.

Permits the Secretary to include within such pool any Federal property under his jurisdiction except units of the National Park System, National Forest System, or the National Wildlife Refuge System that are nominated by the owner of the private property to be exchanged. Requires, except where agreed to and in the public interest, such exchanges to be on the basis of equal value, permitting the use of cash payments in order to equalize the value of the property exchanged.

Permits all Federal lands, waters, and interests excluded from the boundaries of Chaco Canyon National Monument by this Act to be exchanged for non-Federal property to be acquired pursuant to this Act.

Specifies that nothing in this Act shall be deemed to prevent the continuation of traditional Native American religious uses of properties which are the subject of such cooperative agreements.

Directs the Secretary to administer the Park in accordance with the provisions of this Act or the provisions of law generally applicable to the administration of units of the National Park System.

Specifies that lands held in trust by the Secretary for an Indian tribe or individual tribal member, or held in restricted fee status, shall continue to be so managed or held by the Secretary.

Prohibits any activities upon the upper surface of the Sites which would endanger their cultural values.

Specifies that nothing in this Act shall be deemed to prevent the continuation of livestock grazing on properties which are the subject of cooperative agreements.

Directs the Secretary, within three complete fiscal years, to transmit to specified Congressional committees a general management plan for the Park, and a joint management plan for the Sites, to be developed by the Director, National Park Service, in consultation and concurrence with the Directors, Bureau of Land Management and Bureau of Indian Affairs, and the Governor, State of New Mexico.

Authorizes the Secretary, consistent with the purposes of the Division of Cultural Research of the Southwest Cultural Resources Center, operated by the National Park Service, to continue and expand appropriate research and data gathering activities. Requires the Secretary, within six months to submit to specified Congressional committees a plan for the continued operational program of the Division.

Specifies that the Secretary shall, through the Division, be responsible for the development of a computer generated data base of the San Juan Basin and make such information available to Federal and private groups.

Requires that the Secretary be afforded a reasonable opportunity for written comment prior to a Federal or federally assisted undertaking (including the issuance of a license or a permit) upon the sites.

=Title VI: Salinas National Monument= - Authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to acquire 466 acres of land in the State of New Mexico. Designates such lands, in addition to the lands now comprising the Gran Quivira National Monument, as the Salinas National Monument.

Abolishes the Gran Quivira National Monument and makes any funds available for such monument to be available for purposes of the Salinas National Monument.

Authorizes necessary sums to be appropriated.

Encourages the Secretary, as State lands are acquired, to transfer to the employment of the National Park Service such personnel associated with the administration of such State lands as are interested in and qualified for such transfer.