FINDINGS.

SEC. 201. FINDINGS. The Congress makes the following findings: (1) The World’s most exposed fossil reef, Capitan Reef, in southern New Mexico that includes Carlsbad Caverns, contains over 300 caves, including 75 identified caves in Carlsbad Caverns National Park and 22 caves in Guadalupe Mountains National Park. (2) Recent explorations of Lechuguilla Cave at Carlsbad Caverns National Park have provided much new information about the wonders of this cave including the fact that it is the second deepest cave in the United States and contains outstanding world-class cave features such as gypsum crystal chandeliers and gypsum flowers. (3) The Lechuguilla Cave has been described by cave researchers as possibly the finest cave in America. (4) The interest and excitement of cave researchers through-out the world have been focused on Carlsbad Caverns National Park. (5) Cave researchers could use this research institute as an operational base for study of caves in other regions and as a focal point for storage of data on cave geology and speleology. (6) The Congress, with the passage of Public Law 100–691, the Federal Cave Resources Protection Act of 1988, recognized the significance of cave resources on Federal lands and established the policy that Federal lands be managed in a manner which protects and maintains, to the extent practicable, significant cave resources.