FINDINGS.

SEC. 2101. FINDINGS. Congress finds that—(1) in 1987, a major deposit of Paleozoic Era fossilized footprint megatrackways was discovered in the Robledo Mountains in southern New Mexico;(2) the trackways contain footprints of numerous amphibians, reptiles, and insects (including previously unknown species), plants, and petrified wood dating back approximately 280,000,000 years, which collectively provide new opportunities to understand animal behaviors and environments from a time predating the dinosaurs;(3) title III of Public Law 101–578 (104 Stat. 2860)—(A) provided interim protection for the site at which the trackways were discovered; and(B) directed the Secretary of the Interior to—(i) prepare a study assessing the significance of the site; and(ii) based on the study, provide recommendations for protection of the paleontological resources at the site;(4) the Bureau of Land Management completed the Paleozoic Trackways Scientific Study Report in 1994, which characterized the site as containing “the most scientifically significant Early Permian tracksites” in the world;(5) despite the conclusion of the study and the recommendations for protection, the site remains unprotected and many irreplaceable trackways specimens have been lost to vandalism or theft; and(6) designation of the trackways site as a National Monument would protect the unique fossil resources for present and future generations while allowing for public education and continued scientific research opportunities.