WASHINGTON – Work commenced today to gain approval of legislation authored by U.S. Senator Pete Domenici to protect one of the most unique cave formations ever discovered in the world—the Snowy River Passage within Fort Stanton Cave in New Mexico.

          The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on Public Lands and Forests today received testimony on S.1170, the Fort Stanton-Snowy River National Cave Conservation Area Act.  The measure would protect, secure and conserve the natural and unique features of Fort Stanton Cave and the Snowy River passage.  The passage is a unique continuous calcite formation, that to date has been mapped to be at least two miles in length.

          “This formation is as remarkable as it is beautiful.  I am particularly excited about the scientific and educational opportunities associated with this find.  My legislation is intended to provide us with a well thought out roadmap for preserving the passage’s uniqueness while also taking advantage of a discovery that has been hidden from mankind for eons,” said Domenici, who received a briefing at Fort Stanton Cave in rural Lincoln County, N.M., earlier this month.

          “I have been impressed by the level of commitment and excitement among professional cave volunteers and BLM officials about this find and what it represents,” Domenici said.  “I hope Congress will understand this and soon enact this bill.”

          The bill instructs BLM to prepare a map and legal description of Fort Stanton Cave, and to develop a comprehensive, long-term management plan for the cave area.  The bill would also ensure that the cave is not used for mining operations and but is accessible to colleges, universities and other research institutions.  Scientists hope that the passage will yield new discoveries in areas such as water chemistry, weather trends, and flood and drought cycles.

          Domenici is chairman of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee that will next act on the bill, which is cosponsored by the panel’s lead Democrat, Senator Jeff Bingaman.

          “New Mexico is home to some of the most significant cave systems in the world, including Carlsbad Caverns and Lechuguilla Cave, both of which are protected by Acts of Congress.  The discovery of the Snowy River cave complex adds an exciting new chapter to the discovery of major caves in our state and will be an important site for further research and understanding, through designation of the first ever ‘National Cave Conservation Area’,” Bingaman said.

          Dr. Penelope Boston, director of the Cave and Karst Studies Program at New Mexico Tech, testified at the hearing, stressing the unique nature of the Snowy River Passage and the discoveries related to cave geomicrobiology and microbal life yet to be discovered there.

          “A few decades ago, Fort Stanton was considered virtually a ‘trash cave’ because of extensive vandalism and other abuse of its then-known passages,” Boston testified.  “Cave explorers have now presented us with a splendid feature of unparalleled magnificence, a river of glittering crystals… The cave frontier offers much promise for science, as a possible provider of biological and geological resources, and places of beauty to feed the human spirit. It is our duty to protect it as best we can.”

          Additional information and images of the Fort Stanton Cave-Snowy River Passage, which is administered by the Bureau of Land Management, are available at http://domenici.senate.gov or http://www.doi.gov.