TITLE II of the Public Law passed by the 96th Congress to
establish the Langmuir Research Site is transcribed below. Other
sections of the law not pertinent to Langmuir Laboratory are
not included here.
PUBLIC LAW 96-550
94 STAT. 3221
December 19, 1980
An Act
To designate certain National Forest System lands in the State of New
Mexico for inclusion in the national Wilderness Preservation System, and
for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United
States of America in Congress assembled,
TITLE II--TO ESTABLISH THE LANGMUIR RESEARCH SITE IN THE STATE OF NEW
MEXICO
SEC. 201. That in order to encourage scientific research into
atmospheric processes and astronomical phenomena, and to preserve
conditions necessary for that research, there is hereby established the
Langmuir Research Site (hereinafter referred to as the "research site") in
the Cibola National Forest in the State of New Mexico.
SEC. 202. The Congress finds that the high altitude and freedom from
air pollution and night luminosity caused by human activity, make the
research site uniquely suited to the conduct of research probes into
thunder clouds and for other atmospheric and astronomical research
purposes.
SEC. 203. The Secretary of Agriculture shall administer, protect,
and regulate use of the research site in accordance with the laws, rules,
and regulations applicable to National Forest System lands, and in such
manner as will best contribute to purposes of this Act.
SEC. 204. The Secretary of Agriculture in furtherance of the purposes of
this Act, is hereby authorized, and directed, to enter into an appropriate land
use agreement with 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.
SEC. 205. (a) The research site shall consist of approximately thirty-one
thousand acres, including a principle research facility of approximately one
thousand acres. The boundaries are depicted on a map entitled
"Langmuir Research Site," dated August 1980, which is on file and
available for public inspection in the office of the Chief, Forest
Service, United States Department of Agriculture.
(b) As soon as practicable, after enactment of this Act, the Secretary of
Agriculture shall develop a comprehensive management plan for the research site
consistent with requirements of the national Forest Management Act of 1976
(Public Law 94-588) (16 U.S.C. 1604), which shall be incorporated into the
initial Cibola National Forest land and resource management plan as provided for
under that Act.
(c) Following timely notice in writing to the Committee on Interior and
Insular Affairs of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Energy and
Natural Resources of the Senate of his intention to do so, the Secretary may
make minor adjustments in the boundaries of the research site to provide for
more effective management or to encourage further research activity. For the
purposes of this subsection, minor boundary adjustments shall not increase or
decrease the amount of land within the research site by more than seven
thousand acres.
(d) In developing the plan, the Secretary shall consult with the National
Science Foundation, the New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology, the New
Mexico Academy of Science and appropriate conservation, wilderness, wildlife,
industry, and other public interest groups.
(e) The plan shall prescribe specific research and management objectives
necessary for the protection, management, and regulation of the research site
as outlined in the subsection (f) of this section.
(f) The research site shall be managed in accordance with the following
objectives:
(1) The principal research facility shall be managed primarily for
scientific research purposes. Dispersed recreation, grazing, and other uses
which the Secretary determines to be compatible with scientific research may be
permitted.
(2) The research site shall be managed to enhance scientific research
objectives. Scientific research activities and associated research equipment
and structures shall be permitted within the research site in accordance with
the plan.
(3) Roads shall be limited to those necessary for scientific research
activities and other reasonable activities as determined by the Secretary.
Motor vehicle use shall be restricted to roads designated in the plan.
(4) The landing of small instrumented research rockets shall be permitted
to continue in portions of the research site designated for such purposes in
the plan.
Last updated 07 December 2001 by
kieft@nmt.edu.