America's Red Rock Wilderness Act
This bill designates specified lands in the following areas of Utah as components of the National Wilderness Preservation System: (1) Great Basin, (2) Grand Staircase-Escalante, (3) Moab-La Sal Canyons, (4) Henry Mountains, (5) Glen Canyon, (6) San Juan-Anasazi, (7) Canyonlands Basin, (8) San Rafael Swell, and (9) Book Cliffs and Uinta Basin.
The bill sets forth administrative requirements for (1) the exchange of state-owned lands within such areas, (2) federal reservation of water rights, (3) measurement of setbacks for roads with adjacent wilderness, (4) authorized livestock grazing, and (5) withdrawal of such lands from disposition under certain public land laws.
[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5775 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
116th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 5775
To designate as wilderness certain Federal portions of the red rock
canyons of the Colorado Plateau and the Great Basin Deserts in the
State of Utah for the benefit of present and future generations of
people in the United States.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
February 6, 2020
Mr. Lowenthal (for himself, Ms. Barragan, Mr. Beyer, Mr. Blumenauer,
Mr. Brendan F. Boyle of Pennsylvania, Ms. Brownley of California, Ms.
Bonamici, Mr. Cartwright, Mr. Casten of Illinois, Ms. Judy Chu of
California, Mr. Clay, Mr. Cohen, Mrs. Watson Coleman, Mr. Connolly, Ms.
DelBene, Mr. DeFazio, Ms. DeGette, Mrs. Dingell, Ms. Eshoo, Mr. Foster,
Mr. Garamendi, Ms. Haaland, Mr. Hastings, Mr. Himes, Ms. Kelly of
Illinois, Mr. Kilmer, Mr. Kildee, Mr. Kind, Mrs. Kirkpatrick, Mr.
Khanna, Mr. Krishnamoorthi, Ms. Lee of California, Mr. Lipinski, Ms.
Lofgren, Mr. Lynch, Mr. Malinowski, Ms. McCollum, Mr. McGovern, Mr.
McNerney, Mr. Meeks, Ms. Moore, Mr. Moulton, Ms. Norton, Mr. Panetta,
Mr. Pascrell, Ms. Pingree, Mr. Pocan, Mr. Raskin, Mr. Rouda, Ms.
Schakowsky, Mr. Schiff, Ms. Schrier, Mr. Suozzi, Mr. Tonko, Mrs.
Trahan, Ms. Underwood, Ms. Velazquez, Mr. Welch, and Mr. Case)
introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on
Natural Resources
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To designate as wilderness certain Federal portions of the red rock
canyons of the Colorado Plateau and the Great Basin Deserts in the
State of Utah for the benefit of present and future generations of
people in the United States.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS.
(a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``America's Red Rock
Wilderness Act''.
(b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents of this Act is as
follows:
Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
Sec. 2. Definitions.
TITLE I--DESIGNATION OF WILDERNESS AREAS
Sec. 101. Great Basin Wilderness Areas.
Sec. 102. Grand Staircase-Escalante Wilderness Areas.
Sec. 103. Moab-La Sal Canyons Wilderness Areas.
Sec. 104. Henry Mountains Wilderness Areas.
Sec. 105. Glen Canyon Wilderness Areas.
Sec. 106. San Juan-Anasazi Wilderness Areas.
Sec. 107. Canyonlands Basin Wilderness Areas.
Sec. 108. San Rafael Swell Wilderness Areas.
Sec. 109. Book Cliffs and Uinta Basin Wilderness Areas.
TITLE II--ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS
Sec. 201. General provisions.
Sec. 202. Administration.
Sec. 203. State school trust land within wilderness areas.
Sec. 204. Water.
Sec. 205. Roads.
Sec. 206. Livestock.
Sec. 207. Fish and wildlife.
Sec. 208. Management of newly acquired land.
Sec. 209. Withdrawal.
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of the Interior, acting through the Bureau of Land Management.
(2) State.--The term ``State'' means the State of Utah.
TITLE I--DESIGNATION OF WILDERNESS AREAS
SEC. 101. GREAT BASIN WILDERNESS AREAS.
(a) Findings.--Congress finds that--
(1) the Great Basin region of western Utah is comprised of
starkly beautiful mountain ranges that rise as islands from the
desert floor;
(2) the Wah Wah Mountains in the Great Basin region are
arid and austere, with massive cliff faces and leathery slopes
speckled with pinon and juniper;
(3) the Pilot Range and Stansbury Mountains in the Great
Basin region are high enough to draw moisture from passing
clouds and support ecosystems found nowhere else on earth;
(4) from bristlecone pine, the world's oldest living
organism, to newly flowered mountain meadows, mountains of the
Great Basin region are islands of nature that--
(A) support remarkable biological diversity; and
(B) provide opportunities to experience the
colossal silence of the Great Basin; and
(5) the Great Basin region of western Utah should be
protected and managed to ensure the preservation of the natural
conditions of the region.
(b) Designation.--In accordance with the Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C.
1131, et seq.), the following areas in the State are designated as
wilderness areas and as components of the National Wilderness
Preservation System:
(1) Antelope Range (approximately 17,000 acres).
(2) Barn Hills (approximately 21,000 acres).
(3) Black Hills (approximately 8,700 acres).
(4) Bullgrass Knoll (approximately 16,000 acres).
(5) Burbank Hills/Tunnel Spring (approximately 94,000
acres).
(6) Conger Mountain (approximately 31,000 acres).
(7) Crater and Silver Island Mountains (approximately
121,000 acres).
(8) Crater Bench (approximately 35,000 acres).
(9) Cricket Mountains (approximately 56,000 acres).
(10) Deep Creek Mountains (approximately 128,000 acres).
(11) Drum Mountains (approximately 40,500 acres).
(12) Dugway Mountains (approximately 24,500 acres).
(13) Fish Springs Range (approximately 64,500 acres).
(14) Granite Peak (approximately 19,500 acres).
(15) Grassy Mountains (approximately 24,000 acres).
(16) Grouse Creek Mountains (approximately 15,000 acres).
(17) House Range (approximately 202,000 acres).
(18) Keg Mountain (approximately 38,500 acres).
(19) Kern Mountains (approximately 15,000 acres).
(20) King Top (approximately 111,000 acres).
(21) Little Goose Creek (approximately 1,300 acres).
(22) Middle/Granite Mountain (approximately 81,000 acres).
(23) Mount Escalante (approximately 17,500 acres).
(24) Mountain Home Range (approximately 90,000 acres).
(25) Newfoundland Mountains (approximately 23,000 acres).
(26) Ochre Mountain (approximately 13,500 acres).
(27) Oquirrh Mountains (approximately 8,900 acres).
(28) Painted Rock (approximately 26,500 acres).
(29) Paradise/Steamboat Mountains (approximately 136,000
acres).
(30) Pilot Range (approximately 44,000 acres).
(31) Red Tops (approximately 28,000 acres).
(32) Rockwell-Little Sahara (approximately 19,000 acres).
(33) San Francisco Mountains (approximately 40,000 acres).
(34) Sand Ridge (approximately 73,000 acres).
(35) Sevier Plateau (approximately 30,000 acres).
(36) Simpson Mountains (approximately 43,000 acres).
(37) Snake Valley (approximately 103,000 acres).
(38) Spring Creek Canyon (approximately 5,200 acres).
(39) Stansbury Island (approximately 9,900 acres).
(40) Stansbury Mountains (approximately 25,000 acres).
(41) Thomas Range (approximately 41,000 acres).
(42) Tule Valley (approximately 159,000 acres).
(43) Wah Wah Mountains (approximately 177,000 acres).
(44) White Rock Range (approximately 5,500 acres).
SEC. 102. GRAND STAIRCASE-ESCALANTE WILDERNESS AREAS.
(a) Grand Staircase Area.--
(1) Findings.--Congress finds that--
(A) the area known as the Grand Staircase rises
more than 6,000 feet in a series of great cliffs and
plateaus from the depths of the Grand Canyon to the
forested rim of Bryce Canyon;
(B) the Grand Staircase--
(i) spans 6 major life zones, from the
lower Sonoran Desert to the alpine forest; and
(ii) encompasses geologic formations that
display 3,000,000, years of Earth's history;
(C) land managed by the Secretary lines the
intricate canyon system of the Paria River and forms a
vital natural corridor connection to the deserts and
forests of those national parks;
(D) land described in paragraph (2) (other than
East of Bryce, the majority of Upper Kanab Creek,
Moquith Mountain, Bunting Point, Canaan Mountain,
Orderville Canyon, Parunuweap Canyon, and Vermillion
Cliffs) is located within the Grand Staircase-Escalante
National Monument, as established in 1996; and
(E) the Grand Staircase in Utah should be protected
and managed as a wilderness area.
(2) Designation.--In accordance with the Wilderness Act (16
U.S.C. 1131, et seq.), the following areas in the State are
designated as wilderness areas and as components of the
National Wilderness Preservation System:
(A) Bryce Boot (approximately 2,800 acres).
(B) Bryce View (approximately 850 acres).
(C) Bunting Point (approximately 11,000 acres).
(D) Canaan Mountain (approximately 15,000 acres).
(E) East of Bryce (approximately 850 acres).
(F) Glass Eye Canyon (approximately 25,000 acres).
(G) Ladder Canyon (approximately 14,000 acres).
(H) Moquith Mountain (approximately 15,500 acres).
(I) Nephi Point (approximately 15,000 acres).
(J) Orderville Canyon (approximately 8,100 acres).
(K) Paria-Hackberry (approximately 196,000 acres).
(L) Paria Wilderness Expansion (approximately 4,000
acres).
(M) Parunuweap Canyon (approximately 44,500 acres).
(N) Pine Hollow (approximately 11,000 acres).
(O) Slopes of Bryce (approximately 3,700 acres).
(P) Timber Mountain (approximately 52,500 acres).
(Q) Upper Kanab Creek (approximately 51,000 acres).
(R) Vermillion Cliffs (approximately 26,000 acres).
(S) Willis Creek (approximately 21,000 acres).
(b) Kaiparowits Plateau.--
(1) Findings.--Congress finds that--
(A) the Kaiparowits Plateau east of the Paria River
is one of the most rugged and isolated wilderness
regions in the United States;
(B) the Kaiparowits Plateau, a windswept land of
harsh beauty, contains distant vistas and a remarkable
variety of plant and animal species;
(C) ancient forests, an abundance of big game
animals, and 22 species of raptors thrive undisturbed
on the grassland mesa tops of the Kaiparowits Plateau;
(D) each of the areas described in paragraph (2)
(other than Heaps Canyon, Little Valley, and Wide
Hollow) is located within the Grand Staircase-Escalante
National Monument, as established in 1996; and
(E) the Kaiparowits Plateau should be protected and
managed as a wilderness area.
(2) Designation.--In accordance with the Wilderness Act (16
U.S.C. 1131, et seq.), the following areas in the State are
designated as wilderness areas and as components of the
National Wilderness Preservation System:
(A) Andalex Not (approximately 18,000 acres).
(B) Box Canyon (approximately 3,000 acres).
(C) Burning Hills (approximately 81,000 acres).
(D) Canaan Peak Slopes (approximately 2,500 acres).
(E) Carcass Canyon (approximately 85,000 acres).
(F) Fiftymile Bench (approximately 13,000 acres).
(G) Fiftymile Mountain (approximately 207,000
acres).
(H) Heaps Canyon (approximately 4,000 acres).
(I) Horse Spring Canyon (approximately 32,000
acres).
(J) Kodachrome Headlands (approximately 8,500
acres).
(K) Little Valley Canyon (approximately 4,000
acres).
(L) Mud Spring Canyon (approximately 66,000 acres).
(M) Nipple Bench (approximately 32,000 acres).
(N) Paradise Canyon-Wahweap (approximately 266,000
acres).
(O) Rock Cove (approximately 17,000 acres).
(P) The Blues (approximately 22,000 acres).
(Q) The Cockscomb (approximately 12,000 acres).
(R) Warm Creek (approximately 24,000 acres).
(S) Wide Hollow (approximately 7,700 acres).
(c) Escalante Canyons.--
(1) Findings.--Congress finds that--
(A) glens and coves carved in massive sandstone
cliffs, spring-watered hanging gardens, and the silence
of ancient Anasazi ruins are examples of the unique
features that entice hikers, campers, and sightseers
from around the world to Escalante Canyon;
(B) Escalante Canyon links the spruce fir forests
of the 11,000-foot Aquarius Plateau with winding
slickrock canyons that flow into Glen Canyon;
(C) Escalante Canyon, one of Utah's most popular
natural areas, contains critical habitat for deer, elk,
and wild bighorn sheep that also enhances the scenic
integrity of the area;
(D) each of the areas described in paragraph (2) is
located within the Grand Staircase Escalante National
Monument, as established in 1996; and
(E) Escalante Canyon should be protected and
managed as a wilderness area.
(2) Designation.--In accordance with the Wilderness Act (16
U.S.C. 1131, et seq.), the following areas in the State are
designated as wilderness areas and as components of the
National Wilderness Preservation System:
(A) Colt Mesa (approximately 28,000 acres).
(B) Death Hollow (approximately 50,000 acres).
(C) Forty Mile Gulch (approximately 7,600 acres).
(D) Lampstand (approximately 11,500 acres).
(E) Muley Twist Flank (approximately 3,700 acres).
(F) North Escalante Canyons (approximately 182,000
acres).
(G) Pioneer Mesa (approximately 11,000 acres).
(H) Scorpion (approximately 61,000 acres).
(I) Sooner Bench (approximately 500 acres).
(J) Steep Creek (approximately 36,000 acres).
(K) Studhorse Peaks (approximately 24,000 acres).
SEC. 103. MOAB-LA SAL CANYONS WILDERNESS AREAS.
(a) Findings.--Congress finds that--
(1) the canyons surrounding the La Sal Mountains and the
town of Moab offer a variety of extraordinary landscapes;
(2) outstanding examples of natural formations and
landscapes in the Moab-La Sal area include the huge sandstone
fins of Behind the Rocks, the mysterious Fisher Towers, and the
whitewater rapids of Westwater Canyon; and
(3) the Moab-La Sal area should be protected and managed as
a wilderness area.
(b) Designation.--In accordance with the Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C.
1131, et seq.), the following areas in the State are designated as
wilderness areas and as components of the National Wilderness
Preservation System:
(1) Arches Adjacent (approximately 4,100 acres).
(2) Beaver Creek (approximately 45,000 acres).
(3) Behind the Rocks (approximately 19,500 acres).
(4) Big Triangle (approximately 21,500 acres).
(5) Coyote Wash (approximately 27,000 acres).
(6) Dome Plateau (approximately 36,500 acres).
(7) Fisher Towers (approximately 18,000 acres).
(8) Goldbar Canyon (approximately 9,500 acres).
(9) Granite Creek (approximately 5,000 acres).
(10) Hunter Canyon (approximately 5,500 acres).
(11) Mary Jane Canyon (approximately 27,500 acres).
(12) Mill Creek (approximately 17,000 acres).
(13) Morning Glory (approximately 11,000 acres).
(14) Porcupine Rim (approximately 10,000 acres).
(15) Renegade Point (approximately 6,200 acres).
(16) Westwater Canyon (approximately 39,000 acres).
(17) Yellow Bird (approximately 4,600 acres).
SEC. 104. HENRY MOUNTAINS WILDERNESS AREAS.
(a) Findings.--Congress finds that--
(1) the Henry Mountain Range, the last mountain range to be
discovered and named by early explorers in the contiguous
United States, still retains a wild and undiscovered quality;
(2) fluted badlands that surround the flanks of 11,000-foot
Mounts Ellen and Pennell contain areas of critical habitat for
mule deer and for the largest herd of free-roaming buffalo in
the United States;
(3) despite their relative accessibility, the Henry
Mountain Range remains one of the wildest, least known ranges
in the United States; and
(4) the Henry Mountain range should be protected and
managed to ensure the preservation of the range as a wilderness
area.
(b) Designation.--In accordance with the Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C.
1131, et seq.), the following areas in the State are designated as
wilderness areas and as components of the National Wilderness
Preservation System:
(1) Bull Mountain (approximately 16,000 acres).
(2) Bullfrog Creek (approximately 42,000 acres).
(3) Dogwater Creek (approximately 3,400 acres).
(4) Fremont Gorge (approximately 22,000 acres).
(5) Long Canyon (approximately 16,500 acres).
(6) Mount Ellen-Blue Hills (approximately 145,000 acres).
(7) Mount Hillers (approximately 20,000 acres).
(8) Mount Pennell (approximately 155,000 acres).
(9) Notom Bench (approximately 7,300 acres).
(10) Oak Creek (approximately 1,500 acres).
(11) Ragged Mountain (approximately 29,000 acres).
SEC. 105. GLEN CANYON WILDERNESS AREAS.
(a) Findings.--Congress finds that--
(1) the side canyons of Glen Canyon, including the Dirty
Devil River and the Red, White and Blue Canyons, contain some
of the most remote and outstanding landscapes in southern Utah;
(2) the Dirty Devil River, once the fortress hideout of
outlaw Butch Cassidy's Wild Bunch, has sculpted a maze of
slickrock canyons through an imposing landscape of monoliths
and inaccessible mesas;
(3) the Red and Blue Canyons contain colorful Chinle/
Moenkopi badlands found nowhere else in the region; and
(4) the canyons of Glen Canyon in the State should be
protected and managed as wilderness areas.
(b) Designation.--In accordance with the Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C.
1131, et seq.), the following areas in the State are designated as
wilderness areas and as components of the National Wilderness
Preservation System:
(1) Cane Spring Desert (approximately 18,000 acres).
(2) Dark Canyon (approximately 138,000 acres).
(3) Dirty Devil (approximately 245,000 acres).
(4) Fiddler Butte (approximately 93,000 acres).
(5) Flat Tops (approximately 30,000 acres).
(6) Little Rockies (approximately 64,000 acres).
(7) Red Rock Plateau (approximately 210,000 acres).
(8) The Needle (approximately 11,000 acres).
(9) White Canyon (approximately 115,500 acres).
SEC. 106. SAN JUAN-ANASAZI WILDERNESS AREAS.
(a) Findings.--Congress finds that--
(1) more than 1,000 years ago, the Anasazi Indian culture
flourished in the slickrock canyons and on the pinon-covered
mesas of southeastern Utah;
(2) evidence of the ancient presence of the Anasazi
pervades the Cedar Mesa area of the San Juan-Anasazi area where
cliff dwellings, rock art, and ceremonial kivas embellish
sandstone overhangs and isolated benchlands;
(3) the Cedar Mesa area is in need of protection from the
vandalism and theft of its unique cultural resources;
(4) the Cedar Mesa wilderness areas should be created to
protect both the archaeological heritage and the extraordinary
wilderness, scenic, and ecological values of the United States;
and
(5) the San Juan-Anasazi area should be protected and
managed as a wilderness area to ensure the preservation of the
unique and valuable resources of that area.
(b) Designation.--In accordance with the Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C.
1131, et seq.), the following areas in the State are designated as
wilderness areas and as components of the National Wilderness
Preservation System:
(1) Allen Canyon (approximately 6,400 acres).
(2) Arch Canyon (approximately 30,500 acres).
(3) Comb Ridge (approximately 16,000 acres).
(4) Cross Canyon (approximately 2,400 acres).
(5) East Montezuma (approximately 46,500).
(6) Fish and Owl Creek Canyon (approximately 74,000 acres).
(7) Grand Gulch (approximately 161,000 acres).
(8) Hammond Canyon (approximately 4,700 acres).
(9) Monument Canyon (approximately 18,000 acres).
(10) Nokai Dome (approximately 94,000 acres).
(11) Road Canyon (approximately 64,000 acres).
(12) San Juan River (approximately 15,000 acres).
(13) The Tabernacle (approximately 7,400 acres).
(14) Tin Cup Mesa (approximately 26,000 acres).
(15) Valley of the Gods (approximately 20,000 acres).
SEC. 107. CANYONLANDS BASIN WILDERNESS AREAS.
(a) Findings.--Congress finds that--
(1) Canyonlands National Park safeguards only a small
portion of the extraordinary red-hued, cliffwalled canyonland
region of the Colorado Plateau;
(2) areas near Canyonlands National Park contain canyons
with rushing perennial streams, natural arches, bridges, and
towers;
(3) the gorges of the Green and Colorado Rivers lie on
adjacent land managed by the Secretary;
(4) popular overlooks in Canyonlands National Park and Dead
Horse Point State Park have views directly into adjacent areas,
including Lockhart Basin and Indian Creek; and
(5) designation of those areas as wilderness would ensure
the protection of this erosional masterpiece of nature and of
the rich pockets of wildlife found within its expanded
boundaries.
(b) Designation.--In accordance with the Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C.
1131, et seq.), the following areas in the State are designated as
wilderness areas and as components of the National Wilderness
Preservation System:
(1) Bridger Jack Mesa (approximately 33,500 acres).
(2) Butler Wash (approximately 27,000 acres).
(3) Dead Horse Cliffs (approximately 5,300 acres).
(4) Demon's Playground (approximately 3,600 acres).
(5) Duma Point (approximately 14,500 acres).
(6) Gooseneck (approximately 9,400 acres).
(7) Hatch Point Canyons/Lockhart Basin (approximately
150,500 acres).
(8) Horseshoe Canyon (approximately 83,500 acres).
(9) Horsethief Point (approximately 15,500 acres).
(10) Indian Creek (approximately 28,500 acres).
(11) Labyrinth Canyon (approximately 83,000 acres).
(12) San Rafael River (approximately 117,000 acres).
(13) Shay Mountain (approximately 15,500 acres).
(14) Sweetwater Reef (approximately 69,500 acres).
SEC. 108. SAN RAFAEL SWELL WILDERNESS AREAS.
(a) Findings.--Congress finds that--
(1) the San Rafael Swell towers above the desert like a
castle, ringed by 1,000-foot ramparts of Navajo Sandstone;
(2) the highlands of the San Rafael Swell have been
fractured by uplift and rendered hollow by erosion over
countless millennia, leaving a tremendous basin punctuated by
mesas, buttes, and canyons and traversed by sediment-laden
desert streams;
(3) among other places, the San Rafael wilderness offers
exceptional back country opportunities in the colorful Wild
Horse Badlands, the monoliths of North Caineville Mesa, the
rock towers of Cliff Wash, and colorful cliffs of Humbug
Canyon;
(4) the mountains within these areas are among Utah's most
valuable habitat for desert bighorn sheep; and
(5) the San Rafael Swell area should be protected and
managed to ensure its preservation as a wilderness area.
(b) Designation.--In accordance with the Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C.
1131, et seq.), the following areas in the State are designated as
wilderness areas and as components of the National Wilderness
Preservation System:
(1) Cedar Mountain (approximately 15,000 acres).
(2) Devils Canyon (approximately 14,000 acres). acres).
(3) Eagle Canyon (approximately 38,500 acres).
(4) Factory Butte (approximately 22,000 acres).
(5) Hondu Country (approximately 2,600 acres).
(6) Jones Bench (approximately 3,400 acres).
(7) Limestone Cliffs (approximately 25,500 acres).
(8) Lost Spring Wash (approximately 36,500 acres).
(9) Mexican Mountain (approximately 25,000 acres).
(10) Molen Reef (approximately 32,500 acres).
(11) Muddy Creek (approximately 92,000 acres).
(12) Mussentuchit Badlands (approximately 24,500 acres).
(13) Price River-Humbug (approximately 122,000 acres).
(14) Red Desert (approximately 36,500 acres).
(15) Rock Canyon (approximately 17,500 acres).
(16) San Rafael Knob (approximately 15,000 acres).
(17) San Rafael Reef (approximately 53,000 acres).
(18) Sids Mountain (approximately 36,500 acres).
(19) Upper Muddy Creek (approximately 18,500 acres).
(20) Wild Horse Mesa (approximately 63,000 acres).
SEC. 109. BOOK CLIFFS AND UINTA BASIN WILDERNESS AREAS.
(a) Findings.--Congress finds that--
(1) the Book Cliffs and Uinta Basin wilderness areas
offer--
(A) unique big game hunting opportunities in
verdant high-plateau forests;
(B) the opportunity for float trips of several days
duration down the Green River in Desolation Canyon; and
(C) the opportunity for calm water canoe weekends
on the White River;
(2) the long rampart of the Book Cliffs bounds the area on
the south, while seldom-visited uplands, dissected by the
rivers and streams, slope away to the north into the Uinta
Basin;
(3) bears, Bighorn sheep, cougars, elk, and mule deer
flourish in the back country of the Book Cliffs; and
(4) the Book Cliffs and Uinta Basin areas should be
protected and managed to ensure the protection of the areas as
wilderness.
(b) Designation.--In accordance with the Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C.
1131, et seq.), the following areas in the State are designated as
wilderness areas and as components of the National Wilderness
Preservation System:
(1) Bad Land Cliffs (approximately 13,000 acres).
(2) Bourdette Draw (approximately 15,500 acres).
(3) Bull Canyon (approximately 3,100 acres).
(4) Dead Horse Pass (approximately 8,400 acres).
(5) Desbrough Canyon (approximately 14,000 acres).
(6) Desolation Canyon (approximately 332,000 acres).
(7) Diamond Breaks (approximately 8,600 acres).
(8) Diamond Canyon (approximately 168,000 acres).
(9) Diamond Mountain (approximately 31,000 acres).
(10) Dinosaur Adjacent (approximately 7,900 acres).
(11) Goslin Mountain (approximately 3,800 acres).
(12) Hideout Canyon (approximately 12,500 acres).
(13) Lower Flaming Gorge (approximately 21,000 acres).
(14) Mexico Point (approximately 15,00 acres).
(15) Moonshine Draw (approximately 10,500 acres).
(16) Mountain Home (approximately 7,800 acres).
(17) O-Wi-Yu-Kuts (approximately 14,000 acres).
(18) Red Creek Badlands (approximately 4,600 acres).
(19) Survey Point (approximately 8,600 acres).
(20) Turtle Canyon (approximately 9,700 acres).
TITLE II--ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS
SEC. 201. GENERAL PROVISIONS.
(a) Names of Wilderness Areas.--Each wilderness area named in title
I shall--
(1) consist of the quantity of land referenced with respect
to that named area, as generally depicted on the map entitled
``Utah BLM Wilderness Proposed by H.R. 1630, 113th Congress'';
and
(2) be known by the name given to it by title I.
(b) Map and Description.--
(1) In general.--As soon as practicable after the date of
the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall file a map and a
legal description of each wilderness area designated by this
Act with--
(A) the Committee on Natural Resources of the House
of Representatives; and
(B) the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources
of the Senate.
(2) Force of law.--A map and legal description filed under
paragraph (1) shall have the same force and effect as if
included in this Act, except that the Secretary may correct
clerical and typographical errors in the map and legal
description.
(3) Public availability.--Each map and legal description
filed under paragraph (1) shall be filed and made available for
public inspection in the Office of the Director of the Bureau
of Land Management.
SEC. 202. ADMINISTRATION.
Subject to valid rights in existence on the date of the enactment
of this Act, each wilderness area designated under this Act shall be
administered by the Secretary in accordance with--
(1) the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (43
U.S.C. 1701 et seq.); and
(2) the Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. 1131, et seq.).
SEC. 203. STATE SCHOOL TRUST LAND WITHIN WILDERNESS AREAS.
(a) In General.--Subject to subsection (b), if State owned land is
included in an area designated by this Act as a wilderness area, the
Secretary shall offer to exchange land owned by the United States in
the State of approximately equal value in accordance with section
603(c) of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C.
1782(c)) and section 5(a) of the Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. 1134(a)).
(b) Mineral Interests.--The Secretary shall not transfer any
mineral interests under subsection (a) unless the State transfers to
the Secretary any mineral interests in land designated by this Act as a
wilderness area.
SEC. 204. WATER.
(a) Reservation.--
(1) Water for wilderness areas.--
(A) In general.--With respect to each wilderness
area designated by this Act, Congress reserves a
quantity of water determined by the Secretary to be
sufficient for the wilderness area.
(B) Priority date.--The priority date of a right
reserved under subparagraph (A) shall be the date of
the enactment of this Act.
(2) Protection of rights.--The Secretary and other officers
and employees of the United States shall take any steps
necessary to protect the rights reserved by paragraph (1)(A),
including the filing of a claim for the quantification of the
rights in any present or future appropriate stream adjudication
in the courts of the State--
(A) in which the United States is or may be joined;
and
(B) that is conducted in accordance with section
208 of the Department of Justice Appropriation Act,
1953 (66 Stat. 560, chapter 651).
(b) Prior Rights Not Affected.--Nothing in this Act relinquishes or
reduces any water rights reserved or appropriated by the United States
in the State on or before the date of the enactment of this Act.
(c) Administration.--
(1) Specification of rights.--The Federal water rights
reserved by this Act are specific to the wilderness areas
designated by this Act.
(2) No precedent established.--Nothing in this Act related
to reserved Federal water rights shall--
(A) establish a precedent with regard to any future
designation of water rights; or
(B) affect the interpretation of any other Act or
any designation made under any other Act.
SEC. 205. ROADS.
(a) Setbacks.--
(1) Measurement in general.--A setback under this section
shall be measured from the center line of the road.
(2) Wilderness on one side of roads.--Except as provided in
subsection (b), a setback for a road with wilderness on only
one side shall be set at--
(A) 300 feet from a paved Federal or State highway;
(B) 100 feet from any other paved road or high
standard dirt or gravel road; and
(C) 30 feet from any other road.
(3) Wilderness on both sides of roads.--Except as provided
in subsection (b), a setback for a road with wilderness on both
sides (including cherry-stems or roads separating 2 wilderness
units) shall be set at--
(A) 200 feet from a paved Federal or State highway;
(B) 40 feet from any other paved road or high
standard dirt or gravel road; and
(C) 10 feet from any other roads.
(b) Setback Exceptions.--
(1) Well-defined topographical barriers.--If, between the
road and the boundary of a setback area described in paragraph
(2) or (3) of subsection (a), there is a well-defined cliff
edge, stream bank, or other topographical barrier, the
Secretary shall use the barrier as the wilderness boundary.
(2) Fences.--If, between the road and the boundary of a
setback area specified in paragraph (2) or (3) of subsection
(a), there is a fence running parallel to a road, the Secretary
shall use the fence as the wilderness boundary if, in the
opinion of the Secretary, doing so would result in a more
manageable boundary.
(3) Deviations from setback areas.--
(A) Exclusion of disturbances from wilderness
boundaries.--In cases where there is an existing
livestock development, dispersed camping area, borrow
pit, or similar disturbance within 100 feet of a road
that forms part of a wilderness boundary, the Secretary
may delineate the boundary so as to exclude the
disturbance from the wilderness area.
(B) Limitation on exclusion of disturbances.--The
Secretary shall make a boundary adjustment under
subparagraph (A) only if the Secretary determines that
doing so is consistent with wilderness management
goals.
(C) Deviations restricted to minimum necessary.--
Any deviation under this paragraph from the setbacks
required under in paragraph (2) or (3) of subsection
(a) shall be the minimum necessary to exclude the
disturbance.
(c) Delineation Within Setback Area.--The Secretary may delineate a
wilderness boundary at a location within a setback under paragraph (2)
or (3) of subsection (a) if, as determined by the Secretary, the
delineation would enhance wilderness management goals.
SEC. 206. LIVESTOCK.
Within the wilderness areas designated under title I, the grazing
of livestock authorized on the date of the enactment of this Act shall
be permitted to continue subject to such reasonable regulations and
procedures as the Secretary considers necessary, as long as the
regulations and procedures are consistent with--
(1) the Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. 1131, et seq.); and
(2) section 101(f) of the Arizona Desert Wilderness Act of
1990 (Public Law 101-628; 104 Stat. 4469).
SEC. 207. FISH AND WILDLIFE.
Nothing in this Act affects the jurisdiction of the State with
respect to wildlife and fish on the public land located in the State.
SEC. 208. MANAGEMENT OF NEWLY ACQUIRED LAND.
Any land within the boundaries of a wilderness area designated
under this Act that is acquired by the Federal Government shall--
(1) become part of the wilderness area in which the land is
located; and
(2) be managed in accordance with this Act and other laws
applicable to wilderness areas.
SEC. 209. WITHDRAWAL.
Subject to valid rights existing on the date of the enactment of
this Act, the Federal land referred to in title I is withdrawn from all
forms of--
(1) entry, appropriation, or disposal under public law;
(2) location, entry, and patent under mining law; and
(3) disposition under all laws pertaining to mineral and
geothermal leasing or mineral materials.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.
Referred to the Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests, and Public Lands.
Llama 3.2 · runs locally in your browser
Ask anything about this bill. The AI reads the full text to answer.
Enter to send · Shift+Enter for new line