Arches National Park Expansion Act of 1997

Summary: Arches National Park Expansion Act of 1997 - Modifies the boundary of the Arches National Park, Utah, to include the area known as the Lost Spring Canyon Addition.  Requires the Secretary of the Interior to transfer jurisdiction over the Federal lands contained in the area from the Bureau of Land Management to the National Park Service and requires such lands to be administered in accordance with the laws and regulations applicable to the Park.  Specifies restrictions over the continuation and sale of existing grazing leases, permits, or licenses for the area.  Withdraws Federal lands within the area from the public land laws, including the mineral leasing laws.  Provides that the inclusion of the area in the Park shall not affect the operation or maintenance of the natural gas pipeline and related facilities located in the area by the Northwest Pipeline Corporation or its successors. 
Directs the Secretary to transfer specified Federal lands to the State of Utah in exchange for specified State school trust lands in the area, if the State offers such exchange within one year after enactment of this Act.  Subjects such exchanged lands to valid existing rights.  Specifies requirements to be satisfied by the State before undertaking or permitting any surface disturbing activities on the acquired lands.  Requires the State to preserve existing grazing, recreational, and wildlife uses of such lands.  Permits Utah to authorize or undertake surface or mineral activities authorized by existing or future land management plans for the acquired lands.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Arches National Park Expansion Act 
of 1997''.

SEC. 2. EXPANSION OF ARCHES NATIONAL PARK, UTAH.

    (a) Boundary Expansion.--Subsection (a) of the first section of 
Public Law 92-155 (16 U.S.C. 272; 85 Stat. 422) is amended as follows:
            (1) By inserting after the first sentence the following new 
        sentence: ``Effective on the date of the enactment of the 
        Arches National Park Expansion Act of 1997, the boundary of the 
        park shall also include the area consisting of approximately 
        3,140 acres and known as the `Lost Spring Canyon Addition', as 
        depicted on the map entitled `Boundary Map, Arches National 
        Park, Lost Spring Canyon Addition', numbered 138/60,000-B, and 
        dated April 1997.''.
            (2) In the last sentence, by striking ``Such map'' and 
        inserting ``Such maps''.
    (b) Inclusion of Land in Park.--Section 2 of Public Law 92-155 (16 
U.S.C. 272a) is amended by adding at the end the following new 
sentences: ``As soon as possible after the date of the enactment of the 
Arches National Park Expansion Act of 1997, the Secretary of the 
Interior shall transfer jurisdiction over the Federal lands contained 
in the Lost Spring Canyon Addition from the Bureau of Land Management 
to the National Park Service. The lands included in the park pursuant 
to the Arches National Park Expansion Act of 1997 shall be administered 
in accordance with the laws and regulations applicable to the park.''.
    (c) Protection of Existing Grazing Permit.--Section 3 of Public Law 
92-155 (16 U.S.C. 272b) is amended as follows:
            (1) By inserting ``(a)'' before ``Where''.
            (2) By adding at the end the following new subsection:
    ``(b)(1) In the case of any grazing lease, permit, or license with 
respect to lands within the Lost Spring Canyon Addition that was issued 
before the date of the enactment of the Arches National Park Expansion 
Act of 1997, the Secretary of the Interior shall, subject to periodic 
renewal, continue such lease, permit, or license for a period of time 
equal to the lifetime of the permittee as of that date and any direct 
descendants of the permittee born before that date. Any such grazing 
lease, permit, or license shall be permanently retired at the end of 
such period. Pending the expiration of such period, the permittee (or a 
descendant of the permittee who holds the lease, permit, or license) 
shall be entitled to periodically renew the lease, permit, or license, 
subject to such limitations, conditions, or regulations as the 
Secretary may prescribe.
    ``(2) Any such grazing lease, permit, or license may be sold during 
the period specified in paragraph (1) only on the condition that the 
purchaser shall, immediately upon such acquisition, permanently retire 
such lease, permit, or license. Nothing in this subsection shall affect 
other provisions concerning leases, permits, or licenses under the 
Taylor Grazing Act.
    ``(3) Any portion of any grazing lease, permit, or license with 
respect to lands within the Lost Spring Canyon Addition shall be 
administered by the National Park Service.''.
    (d) Withdrawal From Mineral Entry and Leasing; Pipeline 
Management.--Section 5 of Public Law 92-155 (16 U.S.C. 272d) is amended 
by adding at the end the following new subsection:
    ``(c)(1) Subject to valid existing rights, Federal lands within the 
Lost Spring Canyon Addition are hereby appropriated and withdrawn from 
entry, location, selection, leasing, or other disposition under the 
public land laws, including the mineral leasing laws.
    ``(2) The inclusion of the Lost Spring Canyon Addition in the park 
shall not affect the operation or maintenance by the Northwest Pipeline 
Corporation (or its successors or assigns) of the natural gas pipeline 
and related facilities located in the Lost Spring Canyon Addition on 
the date of the enactment of the Arches National Park Expansion Act of 
1997.''.
    (e) Effect on School Trust Lands.--
            (1) Findings.--The Congress finds the following:
                    (A) A parcel of State school trust lands, more 
                specifically described as section 16, township 23 
                south, range 22 east, of the Salt Lake base and 
                meridian, is partially contained within the Lost Spring 
                Canyon Addition included within the boundaries of 
                Arches National Park by the amendment by subsection 
                (a).
                    (B) The parcel was originally granted to the State 
                of Utah for the purpose of generating revenue for the 
                public schools through the development of natural and 
                other resources located on the parcel.
                    (C) It is in the interest of the State of Utah and 
                the United States for the parcel to be exchanged for 
                Federal lands of equivalent value outside the Lost 
                Spring Canyon Addition, in order to permit Federal 
                management of all lands within the Lost Spring Canyon 
                Addition.
            (2) Land exchange.--Public Law 92-155 is amended by adding 
        at the end the following new section:

``SEC. 8. LAND EXCHANGE INVOLVING SCHOOL TRUST LANDS.

    ``(a) Exchange Requirement.--If, not later than one year after the 
date of the enactment of the Arches National Park Expansion Act of 
1997, and in accordance with this section, the State of Utah offers to 
transfer all right, title and interest of the State in and to the 
parcel of school trust lands described in subsection (b)(1) to the 
United States, the Secretary of the Interior shall accept the offer on 
behalf of the United States and, within 180 days after the date of such 
acceptance, transfer to the State of Utah all right, title and interest 
of the United States in and to the parcel of land described in 
subsection (b)(2). Title to the State lands shall be transferred at the 
same time as conveyance of title to the Federal lands by the Secretary 
of the Interior. The exchange of lands under this section shall be 
subject to valid existing rights, and each party shall succeed to the 
rights and obligations of the other party with respect to any lease, 
right-of-way, or permit encumbering the exchanged lands.
    ``(b) Description of Parcels.--
            ``(1) State conveyance.--The parcel of school trust lands 
        to be conveyed by the State of Utah under subsection (a) is 
        section 16, township 23 south, range 22 east of the Salt Lake 
        base and meridian.
            ``(2) Federal conveyance.--The parcel of Federal lands to 
        be conveyed by the Secretary of the Interior consists of 
        approximately 639 acres and is identified as lots 1 through 12 
        located in the S\1/2\N\1/2\ and the N\1/2\N\1/2\N\1/2\S\1/2\ of 
        section 1, township 25 south, range 18 east, Salt Lake base and 
        meridian.
            ``(3) Equivalent value.--The Federal lands described in 
        paragraph (2) are of equivalent value to the State school trust 
        lands described in paragraph (1).
    ``(c) Management by State.--At least 60 days before undertaking or 
permitting any surface disturbing activities to occur on the lands 
acquired by the State under this section, the State shall consult with 
the Utah State Office of the Bureau of Land Management concerning the 
extent and impact of such activities on Federal lands and resources and 
conduct, in a manner consistent with Federal laws, inventory, 
mitigation, and management activities in connection with any 
archaeological, paleontological, and cultural resources located on the 
acquired lands. To the extent consistent with applicable law governing 
the use and disposition of State school trust lands, the State shall 
preserve existing grazing, recreational, and wildlife uses of the 
acquired lands. Nothing in this subsection shall be construed to 
preclude the State from authorizing or undertaking surface or mineral 
activities authorized by existing or future land management plans for 
the acquired lands.
    ``(d) Implementation.--Administrative actions necessary to 
implement the land exchange described in this section shall be 
completed within 180 days after the date of the enactment of the Arches 
National Park Expansion Act of 1997.''.

            Passed the House of Representatives November 9, 1997.

            Attest:

                                                ROBIN H. CARLE,

                                                                 Clerk.