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Union Calendar No. 533 

114TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 4510 

[Report No. 114–689] 

To insure adequate use and access to the existing Bolts Ditch headgate 

and ditch segment within the Holy Cross Wilderness in Eagle County, 

Colorado, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

FEBRUARY 9, 2016 

Mr. POLIS (for himself, Mr. LAMBORN, and Mr. TIPTON) introduced the 

following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources 

JULY 14, 2016 

Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union 

and ordered to be printed 

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2 

•HR 4510 RH

A BILL 

To insure adequate use and access to the existing Bolts 

Ditch headgate and ditch segment within the Holy Cross 

Wilderness in Eagle County, Colorado, and for other 

purposes. 

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3 

•HR 4510 RH

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Bolts Ditch Access 

5 and Use Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

7 Congress finds as follows: 

8 (1) Since about 1882, the existing Bolts Ditch 

9 headgate and ditch have been used to fill Bolts Lake 

10 near Minturn, Colorado, by gravitational means, 

11 without the need for pumping and the attendant 

12 cost and energy use of pumping. 

13 (2) When the Holy Cross Wilderness was des14 ignated by Congress in 1980, the Bolts Ditch 

15 headgate, and an approximate 450-foot segment of 

16 the Bolts Ditch, were inadvertently included inside 

17 the Wilderness boundary. 

18 (3) The town of Minturn seeks to use its mu19 nicipal water rights to store water in Bolts Lake. 

20 (4) Questions have arisen with respect to con21 tinued use, maintenance, and repair of the headgate 

22 and ditch segment within the Wilderness. 

23 (5) Legislation is warranted to correct this situ24 ation and authorize the continued use, access to, and 

25 maintenance and repair of the Bolts Ditch headgate 

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•HR 4510 RH

1 and small portion of the Bolts Ditch that lie within 

2 the Wilderness boundary. 

3 SEC. 3. BOLTS DITCH ACCESS. 

4 (a) ACCESS GRANTED.—The Secretary of Agriculture 

5 shall permit by special use authorization nonmotorized ac6 cess and use, in accordance with section 293.6 of title 36, 

7 Code of Federal Regulations, of the Bolts Ditch headgate 

8 and the Bolts Ditch within the Holy Cross Wilderness, 

9 Colorado, as designated by Public Law 96–560, for the 

10 purposes of the diversion of water and use, maintenance, 

11 and repair of such ditch and headgate by the Town of 

12 Minturn, Colorado, a Colorado Home Rule Municipality. 

13 (b) LOCATION OF FACILITIES.—The Bolts Ditch 

14 headgate and ditch segment referenced in subsection (a) 

15 are as generally depicted on the map entitled ‘‘Bolts Ditch 

16 headgate and Ditch Segment’’, dated November 2015. 

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Union Calendar No. 533 

114TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 4510 

[Report No. 114–689] 

A BILL 

To insure adequate use and access to the existing 

orado, and for other purposes. the Holy Cross Wilderness in Eagle County, ColBolts Ditch headgate and ditch segment within 

JULY 14, 2016 

Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the 

State of the Union and ordered to be printed 

mstockstill on DSK3G9T082PROD with BILLS