I 

115TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 827 

To establish certain conservation and recreation areas in the State of 

California, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

FEBRUARY 2, 2017 

Mr. VARGAS introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 

Committee on Natural Resources 

A BILL 

To establish certain conservation and recreation areas in 

the State of California, and for other purposes. 

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 ‘‘Imperial Valley Desert 

5 Conservation and Recreation Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. TRANSFER OF LAND TO ANZA-BORREGO DESERT 

7 STATE PARK, CALIFORNIA. 

8 (a) IN GENERAL.—On termination of all mining 

9 claims to the land described in paragraph (2), the SecVerDate Sep 11 2014 04:09 Feb 09, 2017 Jkt 069200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H827.IH H827

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1 retary shall transfer the land described in that paragraph 

2 to the State. 

3 (b) DESCRIPTION OF LAND.—The land referred to in 

4 paragraph (1) is certain Bureau of Land Management 

5 land in San Diego County, California, comprising approxi6 mately 934 acres, as generally depicted on the map enti7 tled ‘‘Table Mountain Wilderness Study Area Proposed 

8 Transfer to the State’’ and dated March 17, 2015. 

9 (c) MANAGEMENT.— 

10 (1) IN GENERAL.—The land transferred under 

11 paragraph (1) shall be managed in accordance with 

12 the provisions of the California Wilderness Act (Cali13 fornia Public Resources Code sections 5093.30– 

14 5093.40). 

15 (2) WITHDRAWAL.—Subject to valid existing 

16 rights, the land transferred under paragraph (1) is 

17 withdrawn from— 

18 (A) all forms of entry, appropriation, or 

19 disposal under the public land laws; 

20 (B) location, entry, and patent under the 

21 mining laws; and 

22 (C) disposition under all laws relating to 

23 mineral and geothermal leasing. 

24 (3) REVERSION.—If the State ceases to manage 

25 the land transferred under paragraph (1) as part of 


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1 the State Park System or in a manner inconsistent 

2 with the California Wilderness Act (California Public 

3 Resources Code sections 5093.30–5093.40), the land 

4 shall revert to the Secretary at the discretion of the 

5 Secretary, to be managed as a Wilderness Study 

6 Area. 

7 SEC. 3. HOLTVILLE AIRPORT, IMPERIAL COUNTY. 

8 (a) IN GENERAL.—On the submission of an applica9 tion by Imperial County, California, the Secretary of 

10 Transportation shall, in accordance with section 47125 of 

11 title 49, United States Code, and section 2641.1 of title 

12 43, Code of Federal Regulations (or successor regulations) 

13 seek a conveyance from the Secretary of approximately 

14 3,500 acres of Bureau of Land Management land adjacent 

15 to the Imperial County Holtville Airport (L04) for the 

16 purposes of airport expansion. 

17 (b) SEGREGATION.—The Secretary (acting through 

18 the Director of the Bureau of Land Management) shall, 

19 with respect to the land to be conveyed under subsection 

20 (a)— 

21 (1) segregate the land; 

22 (2) endeavor to develop a joint Memorandum of 

23 Understanding with the Imperial County Board of 

24 Supervisors, the Department of Defense, and the 

25 Department of Transportation; such an agreement 


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1 shall not impose any obligation, term, or condition 

2 on the property owned by Imperial County; and 

3 (3) prohibit the appropriation of the land 

4 until— 

5 (A) the date on which a joint Memo6 randum of Understanding is signed by the par7 ties listed in paragraph (2); 

8 (B) the date on which a notice of realty ac9 tion terminates the application; and 

10 (C) the date on which a document of con11 veyance is published. 

12 SEC. 4. VINAGRE WASH SPECIAL MANAGEMENT AREA. 

13 (a) ESTABLISHMENT.—There is established the 

14 Vinagre Wash Special Management Area in the State, to 

15 be managed by the El Centro Field Office and the Yuma 

16 Field Office of the Bureau of Land Management. 

17 (b) PURPOSE.—The purpose of the Management 

18 Area is to conserve, protect, and enhance— 

19 (1) the plant and wildlife values of the Manage20 ment Area; and 

21 (2) the outstanding and nationally significant 

22 ecological, geological, scenic, recreational, archae23 ological, cultural, historic, and other resources of the 

24 Management Area. 


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1 (c) BOUNDARIES.—The Management Area shall con2 sist of the public land in Imperial County, California, com3 prising approximately 81,880 acres, as generally depicted 

4 on the map. 

5 (d) MAP; LEGAL DESCRIPTION.— 

6 (1) IN GENERAL.—As soon as practicable, but 

7 not later than 3 years, after the date of enactment 

8 of this title, the Secretary shall submit a map and 

9 legal description of the Management Area to— 

10 (A) the Committee on Natural Resources 

11 of the House of Representatives; and 

12 (B) the Committee on Energy and Natural 

13 Resources of the Senate. 

14 (2) EFFECT.—The map and legal description 

15 submitted under paragraph (1) shall have the same 

16 force and effect as if included in this title, except 

17 that the Secretary may correct any errors in the 

18 map and legal description. 

19 (3) AVAILABILITY.—Copies of the map sub20 mitted under paragraph (1) shall be on file and 

21 available for public inspection in— 

22 (A) the Office of the Director of the Bu23 reau of Land Management; and 

24 (B) the appropriate office of the Bureau of 

25 Land Management in the State. 


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1 SEC. 5. MANAGEMENT. 

2 (a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall allow hiking, 

3 camping, hunting, and sightseeing and the use of motor4 ized vehicles, mountain bikes, and horses on designated 

5 routes in the Management Area in a manner that— 

6 (1) is consistent with the purpose of the Man7 agement Area described in section 4(b); 

8 (2) ensures public health and safety; and 

9 (3) is consistent with applicable laws and regu10 lations, including the Desert Renewable Energy Con11 servation Plan. 

12 (b) OFF-HIGHWAY VEHICLE USE.— 

13 (1) IN GENERAL.—Subject to paragraphs (2) 

14 and (3) and all other applicable laws, the use of off15 highway vehicles shall be permitted on routes in the 

16 Management Area generally depicted on the map. 

17 (2) CLOSURE.—The Secretary may temporarily 

18 close or permanently reroute a portion of a route de19 scribed in paragraph (1)— 

20 (A) to prevent, or allow for restoration of, 

21 resource damage; 

22 (B) to protect tribal cultural resources, in23 cluding the resources identified in the tribal cul24 tural resources management plan; 

25 (C) to address public safety concerns; or 

26 (D) as otherwise required by law. 


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1 (3) DESIGNATION OF ADDITIONAL ROUTES.— 

2 During the 3-year period beginning on the date of 

3 enactment of this title, the Secretary— 

4 (A) shall accept petitions from the public 

5 regarding additional routes for off-highway ve6 hicles; and 

7 (B) may designate additional routes that 

8 the Secretary determines— 

9 (i) would provide significant or unique 

10 recreational opportunities; and 

11 (ii) are consistent with the purposes 

12 of the Management Area. 

13 (c) WITHDRAWAL.—Subject to valid existing rights, 

14 all Federal land within the Management Area is with15 drawn from— 

16 (1) all forms of entry, appropriation, or disposal 

17 under the public land laws; 

18 (2) location, entry, and patent under the mining 

19 laws; and 

20 (3) right-of-way, leasing, or disposition under 

21 all laws relating to— 

22 (A) minerals; or 

23 (B) solar, wind, and geothermal energy. 

24 (d) NO BUFFERS.—The establishment of the Man25 agement Area shall not— 


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1 (1) create a protective perimeter or buffer zone 

2 around the Management Area; or 

3 (2) preclude uses or activities outside the Man4 agement Area that are permitted under other appli5 cable laws, even if the uses or activities are prohib6 ited within the Management Area. 

7 (e) NOTICE OF AVAILABLE ROUTES.—The Secretary 

8 shall ensure that visitors to the Management Area have 

9 access to adequate notice relating to the availability of des10 ignated routes in the Management Area through— 

11 (1) the placement of appropriate signage along 

12 the designated routes; 

13 (2) the distribution of maps, safety education 

14 materials, and other information that the Secretary 

15 determines to be appropriate; and 

16 (3) restoration of areas that are not designated 

17 as open routes, including vertical mulching. 

18 (f) STEWARDSHIP.—The Secretary, in consultation 

19 with Indian tribes and other interests, shall develop a pro20 gram to provide opportunities for monitoring and steward21 ship of the Management Area to minimize environmental 

22 impacts and prevent resource damage from recreational 

23 use, including volunteer assistance with— 

24 (1) route signage; 

25 (2) restoration of closed routes; 


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1 (3) protection of Management Area resources; 

2 and 

3 (4) recreation education. 

4 (g) PROTECTION OF TRIBAL CULTURAL RE5 SOURCES.—Not later than 2 years after the date of enact6 ment of this title, the Secretary, in accordance with chap7 ter 2003 of title 54, United States Code, and any other 

8 applicable law, shall— 

9 (1) prepare and complete a tribal cultural re10 sources survey of the Management Area; and 

11 (2) consult with the Quechan Indian Nation 

12 and other Indian tribes demonstrating ancestral, cul13 tural, or other ties to the resources within the Man14 agement Area on the development and implementa15 tion of the tribal cultural resources survey under 

16 paragraph (1). 

17 SEC. 6. POTENTIAL WILDERNESS. 

18 (a) PROTECTION OF WILDERNESS CHARACTER.— 

19 (1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall manage 

20 the Federal land in the Management Area described 

21 in paragraph (2) in a manner that preserves the 

22 character of the land for the eventual inclusion of 

23 the land in the National Wilderness Preservation 

24 System. 


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1 (2) DESCRIPTION OF LAND.—The Federal land 

2 described in this paragraph is— 

3 (A) the approximately 10,860 acres of 

4 land, as generally depicted as the Indian Pass 

5 Additions on the map entitled ‘‘Vinagre Wash 

6 Proposed Special Management Area’’ and dated 

7 November 10, 2009; 

8 (B) the approximately 17,250 acres of 

9 land, as generally depicted as Milpitas Wash 

10 Potential Wilderness on the map entitled 

11 ‘‘Vinagre Wash Proposed Special Management 

12 Area’’ and dated November 10, 2009; 

13 (C) the approximately 11,840 acres of 

14 land, as generally depicted as Buzzards Peak 

15 Potential Wilderness on the map entitled 

16 ‘‘Vinagre Wash Proposed Special Management 

17 Area’’ and dated November 10, 2009; and 

18 (D) the approximately 9,350 acres of land, 

19 as generally depicted as Palo Verde Mountains 

20 Potential Wilderness on the map entitled 

21 ‘‘Vinagre Wash Proposed Special Management 

22 Area’’ and dated November 10, 2009. 

23 (3) USE OF LAND.— 

24 (A) MILITARY USES.—The Secretary shall 

25 manage the Federal land in the Management 


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1 Area described in paragraph (2) in a manner 

2 that is consistent with the Wilderness Act (16 

3 U.S.C. 1131 et seq.), except that the Secretary 

4 may authorize use of the land by the Secretary 

5 of the Navy for Naval Special Warfare Tactical 

6 Training, including long-range small unit train7 ing and navigation, vehicle concealment, and ve8 hicle sustainment training, in accordance with 

9 applicable Federal laws. 

10 (B) PROHIBITED USES.—The following 

11 shall be prohibited on the Federal land de12 scribed in paragraph (2): 

13 (i) Permanent roads. 

14 (ii) Commercial enterprises. 

15 (iii) Except as necessary to meet the 

16 minimum requirements for the administra17 tion of the Federal land and to protect 

18 public health and safety— 

19 (I) the use of mechanized vehi20 cles; and 

21 (II) the establishment of tem22 porary roads. 

23 (4) WILDERNESS DESIGNATION.— 

24 (A) IN GENERAL.—The Federal land de25 scribed in paragraph (2) shall be designated as 


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1 wilderness and as a component of the National 

2 Wilderness Preservation System on the date on 

3 which the Secretary, in consultation with the 

4 Secretary of Defense, publishes a notice in the 

5 Federal Register that all activities on the Fed6 eral land that are incompatible with the Wilder7 ness Act (16 U.S.C. 1131 et seq.) have termi8 nated. 

9 (B) DESIGNATION.—On designation of the 

10 Federal land under clause (i)— 

11 (i) the land described in paragraph 

12 (2)(A) shall be incorporated in, and shall 

13 be considered to be a part of, the Indian 

14 Pass Wilderness; 

15 (ii) the land described in paragraph 

16 (2)(B) shall be designated as the ‘‘Milpitas 

17 Wash Wilderness’’; 

18 (iii) the land described in paragraph 

19 (2)(C) shall be designated as the ‘‘Buzzard 

20 Peak Wilderness’’; and 

21 (iv) the land described in paragraph 

22 (2)(D) shall be incorporated in, and shall 

23 be considered to be a part of, the Palo 

24 Verde Mountains Wilderness. 


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1 (b) ADMINISTRATION OF WILDERNESS.—Subject to 

2 valid existing rights, the land designated as wilderness or 

3 as a wilderness addition by this title shall be administered 

4 by the Secretary in accordance with this Act and the Wil5 derness Act (16 U.S.C. 1131 et seq.). 

6 SEC. 7. DEFINITIONS. 

7 In this Act: 

8 (1) MANAGEMENT AREA.—The term ‘‘Manage9 ment Area’’ means the Vinagre Wash Special Man10 agement Area. 

11 (2) MAP.—The term ‘‘map’’ means the map en12 titled ‘‘Vinagre Wash Proposed Special Management 

13 Area; Indian Pass Mountains and Palo Verde Moun14 tains Potential Wilderness Additions, and Buzzards 

15 Peak, Milpitas Wash Potential Wilderness’’ and 

16 dated February 19, 2015. 

17 (3) PUBLIC LAND.—The term ‘‘public land’’ 

18 has the meaning given the term ‘‘public lands’’ in 

19 section 103 of the Federal Land Policy and Manage20 ment Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1702). 

21 (4) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 

22 the Secretary of the Interior. 

23 (5) STATE.—The term ‘‘State’’ means the State 

24 of California. 

Æ 


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