I 

114TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 2926 

To designate certain public lands in the Sonoran Desert of the State of 

Arizona as national conservation areas and wilderness areas, and for 

other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JUNE 25, 2015 

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

Committee on Natural Resources 

A BILL 

To designate certain public lands in the Sonoran Desert 

of the State of Arizona as national conservation areas 

and wilderness areas, 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; TABLE OF CONTENTS. 

4 (a) SHORT TITLE.—This Act may be cited as the 

5 ‘‘Arizona Sonoran Desert Heritage Act of 2015’’. 

6 (b) TABLE OF CONTENTS.—The table of contents for 

7 this Act is as follows: 

Sec. 1. Short title; Table of contents. 

Sec. 2. Definitions. 

Sec. 3. Belmont-Harquahala and Gila Bend National Conservation Areas. 

Sec. 4. Designation of wilderness areas. 


tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
2 

•HR 2926 IH

Sec. 5. Special management areas. 

Sec. 6. Maps and legal descriptions. 

Sec. 7. Management of national conservation areas, wilderness areas, and special management areas. 

Sec. 8. Acquisition of land. 

Sec. 9. Border security. 

Sec. 10. Water rights. 

1 SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 

2 In this Act: 

3 (1) INDIAN TRIBE.—The term ‘‘Indian tribe’’ 

4 means any Indian tribe, band, nation, or other orga5 nized group or community of Indians which is recog6 nized as eligible by the Secretary for the special pro7 grams and services provided by the United States to 

8 Indians because of their status as Indians. 

9 (2) MANAGEMENT PLAN.—The term ‘‘manage10 ment plan’’ means the management plan developed 

11 under section 3 for each national conservation area 

12 and section 5 for each special management area. 

13 (3) MAP.—The term ‘‘map’’ means the map en14 titled ‘‘Sonoran Desert Heritage Act’’ and dated 

15 May 6, 2013. 

16 (4) NATIONAL CONSERVATION AREAS.—The 

17 term ‘‘National Conservation Areas’’ means the Bel18 mont-Harquahala National Conservation Area and 

19 the Gila Bend National Conservation Area estab20 lished by section 3. 

21 (5) PUBLIC LAND.—The term ‘‘public land’’ 

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


tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
3 

•HR 2926 IH

1 section 103 of the Federal Land Policy and Manage2 ment Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1702). 

3 (6) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 

4 the Secretary of the Interior. 

5 (7) SPECIAL MANAGEMENT AREAS.—The term 

6 ‘‘Special Management Areas’’ means the Sentinel 

7 Plain Special Management Area and the Rainbow 

8 Valley Special Management Area established by sec9 tion 5. 

10 (8) STATE.—The term ‘‘State’’ means the State 

11 of Arizona. 

12 (9) WILDERNESS AREAS.—The term ‘‘Wilder13 ness Areas’’ means the wilderness areas designated 

14 by section 4. 

15 SEC. 3. BELMONT-HARQUAHALA AND GILA BEND NATIONAL 

16 CONSERVATION AREAS. 

17 (a) ESTABLISHMENT.—There are established in the 

18 State: 

19 (1) BELMONT-HARQUAHALA NATIONAL CON20 SERVATION AREA.—The Belmont-Harquahala Na21 tional Conservation Area, consisting of approxi22 mately 276,100 acres, as generally depicted on the 

23 map. 

24 (2) GILA BEND NATIONAL CONSERVATION

25 AREA.—The Gila Bend National Conservation Area, 


tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
4 

•HR 2926 IH

1 consisting of approximately 406,298 acres, as gen2 erally depicted on the map. 

3 (b) PURPOSE.—The purpose of the National Con4 servation Areas is to conserve, and thereby to protect, re5 store, and enhance for the benefit and enjoyment of 

6 present and future generations the unique and important 

7 resources and values of the land, including the ecological, 

8 geological, cultural, archaeological, paleontological, nat9 ural, scientific, recreational, wilderness, wildlife, riparian, 

10 historical, educational, and scenic resources of the public 

11 land. 

12 (c) ADMINISTRATION OF NATIONAL CONSERVATION

13 AREAS.— 

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

15 the National Conservation Areas— 

16 (A) as components of the National Land17 scape Conservation System; 

18 (B) in a manner that conserves, and there19 by protects, and enhances the resources and 

20 values of the National Conservation Areas de21 scribed in subsection (b); and 

22 (C) in accordance with— 

23 (i) the Federal Land Policy and Man24 agement Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1701 et 

25 seq.); 


tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
5 

•HR 2926 IH

1 (ii) this Act; and 

2 (iii) any other applicable laws. 

3 (2) MANAGEMENT PLANS.— 

4 (A) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 3 years 

5 after the date of enactment of this Act, the Sec6 retary shall develop a comprehensive manage7 ment plan for the long-term protection and 

8 management of each of the National Conserva9 tion Areas. 

10 (B) PURPOSES.—Each management plan 

11 shall— 

12 (i) describe the appropriate manage13 ment and uses of the National Conserva14 tion Areas consistent with the conservation 

15 purpose as specified in subsections (b) and 

16 (c); 

17 (ii) be developed with extensive public 

18 input; and 

19 (iii) take into consideration any infor20 mation developed in studies of the land 

21 within the National Conservation Areas. 

22 (3) USES.— 

23 (A) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall 

24 allow only such uses of the National Conserva25 tion Areas as the Secretary determines would 


tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
6 

•HR 2926 IH

1 further the conservation purpose for which the 

2 National Conservation Areas are established. 

3 (B) USE OF MOTORIZED VEHICLES.— 

4 (i) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided 

5 in clauses (ii) and (iii), use of motorized 

6 vehicles in the National Conservation 

7 Areas shall be allowed only— 

8 (I) before the effective date of 

9 each management plan prepared pur10 suant to paragraph (2), on roads and 

11 trails designated for use of motorized 

12 vehicles in the management plan that 

13 applies on the date of the enactment 

14 of this Act; and 

15 (II) after the effective date of 

16 each management plan prepared pur17 suant to paragraph (2), on roads and 

18 trails designated for use of motorized 

19 vehicles in that management plan. 

20 (ii) ADMINISTRATIVE AND EMER21 GENCY RESPONSE USE.—Clause (i) shall 

22 not limit the use of motor vehicles in the 

23 National Conservation Areas for adminis24 trative purposes or to respond to an emer25 gency. 


tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
7 

•HR 2926 IH

1 (iii) LIMITATION.—This subparagraph 

2 shall not apply to the Wilderness Areas. 

3 (C) NEW ROADS.—No additional road shall 

4 be built within the National Conservation Areas 

5 after the date of enactment of this Act unless 

6 the road is identified in the Management Plans 

7 as necessary for public safety or resource pro8 tection. 

9 SEC. 4. DESIGNATION OF WILDERNESS AREAS. 

10 (a) IN GENERAL.—In furtherance of the purposes of 

11 the Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. 1131 et seq.), the following 

12 areas in the State are designated as wilderness areas and 

13 as components of the National Wilderness Preservation 

14 System: 

15 (1) HUMMINGBIRD SPRINGS WILDERNESS ADDI16 TION.—Certain public land in Maricopa County, Ari17 zona, consisting of approximately 17,000 acres, as 

18 generally depicted on the map, which is incorporated 

19 in, and shall be considered to be a part of, the Hum20 mingbird Springs Wilderness, as designated by sec21 tion 101(a)(12) of the Arizona Desert Wilderness 

22 Act of 1990 (104 Stat. 4469). 

23 (2) WOOLSEY PEAK WILDERNESS ADDITION.— 

24 Certain public land in Maricopa County, Arizona, 

25 consisting of approximately 33,523 acres, as genVerDate Sep 11 2014 23:04 Jul 01, 2015 Jkt 049200 PO 00000 Frm 00007 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H2926.IH H2926

tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
8 

•HR 2926 IH

1 erally depicted on the map, which is incorporated in, 

2 and shall be considered to be a part of, the Woolsey 

3 Peak Wilderness, as designated by section 

4 101(a)(15) of the Arizona Desert Wilderness Act of 

5 1990 (104 Stat. 4469). 

6 (3) BELMONT MOUNTAINS WILDERNESS.—Cer7 tain public land in Maricopa County, Arizona, com8 prising approximately 19,000 acres, as generally de9 picted on the map, which shall be known as the 

10 ‘‘Belmont Mountains Wilderness’’. 

11 (4) SADDLE MOUNTAIN CENTENNIAL WILDER12 NESS.—Certain public land in Maricopa County, Ar13 izona, comprising approximately 24,200 acres, as 

14 generally depicted on the map, which shall be known 

15 as the ‘‘Saddle Mountain Centennial Wilderness’’. 

16 (5) GILA BEND WILDERNESS.—Certain public 

17 land in Maricopa County, Arizona, comprising ap18 proximately 68,800 acres, as generally depicted on 

19 the map, which shall be known as the ‘‘Gila Bend 

20 Wilderness’’. 

21 (6) SONORAN DESERT NATIONAL MONUMENT

22 WILDERNESS.—Certain public land in Maricopa 

23 County, Arizona, within the Sonoran Desert Na24 tional Monument, comprising approximately 128,300 

25 acres, as generally depicted on the map, which shall 


tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
9 

•HR 2926 IH

1 be known as the ‘‘Sonoran Desert National Monu2 ment Wilderness’’. 

3 (b) ADMINISTRATION OF WILDERNESS.—Subject to 

4 valid existing rights, the Wilderness Areas designated by 

5 this Act shall be managed by the Secretary in accordance 

6 with the Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. 1131 et seq.) and this 

7 Act, except that— 

8 (1) any reference in the Wilderness Act to the 

9 effective date of that Act shall be considered to be 

10 a reference to the date of enactment of this Act; and 

11 (2) any reference in the Wilderness Act to the 

12 Secretary of Agriculture shall be considered to be a 

13 reference to the Secretary of the Interior. 

14 SEC. 5. SPECIAL MANAGEMENT AREAS. 

15 (a) ESTABLISHMENT.—There are established in the 

16 State: 

17 (1) SENTINEL PLAIN SPECIAL MANAGEMENT

18 AREA.— 

19 (A) BOUNDARY.—The Sentinel Plain Spe20 cial Management Area, consisting of approxi21 mately 120,600 acres, as generally depicted on 

22 the map. 

23 (B) PURPOSE.—The purpose of the Sen24 tinel Plain Special Management Area is to en25 sure ecological connectivity and movement of 


tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
10 

•HR 2926 IH

1 wildlife between the Barry M. Goldwater Air 

2 Force Range and the Gila Bend National Con3 servation Area; to secure native habitat for na4 tive species; and to provide recreation and de5 velopment opportunities that are compatible 

6 with native species and with Department of De7 fense activities related to the Barry M. Gold8 water Air Force Range. 

9 (2) RAINBOW VALLEY SPECIAL MANAGEMENT

10 AREA.— 

11 (A) BOUNDARY.—The Rainbow Valley 

12 Special Management Area, consisting of ap13 proximately 23,400 acres, as generally depicted 

14 on the map. 

15 (B) PURPOSE.—The purpose of the Rain16 bow Valley Special Management Area is to en17 sure ecological connectivity and movement of 

18 wildlife between the Sierra Estrella Mountains 

19 and the Sonoran Desert National Monument. 

20 (b) MANAGEMENT PLANS.— 

21 (1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 3 years after 

22 the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary 

23 shall develop for each of the Special Management 

24 Areas a comprehensive management plan for the 

25 long-term protection and management of that area. 


tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
11 

•HR 2926 IH

1 (2) PURPOSES.—Each management plan 

2 shall— 

3 (A) describe the appropriate uses and 

4 management of each special management area 

5 consistent with the conservation purpose as 

6 specified in section 5(a); 

7 (B) be drafted with consultation from 

8 local, regional, and State jurisdictions; 

9 (C) be developed with extensive public 

10 input; 

11 (D) take into consideration any informa12 tion developed in studies and plans for the land 

13 within each special management area; 

14 (E) shall consider cooperative management 

15 alternatives between the Bureau of Land Man16 agement and local, regional, and State jurisdic17 tions that further the purposes outlined in sec18 tion 5(a); and 

19 (F) for the purposes of ensuring ecological 

20 connectivity and movement of wildlife through 

21 the Rainbow Valley and Sentinel Plain Special 

22 Management Areas, the management plans 

23 shall— 

24 (i) prioritize landscape permeability, 

25 wildlife connectivity and continued moveVerDate Sep 11 2014 01:24 Jul 02, 2015 Jkt 049200 PO 00000 Frm 00011 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H2926.IH H2926

tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
12 

•HR 2926 IH

1 ment of wildlife between the Sierra 

2 Estrella Mountains and the Sonoran 

3 Desert National Monument across Rain4 bow Valley, and between the Barry M. 

5 Goldwater Air Force Range and the Gila 

6 Bend National Conservation Area across 

7 Sentinel Plain, respectively; 

8 (ii) identify the means to maintain 

9 permeability, connectivity and wildlife 

10 movement in the area including, but not 

11 limited to, wildlife crossing structures and 

12 other infrastructure improvements and the 

13 criteria to implement such alternatives; 

14 (iii) incorporate current scientific 

15 knowledge of wildlife movement for a vari16 ety of identified focal species; and 

17 (iv) establish a monitoring program to 

18 determine the effectiveness of the plan for 

19 wildlife connectivity. 

20 SEC. 6. MAPS AND LEGAL DESCRIPTIONS. 

21 (a) IN GENERAL.—As soon as practicable after the 

22 date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall file maps 

23 and legal descriptions of the National Conservation Areas, 

24 the Wilderness Areas, and the Special Management Areas 

25 with— 


tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
13 

•HR 2926 IH

1 (1) the Committee on Energy and Natural Re2 sources of the Senate; and 

3 (2) the Committee on Natural Resources of the 

4 House of Representatives. 

5 (b) FORCE AND EFFECT.—The maps and legal de6 scriptions filed under subsection (a) shall have the same 

7 force and effect as if included in this Act, except that the 

8 Secretary may correct clerical and typographical errors in 

9 the maps and legal descriptions. 

10 (c) PUBLIC AVAILABILITY.—The maps and legal de11 scriptions filed under subsection (a) shall be available for 

12 public inspection in— 

13 (1) the Office of the Director of the Bureau of 

14 Land Management; and 

15 (2) the appropriate office of the Bureau of 

16 Land Management in the State. 

17 SEC. 7. MANAGEMENT OF NATIONAL CONSERVATION 

18 AREAS, WILDERNESS AREAS, AND SPECIAL 

19 MANAGEMENT AREAS. 

20 (a) MILITARY USE.—Nothing in this Act restricts or 

21 precludes— 

22 (1) overflights of military aircraft over the Na23 tional Conservation Areas, Wilderness Areas, or Spe24 cial Management Areas designated by this Act inVerDate Sep 11 2014 23:04 Jul 01, 2015 Jkt 049200 PO 00000 Frm 00013 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H2926.IH H2926

tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
14 

•HR 2926 IH

1 cluding military overflights that can be seen or 

2 heard within the areas; 

3 (2) flight testing and evaluation; or 

4 (3) the designation or creation of new units of 

5 special use airspace, or the establishment of military 

6 flight training routes, over the National Conserva7 tion Areas, Wilderness Areas, or Special Manage8 ment Areas. 

9 (b) HUNTING, FISH AND WILDLIFE.— 

10 (1) HUNTING.—Nothing in this section or the 

11 Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. 1131 et seq.) shall affect 

12 hunting, under applicable State and Federal laws 

13 and regulations, within a covered wilderness area. 

14 (2) JURISDICTION.—As provided in section 

15 4(d)(7) of the Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. 

16 1133(d)(7)), nothing in this section or the Wilder17 ness Act shall be construed as affecting the jurisdic18 tion or responsibilities of the State of Arizona with 

19 respect to fish and wildlife in the State. 

20 (3) WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT.—Management ac21 tivities to maintain or restore fish and wildlife popu22 lations and the habitats to support such populations 

23 may be carried out within a covered wilderness area, 

24 where consistent with the Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. 

25 1131 et seq.) and other applicable laws. 


tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
15 

•HR 2926 IH

1 (4) COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT.—The Secretary 

2 shall enter into a cooperative agreement with the 

3 State of Arizona for management of fish and wildlife 

4 within a covered wilderness area. The cooperative 

5 agreement shall specify the terms and conditions 

6 under which the State or a designee of the State 

7 may use wildlife management activities in a covered 

8 wilderness area consistent with the Wilderness Act 

9 (16 U.S.C. 1131 et seq.), and other applicable laws. 

10 (c) LIVESTOCK GRAZING.— 

11 (1) GRAZING IN NATIONAL CONSERVATION

12 AREAS OR SPECIAL MANAGEMENT AREAS.—Except 

13 as provided in paragraph (2), the Secretary shall 

14 issue and administer any grazing leases or permits 

15 in the National Conservation Areas or Special Man16 agement Areas in accordance with the laws (includ17 ing regulations) applicable to the issuance and ad18 ministration of such leases and permits on other 

19 land under the jurisdiction of the Bureau of Land 

20 Management. 

21 (2) GRAZING IN WILDERNESS AREAS.—The 

22 grazing of livestock in a wilderness area designated 

23 by this Act, if established as of the date of enact24 ment of this Act, shall be permitted to continue— 


tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
16 

•HR 2926 IH

1 (A) subject to any reasonable regulations, 

2 policies, and practices that the Secretary deter3 mines to be necessary; and 

4 (B) in accordance with— 

5 (i) section 4(d)(4) of the Wilderness 

6 Act (16 U.S.C. 1133(d)(4)); and 

7 (ii) the guidelines set forth in Appen8 dix A of the report of the Committee on 

9 Interior and Insular Affairs of the House 

10 of Representatives accompanying H.R. 

11 2570 of the 101st Congress (H. Rept. 

12 101–405). 

13 (d) ACCESS TO PRIVATE LANDS.—The Secretary 

14 shall provide any owner of private property— 

15 (1) within the boundary of a national conserva16 tion area or special management area designated by 

17 this Act adequate access to the property; and 

18 (2) within the boundary of a wilderness area 

19 designated by this Act adequate access to the prop20 erty in accordance with section 5(a) of the Wilder21 ness Act (16 U.S.C. 1134(a)). 

22 (e) VALID EXISTING RIGHTS.—The designation of 

23 the National Conservation Areas, Wilderness Areas, and 

24 Special Management Areas is subject to valid rights in ex25 istence on the date of enactment of this Act. 


tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
17 

•HR 2926 IH

1 (f) WITHDRAWAL.—Subject to valid existing rights, 

2 all public land within the National Conservation Areas, 

3 Wilderness Areas, and Special Management Areas, and all 

4 land and interests in land acquired by the United States 

5 within the National Conservation Areas, Wilderness 

6 Areas, or Special Management Areas is withdrawn from— 

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

8 under the public land laws; 

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

10 laws; and 

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

12 all laws relating to— 

13 (A) minerals; or 

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

15 (g) NO BUFFER ZONES.— 

16 (1) IN GENERAL.—Nothing in this subtitle cre17 ates a protective perimeter or buffer zone around the 

18 National Conservation Areas, Wilderness Areas, or 

19 Special Management Areas. 

20 (2) ACTIVITIES OUTSIDE NATIONAL CONSERVA21 TION AREAS, WILDERNESS AREAS, AND SPECIAL

22 MANAGEMENT AREAS.—The fact that an activity or 

23 use on land outside a National Conservation Area, 

24 Wilderness Area, or Special Management Area can 


tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
18 

•HR 2926 IH

1 be seen or heard within the area shall not preclude 

2 the activity or use outside the boundary of the areas. 

3 (h) FIRE, INSECTS, AND DISEASES.—Subject to such 

4 terms and conditions as the Secretary determines to be 

5 desirable and appropriate, the Secretary may undertake 

6 such measures as are necessary to control fire, insects, 

7 and diseases— 

8 (1) in the Wilderness Areas, in accordance with 

9 section 4(d)(1) of the Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. 

10 1133(d)(1)); and 

11 (2) except as provided in paragraph (1), in the 

12 National Conservation Areas and Special Manage13 ment Areas in accordance with this Act and any 

14 other applicable laws. 

15 (i) INVASIVE SPECIES AND NOXIOUS WEEDS.—In ac16 cordance with any applicable laws and subject to such 

17 terms and conditions as the Secretary determines to be 

18 desirable and appropriate, the Secretary may prescribe 

19 measures to control nonnative invasive plants and noxious 

20 weeds within the National Conservation Areas and Special 

21 Management Areas. 

22 (j) NATIVE AMERICAN USES AND INTERESTS.—To 

23 the extent practicable, the Secretary shall ensure access 

24 to the National Conservation Areas, Wilderness Areas, 

25 and Special Management Areas by members of an Indian 


tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
19 

•HR 2926 IH

1 tribe for traditional cultural purposes, including spiritual 

2 or food-gathering activities. In implementing this para3 graph, the Secretary, upon the request of an Indian tribe, 

4 may temporarily close to the general public use of one or 

5 more specific portions of a national conservation area, wil6 derness area, or special management area in order to pro7 tect the privacy of traditional cultural activities in such 

8 areas by members of the Indian tribe. Any such closure 

9 shall be made to affect the smallest practicable area for 

10 the minimum period necessary for such purposes. Such ac11 cess shall be consistent with the purpose and intent of 

12 Public Law 95–341 (42 U.S.C. 1996), commonly referred 

13 to as the American Indian Religious Freedom Act. 

14 (k) UTILITY RIGHTS-OF-WAY.—Nothing in this Act 

15 precludes the Secretary from renewing an existing utility 

16 right-of-way through a national conservation area or spe17 cial management area in a manner that minimizes harm 

18 to the purposes of the national conservation area or special 

19 management area described in subsection (b) and section 

20 5(a)— 

21 (1) in accordance with— 

22 (A) the National Environmental Policy Act 

23 of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.); and 

24 (B) any other applicable law; and 


tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
20 

•HR 2926 IH

1 (2) subject to such terms and conditions as the 

2 Secretary determines to be appropriate. 

3 (l) MAINTENANCE OF EXISTING COMMUNICATIONS

4 FACILITIES.—The provisions of this Act shall not be con5 strued to prevent— 

6 (1) the maintenance of communications facili7 ties, in existence on the date of the enactment of 

8 this Act and located in a national conservation area; 

9 or 

10 (2) limited motorized access to such facilities 

11 when non-motorized access means are not reasonably 

12 available or when time is of the essence, subject to 

13 such conditions as the Secretary considers to be de14 sirable. 

15 (m) MAINTENANCE OF AGUA CALIENTE ROAD.—In 

16 preparing resource management and travel management 

17 plans for the Lower Sonoran Field Office, the Secretary 

18 shall provide for protection of the existing, low-standard 

19 (BLM Maintenance Level 3) Agua Caliente which provides 

20 access to the wilderness and high conservation value lands 

21 designated by this Act, and shall assure that the wilder22 ness environment and atmosphere enjoyed by users of this 

23 road, which Congress finds is well-matched to the rugged 

24 and wild character of the wilderness beyond the roadside, 

25 is not degraded by incompatible development within the 


tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
21 

•HR 2926 IH

1 road corridor or by improvement of the road itself other 

2 than as he determines necessary for public safety. 

3 SEC. 8. ACQUISITION OF LAND. 

4 (a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary may acquire non5 public land within the boundaries of the National Con6 servation Areas, the Wilderness Areas, or the Special 

7 Management Areas established by this Act only through 

8 exchange, donation, or purchase from a willing seller. 

9 (b) MANAGEMENT.—Land acquired under this sec10 tion shall— 

11 (1) become part of the National Conservation 

12 Areas, the Wilderness Areas, or the Special Manage13 ment Areas involved; and 

14 (2) be managed in accordance with this Act and 

15 any other applicable laws. 

16 SEC. 9. BORDER SECURITY. 

17 Nothing in this Act— 

18 (1) prevents the Secretary of Homeland Secu19 rity from undertaking law enforcement and border 

20 security activities— 

21 (A) in the National Conservation Areas 

22 and Special Management Areas outside the Wil23 derness Areas, or 

24 (B) in accordance with section 4(c) of the 

25 Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. 1133(c)), within the 


tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
22 

•HR 2926 IH

1 Wilderness Areas, including the ability to use 

2 motorized access within a Wilderness Area 

3 while in pursuit of a suspect; 

4 (2) affects the 2006 Memorandum of Under5 standing among the Department of Homeland Secu6 rity, the Department of the Interior, and the De7 partment of Agriculture regarding cooperative na8 tional security and counterterrorism efforts on pub9 lic land along the borders of the United States; or 

10 (3) prevents the Secretary of Homeland Secu11 rity from conducting any low-level overflights over 

12 the National Conservation Areas and Special Man13 agement Areas or the Wilderness Areas that may be 

14 necessary for law enforcement and border security 

15 purposes. 

16 SEC. 10. WATER RIGHTS. 

17 (a) RESERVATION OF RIGHTS.—With respect to each 

18 wilderness area designated by this Act, Congress hereby 

19 reserves a quantity of water sufficient to fulfill the pur20 poses of this Act. The priority date of such reserved rights 

21 shall be the date of enactment of this Act. 

22 (b) PROTECTION OF RIGHTS.—The Secretary and all 

23 other officers of the United States shall take steps nec24 essary to protect the rights reserved by subsection (a), in25 cluding the filing by the Secretary of a claim for the quanVerDate Sep 11 2014 23:04 Jul 01, 2015 Jkt 049200 PO 00000 Frm 00022 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H2926.IH H2926

tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
23 

•HR 2926 IH

1 tification of such rights in any present or future appro2 priate stream adjudication in the courts of the State in 

3 which the United States is or may be joined and which 

4 is conducted in accordance with the McCarran Amend5 ment (43 U.S.C. 666). 

6 (c) NO RELINQUISHMENT OR REDUCTION.—Nothing 

7 in this section shall be construed as a relinquishment or 

8 reduction of any water rights reserved or appropriated by 

9 the United States in the State on or before the date of 

10 enactment of this Act. 

11 (d) RESERVATION FOR SPECIFIC WILDERNESS.— 

12 The Federal water rights reserved by this section are spe13 cific to the wilderness located in the State designated by 

14 this Act. Nothing in this section related to reserved Fed15 eral water rights shall be construed as establishing a 

16 precedent with regard to any future designations, nor shall 

17 it constitute an interpretation of any other Act or any des18 ignation made pursuant thereto. 

Æ 


tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with BILLS