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[Congressional Bills 103th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 172 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

103d CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                 S. 172

 To establish the Spring Mountains National Recreation Area in Nevada, 
                        and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

             January 21 (legislative day, January 5), 1993

  Mr. Bryan (for himself and Mr. Reid) introduced the following bill; 
   which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and 
                           Natural Resources

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL

 
 To establish the Spring Mountains National Recreation Area in Nevada, 
                        and for other purposes.

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

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Spring Mountains National Recreation 
Area Act''.

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

    As used in this Act:
            (1) National forest lands.--The term ``National Forest 
        lands'' means lands included in the National Forest System (as 
        defined in section 11(a) of the Forest and Rangeland Renewable 
        Resources Planning Act of 1974 (16 U.S.C. 1609(a))).
            (2) Recreation area.--The term ``Recreation Area'' means 
        the Spring Mountains National Recreation Area established by 
        section 4.
            (3) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of Agriculture.

SEC. 3. PURPOSES.

    The purposes of this Act are to--
            (1) preserve scenic, scientific, historic, cultural, 
        natural, wilderness, watershed, riparian, wildlife, threatened 
        and endangered species, and other values contributing to public 
        enjoyment and biological diversity in the Spring Mountains of 
        Nevada;
            (2) ensure appropriate conservation and management of 
        natural recreation resources in the Spring Mountains; and
            (3) provide for the development of public recreation 
        opportunities in the Spring Mountains for the enjoyment of 
        present and future generations.

SEC. 4. ESTABLISHMENT OF RECREATION AREA.

    (a) In General.--Subject to valid existing rights, there is 
established the Spring Mountains National Recreation Area in Nevada.
    (b) Boundaries and Map.--The Recreation Area shall consist of 
approximately 316,000 acres of federally owned lands and waters in the 
Toiyabe National Forest, as generally depicted on a map entitled 
``Spring Mountain National Recreation Area--Proposed'', numbered NV-CH, 
and dated August 2, 1992.
    (c) Map Filing.--As soon as practicable after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the Secretary shall file a map of the Recreation Area with 
the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate and the 
Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs of the House of 
Representatives.
    (d) Public Inspection.--The map shall be on file and available for 
public inspection in the offices of the Chief of the Forest Service, 
Department of Agriculture.
    (e) Discrepancies.--In the case of any discrepancy between the 
acreage referred to in subsection (b) and the map described in 
subsection (b), the map described in subsection (b) shall control with 
respect to any question concerning the boundaries of the Recreation 
Area.

SEC. 5. MANAGEMENT.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary, acting through the Chief of the 
Forest Service, shall manage the Recreation Area in accordance with the 
laws applicable to the National Forest System and this Act to provide 
for--
            (1) the conservation of scenic, scientific, historic, 
        cultural, and other values contributing to public enjoyment;
            (2) the conservation of fish and wildlife populations and 
        habitat, including the use of prescribed fire to improve or 
        maintain habitat;
            (3) the protection of watersheds and the maintenance of 
        free flowing streams and the quality of ground and surface 
        waters in accordance with applicable Federal and State law;
            (4) public outdoor recreation benefits, including hunting, 
        fishing, trapping, hiking, horseback riding, backpacking, rock 
        climbing, camping, and nature study;
            (5) wilderness areas as designated by Congress pursuant to 
        the Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. 1131 et seq.); and
            (6) the management, utilization, and disposal of natural 
        resources in a manner compatible with the purposes for which 
        the Recreation Area is established.
    (b) Hunting, Trapping, and Fishing.--
            (1) In general.--Subject to paragraph (2), the Secretary 
        shall permit hunting, trapping, fishing, and habitat management 
        within the Recreation Area in accordance with the laws of the 
        United States and the State of Nevada.
            (2) Exceptions.--The Secretary, after consultation with the 
        Nevada Department of Wildlife, may designate zones where and 
        periods when hunting, trapping, or fishing shall not be 
        permitted for reasons of public safety, administration, or 
        public use and enjoyment.
    (c) Grazing.--The Secretary may permit the grazing of livestock 
within the Recreation Area pursuant to Federal law and subject to such 
reasonable regulations, policies, and practices as the Secretary 
considers necessary.
    (d) Preventive Measures.--Nothing in this Act shall preclude such 
reasonable measures as the Secretary considers necessary to protect the 
land and resources in the Recreation Area from fire or insect or 
disease infestation.

SEC. 6. MANAGEMENT PLAN.

    (a) In General.--
            (1) Procedures.--
                    (A) Development of plan.--Not later than 3 full 
                fiscal years after the date of enactment of this Act, 
                the Secretary shall develop a general management plan 
                for the Recreation Area as an amendment to the Toiyabe 
                National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan.
                    (B) Scope.--
                            (i) In general.--Subject to clause (ii), 
                        the amendment described in subparagraph (A) 
                        shall reflect the establishment of the 
                        Recreation Area and be consistent with this 
                        Act.
                            (ii) Effect on toiyabe plan.--Nothing in 
                        this Act shall require the Secretary to revise 
                        the Toiyabe National Forest Land and Resource 
                        Management Plan pursuant to section 6 of the 
                        Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources 
                        Planning Act of 1974 (16 U.S.C. 1604).
                    (C) Availability to public.--The general management 
                plan for the Recreation Area shall be available to the 
                public in a document separate from the rest of the 
                Toiyabe National Forest Land and Resource Management 
                Plan.
            (2) Contents.--The management plan described in paragraph 
        (1) shall be developed with full public participation and shall 
        include--
                    (A) implementation plans for a continuing program 
                of interpretation and public education about the 
                resources and values of the Recreation Area;
                    (B) proposals for public facilities to be 
                developed, expanded, or improved for the Recreation 
                Area, including one or more visitor centers to 
                accommodate both local and out-of-State visitors;
                    (C) plans for the management of natural and 
                cultural resources in the Recreation Area, with 
                emphasis on the preservation and long-term scientific 
                use of archaeological resources, with priority in 
                development given to the enforcement of the 
                Archaeological Resources Protection Act of 1979 (16 
                U.S.C. 470aa et seq.) and the National Historic 
                Preservation Act (16 U.S.C. 470 et seq.) within the 
                Recreation Area;
                    (D) wildlife and fish resource management plans for 
                the Recreation Area prepared in consultation with 
                appropriate departments of the State of Nevada and 
                using other available studies of the Recreation Area;
                    (E) recreation management plans for the Recreation 
                Area prepared in consultation with appropriate 
                departments of the State of Nevada;
                    (F) wild horse and burro herd management plans for 
                the Recreation Area prepared in consultation with 
                appropriate departments and commissions of the State of 
                Nevada; and
                    (G) an inventory of all lands within the Recreation 
                Area not presently managed as National Forest lands 
                that will permit the Secretary to evaluate possible 
                future acquisitions.
            (3) Consultation.--The plans for the management of natural 
        and cultural resources described in paragraph (2)(C) shall be 
        prepared in consultation with--
                    (A) the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation 
                established by title II of the National Historic 
                Preservation Act (16 U.S.C. 470i et seq.); and
                    (B) the Nevada State Department of Conservation and 
                Natural Resources, Division of Historic Preservation 
                and Archaeology.
    (b) Wilderness Study Areas.--
            (1) Recommendations.--The general management plan for the 
        Recreation Area shall include the recommendations of the Bureau 
        of Land Management as to the suitability for preservation as 
        wilderness pursuant to the Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. 1131 et 
        seq.) of the 89,270 acres identified as the Mt. Stirling, La 
        Madre Mountains, and Pine Creek Wilderness Study Areas on the 
        Bureau of Land Management Wilderness Status Map, dated March 
        1990.
            (2) Management.--Pending submission of a recommendation and 
        until otherwise directed by Act of Congress, the Secretary, 
        acting through the Chief of the Forest Service, shall manage 
        the lands and waters within the wilderness study areas referred 
        to in paragraph (1) so as to maintain their potential for 
        inclusion within the National Wilderness Preservation System.

SEC. 7. ACQUISITION OF LANDS.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary may acquire by donation, purchase 
with donated or appropriated funds, exchange, bequest, or otherwise 
such lands, or lesser interests in lands (including mineral interests, 
water rights, and scenic easements) as the Secretary determines are 
necessary to carry out this Act.
    (b) Exchanges Out of Federal Ownership.--Federally owned lands, 
waters, or interests in lands or waters located within the Recreation 
Area may not be exchanged except in connection with an exchange for 
lands, waters, or interests in lands or waters owned by the State of 
Nevada or a political subdivision of the State.
    (c) Incorporation of Acquired Lands.--Any lands, waters, or 
interests in lands or waters located within the Recreation Area that 
are acquired by the United States or are administratively transferred 
to the Secretary after the date of enactment of this Act shall be 
incorporated into the Recreation Area and managed in accordance with 
this Act and the laws applicable to the National Forest System.
    (d) Land and Water Conservation Fund.--
            (1) Boundaries.--For the purpose of section 7 of the Land 
        and Water Conservation Fund Act of 1965 (16 U.S.C. 460l-9), 
        when new boundaries are established for a unit of the National 
        Forest System pursuant to subsection (c), the new boundaries 
        shall be treated as if they were the boundaries of the National 
        Forest as of January 1, 1965.
            (2) Availability of funds.--Money appropriated from the 
        Land and Water Conservation Fund shall be available for the 
        acquisition of lands, waters, and interests in lands and waters 
        in furtherance of the purposes of this Act.

SEC. 8. WITHDRAWAL.

    (a) In General.--Subject to valid existing rights and except for 
the lands described in subsection (b), all Federal lands within the 
Recreation Area and all lands, waters, and interests in lands and 
waters within the Recreation Area that are acquired by the United 
States after the date of enactment of this Act are withdrawn from--
            (1) all forms of entry, appropriation, or disposal under 
        the public land laws;
            (2) location, entry, and patent under the mining laws; and
            (3) operation under the mineral leasing and geothermal 
        leasing laws.
    (b) Exception.--The lands referred to in subsection (a) have the 
following legal description:
        S\1/2\ Sec. 23, W\1/2\E\1/2\ and W\1/2\ Sec. 27, E\1/2\E\1/2\ 
        Sec. 28, E\1/2\E\1/2\ Sec. 33, and W\1/2\ Sec. 34, T 23 S, R 58 
        E, Mt. Diablo Meridian.

SEC. 9. COORDINATED MANAGEMENT.

    The Secretary shall coordinate the management of the Recreation 
Area with the management of all proximate lands in a manner that best 
meets the present and future needs of the people of the United States.

SEC. 10. COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS.

    In order to encourage unified and cost-effective management and 
interpretation of natural and cultural resources in southern Nevada, 
the Secretary may enter into cooperative agreements with other Federal, 
State, and local agencies, and with nonprofit entities, that provide 
for the management and interpretation of natural and cultural resources 
in southern Nevada.

SEC. 11. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as are necessary 
to carry out this Act.

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