San Juan Mountains Wilderness Act

To designate certain land in San Miguel, Ouray, and San Juan Counties, Colorado, as wilderness, to designate certain special management areas in the State of Colorado, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the San Juan Mountains Wilderness Act 2. Definitions In this Act: (1) Covered Land The term covered land (A) land designated as wilderness under paragraphs (23) through (25) of section 2(a) of the Colorado Wilderness Act of 1993 ( 16 U.S.C. 1132 Public Law 103–77 (B) land designated as a Special Management Area. (2) Secretary The term Secretary (3) Special management area The term Special Management Area (A) the Sheep Mountain Special Management Area designated by section 4(a)(1); and (B) the Liberty Bell East Special Management Area designated by section 4(a)(2). (4) State The term State 3. Additions to the National Wilderness Preservation System Section 2(a) of the Colorado Wilderness Act of 1993 ( 16 U.S.C. 1132 Public Law 103–77 (23) Lizard Head wilderness addition Certain Federal land in the Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre, and Gunnison National Forests comprising approximately 3,141 acres, as generally depicted on the map entitled Proposed Wilson, Sunshine, Black Face and San Bernardo Additions to the Lizard Head Wilderness (24) Mount Sneffels Wilderness additions (A) Liberty Bell and Last Dollar Additions Certain Federal land in the Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre, and Gunnison National Forests comprising approximately 7,279 acres, as generally depicted on the map entitled Proposed Liberty Bell and Last Dollar Additions to the Mt. Sneffels Wilderness, Liberty Bell East Special Management Area (B) Whitehouse Additions Certain Federal land in the Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre, and Gunnison National Forests comprising approximately 12,468 acres, as generally depicted on the map entitled Proposed Whitehouse Additions to the Mt. Sneffels Wilderness (25) McKenna Peak Wilderness Certain Federal land in the State of Colorado comprising approximately 8,600 acres of Bureau of Land Management land, as generally depicted on the map entitled McKenna Peak Wilderness McKenna Peak Wilderness . 4. Special Management Areas (a) Designation (1) Sheep mountain special management area The Federal land in the Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre, and Gunnison and San Juan National Forests in the State comprising approximately 21,675 acres, as generally depicted on the map entitled Proposed Sheep Mountain Special Management Area Sheep Mountain Special Management Area (2) Liberty bell east special management area The Federal land in the Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre, and Gunnison National Forests in the State comprising approximately 792 acres, as generally depicted on the map entitled Proposed Liberty Bell and Last Dollar Additions to the Mt. Sneffels Wilderness, Liberty Bell East Special Management Area Liberty Bell East Special Management Area (b) Purpose The purpose of the Special Management Areas is to conserve and protect for the benefit and enjoyment of present and future generations the geological, cultural, archaeological, paleontological, natural, scientific, recreational, wilderness, wildlife, riparian, historical, educational, and scenic resources of the Special Management Areas. (c) Management (1) In general The Secretary shall manage the Special Management Areas in a manner that— (A) conserves, protects, and enhances the resources and values of the Special Management Areas described in subsection (b); (B) subject to paragraph (3), maintains or improves the wilderness character of the Special Management Areas and the suitability of the Special Management Areas for potential inclusion in the National Wilderness Preservation System; and (C) is in accordance with— (i) the National Forest Management Act of 1976 ( 16 U.S.C. 1600 (ii) this Act; and (iii) any other applicable laws. (2) Prohibitions The following shall be prohibited in the Special Management Areas: (A) Permanent roads. (B) Except as necessary to meet the minimum requirements for the administration of the Federal land, to provide access for abandoned mine cleanup, and to protect public health and safety— (i) the use of motor vehicles, motorized equipment, or mechanical transport (other than provided in paragraph (3)); and (ii) the establishment of temporary roads. (3) Authorized activities (A) In general The Secretary may allow any activities (including helicopter access for recreation and maintenance and the competitive running event permitted since 1992) that have been authorized by permit or license as of the date of enactment of this Act to continue within the Special Management Areas, subject to such terms and conditions as the Secretary may require. (B) Permitting The designation of the Special Management Areas by subsection (a) shall not affect the issuance of permits relating to the activities covered under subparagraph (A) after the date of enactment of this Act. (C) Bicycles The Secretary may permit the use of bicycles in— (i) the portion of the Sheep Mountain Special Management Area identified as Ophir Valley Area Proposed Sheep Mountain Special Management Area (ii) the portion of the Liberty Bell East Special Management Area identified as Liberty Bell Corridor Proposed Liberty Bell and Last Dollar Additions to the Mt. Sneffels Wilderness, Liberty Bell East Special Management Area (d) Applicable law Water and water rights in the Special Management Areas shall be administered in accordance with section 8 of the Colorado Wilderness Act of 1993 ( Public Law 103–77 (1) any reference in that section to the lands designated as wilderness by this Act the Piedra, Roubideau, and Tabeguache areas identified in section 9 of this Act, or the Bowen Gulch Protection Area or the Fossil Ridge Recreation Management Area identified in sections 5 and 6 of this Act the areas described in sections 2, 5, 6, and 9 of this Act the Special Management Areas (2) any reference in that section to this Act the San Juan Mountains Wilderness Act 5. Administrative provisions (a) Fish and Wildlife Nothing in this Act affects the jurisdiction or responsibility of the State with respect to fish and wildlife in the State. (b) No Buffer Zones (1) In general Nothing in this Act creates a protective perimeter or buffer zone around covered land. (2) Activities outside wilderness The fact that a nonwilderness activity or use on land outside of the covered land can be seen or heard from within covered land shall not preclude the conduct of the activity or use outside the boundary of the covered land. (c) Maps and legal descriptions (1) In general As soon as practicable after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary or the Secretary of the Interior, as appropriate, shall file a map and a legal description of each wilderness area designated by paragraphs (23) through (25) of section 2(a) of the Colorado Wilderness Act of 1993 ( 16 U.S.C. 1132 Public Law 103–77 (A) the Committee on Natural Resources of the House of Representatives; and (B) the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate. (2) Force of law Each map and legal description filed under paragraph (1) shall have the same force and effect as if included in this Act, except that the Secretary or the Secretary of the Interior, as appropriate, may correct clerical and typographical errors in each map and legal description. (3) Public availability Each map and legal description filed under paragraph (1) shall be on file and available for public inspection in the appropriate offices of the Bureau of Land Management and the Forest Service. (d) Acquisition of land (1) In general The Secretary or the Secretary of the Interior, as appropriate, may acquire any land or interest in land within the boundaries of a Special Management Area or the wilderness designated under paragraphs (23) through (25) of section 2(a) of the Colorado Wilderness Act of 1993 ( 16 U.S.C. 1132 Public Law 103–77 (2) Management Any land or interest in land acquired under paragraph (1) shall be incorporated into, and administered as a part of, the wilderness or Special Management Area in which the land or interest in land is located. (e) Grazing The grazing of livestock on covered land, if established before the date of enactment of this Act, shall be permitted to continue subject to such reasonable regulations as are considered necessary by the Secretary with jurisdiction over the covered land, in accordance with— (1) section 4(d)(4) of the Wilderness Act ( 16 U.S.C. 1133(d)(4) (2) the applicable guidelines set forth in Appendix A of the report of the Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs of the House of Representatives accompanying H.R. 2570 of the 101st Congress (H. Rept. 101–405) or H.R. 5487 of the 96th Congress (H. Rept. 96–617). (f) Withdrawal Subject to valid rights in existence on the date of enactment of this Act, the covered land and the approximately 6,590 acres generally depicted on the map entitled Proposed Naturita Canyon Mineral Withdrawal Area (1) entry, appropriation, and disposal under the public land laws; (2) location, entry, and patent under mining laws; and (3) operation of the mineral leasing, mineral materials, and geothermal leasing laws. 6. Technical correction Subtitle E of title II of Public Law 111–11 16 U.S.C. 460zzz (1) by redesignating section 2408 ( 16 U.S.C. 460zzz–7 (2) by inserting after section 2407 ( 16 U.S.C. 460zzz–6 2408. Release (a) In general Congress finds that, for the purposes of section 603(c) of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 ( 43 U.S.C. 1782(c) (b) Release Any public land referred to in subsection (a) that is not designated as wilderness by this subtitle— (1) is no longer subject to section 603(c) of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 ( 43 U.S.C. 1782(c) (2) shall be managed in accordance with this subtitle and any other applicable laws. .

Summary: San Juan Mountains Wilderness Act- (Sec. 3) Designates specified lands in the Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre, and Gunnison National Forests and specified land of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) in Colorado as parts of the Lizard Head Wilderness and of the Mount Sneffels Wilderness in the National Wilderness Preservation System. Designates certain BLM land as the McKenna Peak Wilderness. (Sec. 4) Designates specified lands in such National Forests and San Juan National Forest as the Sheep Mountain Special Management Area (the Special Management Area). Requires the Secretary of Agriculture (USDA) to manage the Special Management Area in a manner that: (1) conserves, protects, and enhances the resources and values of such Area; and (2) maintains or improves its wilderness character for potential inclusion in the System. Prohibits the use in the Special Management Area of: (1) permanent roads; (2) motor vehicles, motorized equipment, or mechanical transport, except for administrative purposes; and (3) the establishment of temporary roads, except also for administrative purposes. Permits the continuation within the Special Management Area of any activities (including helicopter access for recreation and maintenance) authorized by permit or license. Prohibits the designation of the special management area from affecting the issuance of permits related to those activities after the enactment of this Act. Requires water and water rights in the Area to be administered in accordance with the Colorado Wilderness Act of 1993. (Sec. 5) Allows the Secretary to continue to authorize the competitive running event permitted since 1992 in the vicinity of the Special Management Area, the Liberty Bell East Special Management Area, and the Liberty Bell addition to the Mount Sneffels Wilderness designated by this Act in a manner compatible with the preservation of those areas as wilderness. Declares that nothing in this Act affects the jurisdiction or responsibility of the state of Colorado respecting fish and wildlife. Declares that nothing in this Act creates a protective perimeter or buffer zone around the wilderness areas and the Special Management Area designated by this Act (the covered land). Declares that the fact that a nonwilderness activity or use on land outside of the covered land can be seen or heard from within the covered land shall not preclude the conduct of the activity or use outside the boundary of the covered land. Allows the Secretary or the Secretary of the Interior, as appropriate, to acquire any land or interests in land within the boundaries of the Special Management Area or the designated wilderness areas only through exchange, donation, or purchase from a willing seller. Requires continued permission of livestock grazing already established on the covered land. Withdraws the covered land, the land identified as the proposed Naturita Canyon Mineral Withdrawal Area, and the proposed Liberty Bell East Special Management Area from: (1) entry, appropriation, and disposal under the public land laws; (2) location, entry, and patent under the mining laws; and (3) operation of the mineral leasing, mineral materials, and geothermal leasing laws. Prohibits the use of motor vehicles, motorized equipment, or mechanized transport in the proposed Liberty Bell East Special Management Area. Releases certain parts of the Dominguez Canyon Wilderness Study Area that were not designated as wilderness by this Act from further study for designation as wilderness.