Western Colorado Wilderness Study Area Release Act

To release a Wilderness Study Area administered by the Bureau of Land Management in Jackson County, Colorado, that was not found suitable for wilderness designation, and to release residual Wilderness Study Area acreage in Mesa and Delta Counties, Colorado, that were excluded from their respective wilderness designations from continued management for wilderness characteristics. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Western Colorado Wilderness Study Area Release Act 2. Findings and purpose (a) Findings (1) 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) (A) the Bureau of Land Management in 1980 found the North Sand Hills Instant Study Area did not meet wilderness criteria; and (B) in 2011, the Bureau of Land Management Colorado Northwest Resource Advisory Council Resolution 2011–01 supported the release of the North Sand Hills Instant Study Area from further consideration of wilderness designation. (2) 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) 43 U.S.C. 1702(e) 43 U.S.C. 1702(e) (b) Purpose The purpose of this Act is to release certain Wilderness Study Areas from further consideration of wilderness designation, and to direct the Secretary of the Interior to manage those areas according to applicable land use plans. 3. Release of wilderness study areas (a) North Sand Hills Instant Study Area Any public land in the North Sand Hills Instant Study Area— (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 according to the applicable land use plan adopted under section 202 of that Act ( 43 U.S.C. 1712 (b) Dominguez Canyon Wilderness Study Area Any portion of the Dominguez Canyon Wilderness Study Area within the Dominguez-Escalante National Conservation Area, as designated by Public Law 111–11 (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 included in the non-wilderness component of the Dominguez-Escalante National Conservation Area; and (3) shall be managed according to the applicable National Conservation Area land use plan adopted under section 202 of that Act ( 43 U.S.C. 1712 (c) Black Ridge Canyons Wilderness Study Area Any portion of the Black Ridge Canyons Wilderness Study Area within the McInnis Canyons National Conservation Area, as designated by Public Law 106–353 (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 included in the non-wilderness component of the McInnis Canyons National Conservation Area; and (3) shall be managed according to the applicable National Conservation Area land use plan adopted under section 202 of that Act ( 43 U.S.C. 1712 4. Boundaries Along Colorado River Section 6(l)(5) of Public Law 106–353 16 U.S.C. 460mmm–4(l)(5) (1) by amending subparagraph (A) to read as follows: (A) In areas in which the Colorado River is used as a reference for defining the boundary of the Conservation Area, the boundary shall— (i) be located at the edge of the river; and (ii) change according to the river level. ; and (2) by inserting after subparagraph (A), the following (and redesignating the subsequent subparagraphs accordingly): (B) Regardless of the level of the Colorado River, no portion of the Colorado River shall be included in the Conservation Area. . 5. Authorization for certain land exchanges Section 2405 of the Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009 ( 16 U.S.C. 460zzz–4 (3) Certain conservation area exchanges (A) In general In order to protect and consolidate Federal land within the boundary of the Conservation Area and to resolve inadvertent trespasses, and subject to subparagraph (B), the Secretary may enter into an agreement with any owner of private land within the boundaries of the Conservation Area to exchange any private land for Federal land in the Conservation Area, if the Secretary determines that the exchange would enhance the values for which the Conservation Area is established. (B) Conditions An exchange of land under subparagraph (A) shall— (i) be carried out consistent with any applicable laws (including regulations, including laws relating to appraisals and equal value exchanges); and (ii) be subject to— (I) valid existing rights; and (II) any terms and conditions that the Secretary may require. .

Summary: Western Colorado Wilderness Study Area Release Act This bill releases the following areas in Colorado from further review for designation as wilderness: (1) any public lands in the North Sand Hills Instant Study Area, (2) any portions of the Dominguez Canyon Wilderness Study Area within the Dominguez-Escalante National Conservation Area not designated as wilderness, and (3) any portions of the Black Ridge Canyons Wilderness Study Area within the McInnis Canyons National Conservation Area not designated as wilderness. The bill states that in areas in which the Colorado River is used as a reference for defining the boundary of McInnis Canyons National Conservation Area, the boundary shall: (1) be located at the edge of the river, and (2) change according to the river's level. The bill prohibits the inclusion of any portion of the Colorado River, regardless of its level, within the conservation area. The Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009 is amended to authorize the Department of the Interior to enter into land exchanges within the conservation area which would enhance the values for which it was established.