Hermosa Creek Watershed Protection Act of 2014

To designate certain Federal land in the San Juan National Forest in the State of Colorado as wilderness, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Hermosa Creek Watershed Protection Act of 2014 2. Purposes The purposes of this Act are— (1) to maintain the cultural, economic, and ecological health of the Hermosa Creek Watershed and the surrounding communities that rely on the Watershed; (2) to protect the purity of water that comes from the Hermosa Creek Watershed and supplies residents of the Animas River Valley and the city of Durango, Colorado, with clean drinking water; (3) to protect the purity of, and water supply from, the Hermosa Creek Watershed for agricultural purposes, including irrigation and stockwater uses; (4) to enhance the economic prosperity of local communities in the area who depend on the area for water, recreation, and sustainable natural resource uses; (5) to protect and provide residents and visitors the opportunity to enjoy the recreational, geological, cultural, natural, scientific, wildlife, riparian, historical, educational, and scenic resources of the Watershed; (6) to provide world-class opportunities for skiing, biking, hiking, fishing, hunting, horseback riding, snowmobiling, motorcycle riding, snowshoeing, and camping; (7) to provide for economic and natural resource development (including sustainable grazing, vegetation management, beneficial uses of water, and mineral extraction) in a manner consistent with protecting the overall integrity of the Watershed; (8) to protect a viable population of the native Colorado River cutthroat trout fishery located in the Watershed; (9) to designate the Hermosa Creek Wilderness Area and the Hermosa Creek Special Management Area; and (10) to conserve, protect, and manage a healthy Hermosa Creek Watershed for the long-term ecological integrity of the Watershed and the long-term economic health of surrounding communities by allowing sustainable economic development and traditional natural resource development in a manner consistent with the purposes described in paragraphs (1) through (8). 3. Definitions In this Act: (1) City The term City (2) County The term County (3) Map The term Map Hermosa Creek Proposed Watershed Protection Area (4) Secretary The term Secretary (5) Special management area The term Special Management Area (6) State The term State 4. Hermosa Creek Watershed Protection Area Certain Federal land in the San Juan National Forest comprising approximately 107,866 acres, as generally depicted on the Map may be called the Hermosa Creek Watershed Protection Area 5. Designation of Hermosa Creek Special Management Area (a) Designation Subject to valid existing rights, certain Federal land in the San Juan National Forest comprising approximately 68,289 acres, as generally depicted on the Map, is designated as the Hermosa Creek Special Management Area (b) Administration (1) In general The Secretary shall administer the Special Management Area in accordance with— (A) the National Forest Management Act of 1976 ( 16 U.S.C. 1600 et seq. (B) this Act; and (C) any other applicable laws. (2) Uses (A) In general The Secretary shall allow such uses of the Special Management Area that the Secretary determines would further the purposes described in section 2. (B) Motorized and mechanized vehicles (i) In general Except as provided in clause (ii) and as needed for administrative purposes or to respond to an emergency, the use of motorized and mechanized vehicles in the Special Management Area shall be permitted only on roads and trails designated for use by such vehicles as identified on the Map as Trails Open to Motorized Uses Trails Open to Mechanized Uses (ii) Over-snow vehicles The Secretary shall authorize the use of snowmobiles and other over-snow vehicles within the Special Management Area— (I) when there is adequate snow coverage; and (II) subject to such terms and conditions as the Secretary may require. (iii) Continued Access Within the Special Management Area, at a minimum, the Secretary shall maintain access for motorized and mechanized recreation opportunities as identified as Trails Open to Motorized Uses Trails Open to Mechanized Uses (C) Grazing Grazing and other traditional economic activities are compatible with the Special Management Area designation and the Secretary shall permit grazing within the Special Management Area, where established before the date of enactment of this Act subject to all applicable laws (including regulations) and Executive orders. (D) Prohibited activities Within the area of the Special Management Area identified on the Map as East Hermosa Area (i) New permanent or temporary road construction or the renovation of existing nonsystem roads, except as allowed under the final rule entitled Special Areas; Roadless Area Conservation; Applicability to the National Forests in Colorado (ii) Projects undertaken for the purpose of harvesting commercial timber (other than activities relating to the harvest of merchantable products that are byproducts of activities conducted for ecological restoration or to further the purposes described in this Act). (c) Map and legal description (1) In general As soon as practicable after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall prepare a map and a legal description of the Special Management Area. (2) Force of law The map and legal description prepared under paragraph (1) shall have the same force and effect as if included in this Act, except that the Secretary may correct clerical and typographical errors in the map and legal description. (3) Public availability The map and legal description prepared under paragraph (1) shall be on file and available for public inspection in the appropriate offices of the Forest Service. (d) Incorporation of acquired land and interests in land Any land or interest in land that is acquired by the United States within the boundary of the Special Management Area shall— (1) only occur through donation or exchange with the written consent of the property owner; (2) become part of the Special Management Area; (3) be withdrawn in accordance with subsection (g); and (4) be managed in accordance with— (A) this Act; and (B) any other applicable laws. (e) Fish and wildlife Nothing in this Act affects the jurisdiction or responsibility of the State with respect to fish and wildlife in the State. (f) State and Federal water management Nothing in this section shall affect the development, operation, or maintenance of a water storage reservoir, including necessary ancillary roads and transmission infrastructure, at the site in the Special Management Area that is identified in— (1) pages 17 through 20 of the Statewide Water Supply Initiative studies prepared by the Colorado Water Conservation Board and issued by the State in November 2004; and (2) page 27 of the Colorado Dam Site Inventory prepared by the Colorado Water Conservation Board and dated August 1996. (g) Withdrawal Subject to valid rights in existence on the date of enactment of this Act, the Federal land within the Special Management Area is withdrawn from— (1) all forms of 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. (h) Adjacent management (1) In general The Special Management Area designated by subsection (a) or the wilderness designated by the Colorado Wilderness Act of 1993 ( 16 U.S.C. 1132 Public Law 103–77 (2) Other activities The fact that activities or uses can be seen, heard, or detected from areas within the wilderness designated by the Colorado Wilderness Act of 1993 ( 16 U.S.C. 1132 Public Law 103–77 (i) Winter skiing and related winter activities Nothing in this Act alters or limits— (1) a permit held by a ski area; (2) the implementation of the activities governed by a ski area permit; or (3) the authority of the Secretary to modify or expand an existing ski area permit. (j) Vegetation management Nothing in this section prevents the Secretary from conducting vegetation management projects within the Special Management Area— (1) subject to— (A) such reasonable regulations, policies, and practices as the Secretary determines appropriate; and (B) all applicable laws (including regulations); and (2) in a manner consistent with— (A) the purposes and management described in section 2; and (B) this section. (k) Wildfire, insect, and disease management Consistent with this section, the Secretary is authorized to take any measures that the Secretary determines to be necessary to manage wildland fire and treat hazardous fuels, insects, and diseases in the Special Management Area. The Secretary is further authorized to coordinate such measures with the appropriate State or local agency, should the Secretary determine such coordination to be necessary. (l) Management plan Not later than 3 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall develop a management plan for the long-term protection and management of the Special Management Area that— (1) takes into account public input and the purposes in section 2; and (2) provides for the recreational opportunities referred to in section 2(6) to occur within the Special Management Area. 6. State water rights Nothing in section 5 affects access to, use, or allocation of any absolute or conditional water right decreed under the laws of the State and in existence on the date of enactment of this Act. 7. Hermosa creek wilderness (a) Designation of wilderness Section 2(a) of the Colorado Wilderness Act of 1993 ( 16 U.S.C. 1132 Public Law 103–77 (22) Certain land within the San Juan National Forest which comprise approximately 37,236 acres, as generally depicted on the Map, and which shall be known as the Hermosa Creek Wilderness . (b) Effective date Any reference in the Wilderness Act ( 16 U.S.C. 1131 et seq. 16 U.S.C. 1132 Public Law 103–77 (c) Fire, insects, and diseases As provided in section 4(d)(1) of the Wilderness Act ( 16 U.S.C. 1133(d)(1) 16 U.S.C. 1132 Public Law 103–77 8. Durango area mineral withdrawal (a) Withdrawal Subject to valid existing rights, the land and mineral interests described in subsection (b) are withdrawn from all forms of— (1) entry, appropriation, or disposal under public land laws; (2) location, entry, and patent under the mining laws; and (3) disposition under all laws relating to mineral leasing, geothermal leasing, or mineral materials. (b) Description of land and mineral interests The land and mineral interests referred to in subsection (a) are the Federal land and mineral interests generally depicted within the Withdrawal Areas Perins Peak & Animas City Mountain, Horse Gulch and Lake Nighthorse Mineral Withdrawal (c) Buffer Nothing in this section shall require— (1) the creation of a protective perimeter or buffer area outside the boundaries of the withdrawal area described in subsection (b); or (2) any prohibition or limitation on activities outside of the boundaries of the withdrawal area described in subsection (b) that can be seen, heard, or detected from within the boundaries of the withdrawal area. (d) Public purpose conveyance Notwithstanding subsection (a), the Secretary may convey any portion of the land described in subsection (b) to the City, the County, or the State— (1) pursuant to the Act of June 14, 1926 (commonly known as the Recreation and Public Purposes Act 43 U.S.C. 869 et seq. (2) by exchange in accordance with applicable laws (including regulations). 9. Conveyance of Bureau of Land Management Land to La Plata County (a) In general On the expiration of the permit numbered COC 64651 (09) and dated February 24, 2009, upon request and agreement of the County, the Secretary of the Interior shall convey to the County, without consideration and subject to valid existing rights, all right, title, and interest of the United States in and to the land described in subsection (b), subject to such terms and conditions as the Secretary determines to be necessary. (b) Description of land The land referred to in subsection (a) consists of approximately 111 acres of land managed by the Bureau of Land Management, Tres Rios District, Colorado, as generally depicted on the map entitled La Plata County Grandview Conveyance (c) Map and legal description (1) In general As soon as practicable after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of the Interior shall finalize the legal description of the parcel to be conveyed under this section. (2) Minor errors The Secretary of the Interior may correct any minor error in— (A) the map; or (B) the legal description. (3) Availability The map and legal description shall be on file and available for public inspection in the appropriate offices of the Bureau of Land Management. (d) Administrative costs As a condition of the conveyance under subsection (a), the Secretary of the Interior shall require the County to pay all administrative costs and costs associated with the conveyance. 10. Molas Pass Recreation Area; Weminuche Wilderness Addition; Wilderness Study Area Release (a) Molas Pass Recreation Area (1) Designation The approximately 461 acres of land in San Juan County, Colorado, that is generally depicted as Molas Pass Recreation Area West Needles Contiguous Wilderness Study Area (2) Legal description (A) In general As soon as practicable after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall prepare a legal description of the Molas Pass Recreation Area. (B) Force of law The legal description under paragraph (1) shall have the same force and effect as if included in this Act, except that the Secretary may correct any errors in the legal description. (C) Public availability The legal description prepared under paragraph (1) shall be on file and available for public inspection in the appropriate offices of the Bureau of Land Management. (3) Use of snowmobiles The use of snowmobiles shall be authorized in the Molas Pass Recreation Area— (A) during periods of adequate snow coverage; (B) in accordance with the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 ( 42 U.S.C. 1701 et seq. (C) on designated trails identified as Winter Use Routes and Grooming Trails Historic Snow Dependent Use Route Winter Use Routes and Grooming Trails (D) in designated areas for open area motorized travel; and (E) subject to such terms and conditions as the Secretary may require; however, the Secretary shall not close any road or trail, or a portion of a road or trail, in the Molas Pass Recreation Area without simultaneously opening a road or trail, or a portion of a road or trail, of equivalent value in the immediate vicinity; further, nothing in this subparagraph shall prevent the Secretary from temporarily closing a road or trail for reasons of public safety. (4) Other recreational opportunities The Secretary shall authorize other recreational uses in the Molas Pass Recreation Area including, but not limited to, mountain biking. (b) West needles contiguous WSA addition to the Weminuche Wilderness (1) Wilderness addition Section 2(a)(16) of the Colorado Wilderness Act of 1993 ( 16 U.S.C. 1132 Public Law 103–77 Certain Certain lands within the San Juan National Forest which comprise approximately 499 acres generally depicted as Weminuche Wilderness Addition West Needles Contiguous Wilderness Study Area (2) Effective date Any reference in the Wilderness Act ( 16 U.S.C. 1131 et seq. 16 U.S.C. 1132 Public Law 103–77 (3) Transfer of administrative jurisdiction Administrative jurisdiction over the Federal land designated as wilderness under paragraph (1) is transferred from the Bureau of Land Management to the Forest Service. (c) Release (1) Finding Congress finds that the land described in paragraph (3) has been adequately studied for wilderness designation under section 603 of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 ( 43 U.S.C. 1782 (2) Release Any public land described in paragraph (3)— (A) is no longer subject to— (i) section 603(c) of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 ( 43 U.S.C. 1782(c) (ii) Secretarial Order 3310 issues on December 22, 2010; and (B) shall be managed in accordance with land management plans adopted under section 202 of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 ( 43 U.S.C. 1712 (3) Description of land The land referred to in paragraphs (1) and (2) is the approximately 461 acres of land in the West Needles Contiguous Wilderness Study Area of San Juan County, Colorado, that is generally depicted as Molas Pass Recreation Area West Needles Contiguous Wilderness Study Area 11. Military overflights Nothing in this Act restricts or precludes— (1) low-level overflights of military aircraft over the areas designated as wilderness under this Act, including military overflights that can be seen, heard, or detected within the wilderness areas; (2) flight testing and evaluation; or (3) the designation or creation of new units of special use airspace, or the establishment of military flight training routes over the wilderness areas. December 22, 2014 Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed

Summary: Hermosa Creek Watershed Protection Act of 2014 - (Sec. 4) Permits specified federal lands in San Juan National Forest in Colorado to be called the Hermosa Creek Watershed and Protection Area. (Sec. 5) Designates certain federal lands in a proposed watershed protection area in San Juan National Forest to be administered by the Department of Agriculture (USDA) as the Hermosa Creek Special Management Area. Authorizes in the Special Management Area, subject to conditions, specified activities including: (1) the use of motorized vehicles and snowmobiles, and (2) grazing and other traditional economic activities. Prohibits an area identified as East Hermosa Area from having unauthorized new road construction, renovations of existing nonsystem roads, or commercial timber harvests. Requires any land interests acquired by the United States within the Special Management Area to occur only through donation or exchange with written consent of the property owner. Declares that nothing in this Act affects: (1) Colorado's fish and wildlife jurisdiction, or (2) management of water storage reservoirs. Withdraws federal land within the Special Management Area from: (1) entry, appropriation, or disposal under public land laws; (2) location, entry, and patent under mining laws; and (3) disposition under mineral leasing, geothermal leasing, or mineral materials laws. Sets forth authority for the management of ski area permits, vegetation, wildfires, hazardous fuels, insects, and diseases in the Special Management Area. Requires USDA, within three years after enactment of this Act, to develop a management plan for the long-term protection and management of the Special Management Area. (Sec. 6) Prohibits designation of the Special Management Area from affecting water rights decreed under existing Colorado laws. (Sec. 7) Designates certain San Juan National Forest land as a component of the National Wilderness Preservation System to be known as Hermosa Creek Wilderness. (Sec. 8) Withdraws federal land and mineral interests depicted on a map entitled "Perins Peak & Animas City Mountain, Horse Gulch and Lake Nighthorse Mineral Withdrawal" from certain acts under public land, mining, mineral, and geothermal laws. Permits USDA to convey that land to the city of Durango, the county of La Plata, or the state of Colorado pursuant to the Recreation and Public Purposes Act or by a legal exchange. (Sec. 9) Directs the Department of the Interior, upon the expiration of a specified permit and upon the request and agreement of La Plata, to convey to La Plata identified land managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) in the Tres Rios District in Colorado. Directs Interior to require La Plata to pay administrative costs associated with such conveyance. (Sec. 10) Designates certain San Juan County land as the Molas Pass Recreation Area. Authorizes snowmobiles in the area under specified conditions and requires USDA to authorize mountain biking and other recreational uses. Designates as a component of the National Wilderness Preservation System certain San Juan National Forest land depicted as "Weminuche Wilderness Addition" on a map entitled "West Needles Contiguous Wilderness Study Area." Transfers administrative jurisdiction of that land from the BLM to the Forest Service. (Sec. 11) Declares that nothing in this Act restricts low-level overflights of military aircraft, flight testing and evaluation, special use airspace, or military flight training routes over wilderness areas.