IB 
Union Calendar No. 445 
114TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 496 
[Report No. 114–575] 
To establish the Alabama Hills National Scenic Area in the State of 
California, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JANUARY 22, 2015 
Mr. COOK introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee 
on Natural Resources 
MAY 19, 2016 
Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole 
House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed 
[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic] 
[For text of introduced bill, see copy of bill as introduced on January 22, 2015] 
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A BILL 
To establish the Alabama Hills National Scenic Area in 
the State of California, and for other purposes. 
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Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS. 
(a) SHORT TITLE.—This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Ala-
bama Hills National Scenic Area Establishment Act’’. 
(b) TABLE OF CONTENTS.—The table of contents for 
this Act is as follows: 
Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents. 
Sec. 2. Definitions. 
Sec. 3. Alabama Hills National Scenic Area, California. 
Sec. 4. Management plan. 
Sec. 5. Land taken into trust for Lone Pine Paiute-Shoshone Reservation. 
Sec. 6. Transfer of administrative jurisdiction. 
Sec. 7. Protection of services and recreational opportunities. 
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
(1) MANAGEMENT
PLAN.—The term ‘‘manage-
ment plan’’ means the management plan for the Na-
tional Scenic Area developed under section 4(a). 
(2) MAP.—The term ‘‘Map’’ means the map ti-
tled ‘‘Proposed Alabama Hills National Scenic Area’’, 
dated September 8, 2014. 
(3) MOTORIZED VEHICLES.—The term ‘‘motor-
ized vehicles’’ means motorized or mechanized vehicles 
and includes, when used by utilities, mechanized 
equipment, helicopters, and other aerial devices nec-
essary to maintain electrical or communications in-
frastructure. 
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(4) NATIONAL
SCENIC
AREA.—The term ‘‘Na-
tional Scenic Area’’ means the Alabama Hills Na-
tional Scenic Area established by section 3(a). 
(5) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 
the Secretary of the Interior. 
(6) STATE.—The term ‘‘State’’ means the State 
of California. 
(7) TRIBE.—The term ‘‘Tribe’’ means the Lone 
Pine Paiute-Shoshone. 
(8) UTILITY FACILITY.—The term ‘‘utility facil-
ity’’ means any and all existing and future water 
system facilities including aqueducts, streams, ditches, 
and canals; water facilities including, but not limited 
to, flow measuring stations, gauges, gates, values, pip-
ing, conduits, fencing, and electrical power and com-
munications devices and systems; and any and all ex-
isting and future electric generation facilities, electric 
storage facilities, overhead and/or underground elec-
trical supply systems and communication systems 
consisting of electric substations, electric lines, poles 
and towers made of various materials, ‘‘H’’ frame 
structures, guy wires and anchors, crossarms, wires, 
underground conduits, cables, vaults, manholes, 
handholes, above-ground enclosures, markers and con-
crete pads and other fixtures, appliances and commu-
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nication circuits, and other fixtures, appliances and 
appurtenances connected therewith necessary or con-
venient for the construction, operation, regulation, 
control, grounding and maintenance of electric gen-
eration, storage, lines and communication circuits, 
for the purpose of transmitting intelligence and gener-
ating, storing, distributing, regulating and control-
ling electric energy to be used for light, heat, power, 
communication, and other purposes. 
SEC. 3. ALABAMA HILLS NATIONAL SCENIC AREA, CALI-
FORNIA. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—Subject to valid, existing 
rights, there is established in Inyo County, California, the 
Alabama Hills National Scenic Area. The National Scenic 
Area shall be comprised of the approximately 18,610 acres 
generally depicted on the Map as ‘‘National Scenic Area’’. 
(b) PURPOSE.—The purpose of the National Scenic 
Area is to conserve, protect, and enhance for the benefit, 
use, and enjoyment of present and future generations the 
nationally significant scenic, cultural, geological, edu-
cational, biological, historical, recreational, cinemato-
graphic, and scientific resources of the National Scenic 
Area managed consistent with section 302(a) of the Federal 
Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 
1732(a)). 
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(c) MAP; LEGAL DESCRIPTIONS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—As soon as practicable after 
the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall 
file a map and a legal description of the National 
Scenic Area with— 
(A) the Committee on Energy and Natural 
Resources of the Senate; and 
(B) the Committee on Natural Resources of 
the House of Representatives. 
(2) FORCE OF LAW.—The map and legal descrip-
tions filed under paragraph (1) shall have the same 
force and effect as if included in this Act, except that 
the Secretary may correct any clerical and typo-
graphical errors in the map and legal descriptions. 
(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 Forest Service and Bureau of Land 
Management. 
(d) ADMINISTRATION.—The Secretary shall manage 
the National Scenic Area— 
(1) as a component of the National Landscape 
Conservation System; 
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(2) so as not to impact the future continuing op-
erations and maintenance of any activities associated 
with valid, existing rights, including water rights; 
(3) in a manner that conserves, protects, and en-
hances the resources and values of the National Scenic 
Area described in subsection (b); and 
(4) in accordance with— 
(A) the Federal Land Policy and Manage-
ment Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.); 
(B) this Act; and 
(C) any other applicable laws. 
(e) MANAGEMENT.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—The Secretary shall allow 
only such uses of the National Scenic Area as the Sec-
retary determines would support the purposes of the 
National Scenic Area as described in subsection (b). 
(2) RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES.—Except as oth-
erwise provided in this Act or other applicable law, 
or as the Secretary determines to be necessary for 
public health and safety, the Secretary shall allow ex-
isting recreational uses of the National Scenic Area to 
continue, including hiking, mountain biking, rock 
climbing, sightseeing, horseback riding, hunting, fish-
ing, and appropriate authorized motorized vehicle 
use. 
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(3) MOTORIZED VEHICLES.—Except as specified 
within this Act and/or in cases in which motorized 
vehicles are needed for administrative purposes, or to 
respond to an emergency, the use of motorized vehicles 
in the National Scenic Area shall be permitted only 
on— 
(A) roads and trails designated by the Di-
rector of the Bureau of Land Management for 
use of motorized vehicles as part of a manage-
ment plan sustaining a semi-primitive motorized 
experience; or 
(B) on county-maintained roads in accord-
ance with applicable State and county laws. 
(f) NO BUFFER ZONES.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Nothing in this Act creates a 
protective perimeter or buffer zone around the Na-
tional Scenic Area. 
(2) ACTIVITIES
OUTSIDE
NATIONAL
SCENIC 
AREA.—The fact that an activity or use on land out-
side the National Scenic Area can be seen or heard 
within the National Scenic Area shall not preclude 
the activity or use outside the boundaries of the Na-
tional Scenic Area. 
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(g) ACCESS.—The Secretary shall continue to provide 
private landowners adequate access to inholdings in the Na-
tional Scenic Area. 
(h) FILMING.—Nothing in this Act prohibits filming 
(including commercial film production, student filming, 
and still photography) within the National Scenic Area— 
(1) subject to— 
(A) such reasonable regulations, policies, 
and practices as the Secretary considers to be 
necessary; and 
(B) applicable law; and 
(2) in a manner consistent with the purposes de-
scribed in subsection (b). 
(i) FISH AND WILDLIFE.—Nothing in this Act affects 
the jurisdiction or responsibilities of the State with respect 
to fish and wildlife. 
(j) LIVESTOCK.—The grazing of livestock in the Na-
tional Scenic Area, including grazing under the Alabama 
Hills allotment and the George Creek allotment, as estab-
lished before the date of enactment of this Act, shall be per-
mitted to continue— 
(1) subject to— 
(A) such reasonable regulations, policies, 
and practices as the Secretary considers to be 
necessary; and 
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(B) applicable law; and 
(2) in a manner consistent with the purposes de-
scribed in subsection (b). 
(k) OVERFLIGHTS.—Nothing in this Act restricts or 
precludes flights over the National Scenic Area or over-
flights that can be seen or heard within the National Scenic 
Area, including— 
(1) transportation, sightseeing and filming 
flights, general aviation planes, helicopters, hang-glid-
ers, and balloonists, for commercial or recreational 
purposes; 
(2) low-level overflights of military aircraft; 
(3) flight testing and evaluation; or 
(4) the designation or creation of new units of 
special use airspace, or the establishment of military 
flight training routes, over the National Scenic Area. 
(l) WITHDRAWAL.—Subject to this Act’s provisions 
and valid rights in existence on the date of enactment of 
this Act, including rights established by prior withdrawals, 
the Federal land within the National Scenic Area is with-
drawn from all forms of— 
(1) entry, appropriation, or disposal under the 
public land laws; 
(2) location, entry, and patent under the mining 
laws; and 
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(3) disposition under all laws pertaining to min-
eral and geothermal leasing or mineral materials. 
(m) WILDLAND FIRE OPERATIONS.—Nothing in this 
Act prohibits the Secretary, in cooperation with other Fed-
eral, State, and local agencies, as appropriate, from con-
ducting wildland fire operations in the National Scenic 
Area, consistent with the purposes described in subsection 
(b). 
(n) GRANTS; COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS.—The Sec-
retary may make grants to, or enter into cooperative agree-
ments with, State, tribal, and local governmental entities 
and private entities to conduct research, interpretation, or 
public education or to carry out any other initiative relat-
ing to the restoration, conservation, or management of the 
National Scenic Area. 
(o) AIR AND WATER QUALITY.—Nothing in this Act 
modifies any standard governing air or water quality out-
side of the boundaries of the National Scenic Area. 
(p) UTILITY FACILITIES AND RIGHTS OF WAY.— 
(1) Nothing in this Act shall— 
(A) affect the existence, use, operation, 
maintenance (including but not limited to vege-
tation control), repair, construction, reconfigura-
tion, expansion, inspection, renewal, reconstruc-
tion, alteration, addition, relocation, improve-
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ment, funding, removal, or replacement of utility 
facilities or appurtenant rights of way within or 
adjacent to the National Scenic Area; 
(B) affect necessary or efficient access to 
utility facilities or rights of way within or adja-
cent to the National Scenic Area subject to sub-
section (e); 
(C) preclude the Secretary from authorizing 
the establishment of new utility facility rights of 
way (including instream sites, routes, and areas) 
within the National Scenic Area in a manner 
that minimizes harm to the purpose of the Na-
tional Scenic Area as described in subsection 
(b)— 
(i) with the National Environmental 
Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) 
and any other applicable law; and 
(ii) subject to such terms and condi-
tions as the Secretary determines to be ap-
propriate. 
(2) MANAGEMENT
PLAN.—Consistent with this 
Act, the Management Plan shall establish plans for 
maintenance of public utility and other rights of way 
within the National Scenic Area. 
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SEC. 4. MANAGEMENT PLAN. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 3 years after the 
date of enactment of this Act, in accordance with subsection 
(b), the Secretary shall develop a comprehensive plan for 
the long-term management of the National Scenic Area. 
(b) CONSULTATION.—In developing the management 
plan, the Secretary shall— 
(1) consult with appropriate State, tribal, and 
local governmental entities, including Inyo County 
and the Tribe; and 
(2) seek input from— 
(A) 
investor-owned 
utilities, 
including 
Southern California Edison Company; 
(B) the Alabama Hills Stewardship Group; 
(C) members of the public; and 
(D) the Los Angeles Department of Water 
and Power. 
(c) INCORPORATION OF MANAGEMENT PLAN.—In de-
veloping the management plan, in accordance with this sec-
tion, the Secretary shall allow, in perpetuity, casual-use 
mining limited to the use of hand tools, metal detectors, 
hand-fed dry washers, vacuum cleaners, gold pans, small 
sluices, and similar items. 
(d) INTERIM MANAGEMENT.—Pending completion of 
the management plan, the Secretary shall manage the Na-
tional Scenic Area in accordance with section 3. 
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SEC. 5. LAND TAKEN INTO TRUST FOR LONE PINE PAIUTE- 
SHOSHONE RESERVATION. 
(a) TRUST LAND.—As soon as practicable after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall take 
the approximately 132 acres of Federal land depicted on 
the Map as ‘‘Lone Pine Paiute-Shoshone Reservation Addi-
tion’’ into trust for the benefit of the Tribe, subject to the 
following: 
(1) CONDITIONS.—The land shall be subject to 
all easements, covenants, conditions, restrictions, 
withdrawals, and other matters of record on the date 
of the enactment of this Act. 
(2) EXCLUSION.—The Federal lands over which 
the right-of-way for the Los Angeles Aqueduct is lo-
cated, generally described as the 250-foot-wide right- 
of-way granted to the City of Los Angeles pursuant 
to the Act of June 30, 1906 (Chap. 3926), shall not 
be taken into trust for the Tribe. 
(b) RESERVATION LAND.—The land taken into trust 
pursuant to subsection (a) shall be considered part of the 
reservation of the Tribe. 
(c) GAMING PROHIBITION.—Gaming under the Indian 
Gaming Regulatory Act (25 U.S.C. 2701 et seq.) shall not 
be allowed on the land taken into trust pursuant to sub-
section (a). 
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SEC. 6. TRANSFER OF ADMINISTRATIVE JURISDICTION. 
Administrative jurisdiction of the approximately 56 
acres of Federal land depicted on the Map as ‘‘USFS 
Transfer to BLM’’ is hereby transferred from the Forest 
Service under the Secretary of Agriculture to the Bureau 
of Land Management under the Secretary. 
SEC. 7. PROTECTION OF SERVICES AND RECREATIONAL OP-
PORTUNITIES. 
Nothing in this Act shall be construed to limit commer-
cial services for existing and historic recreation uses as au-
thorized by the Bureau of Land Management’s permit proc-
ess. Valid, existing, commercial permits to exercise guided 
recreational opportunities for the public may continue as 
authorized on the day before the date of the enactment of 
this Act. 
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Union Calendar No. 445 
114TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 496 
[Report No. 114–575] 
A BILL 
To establish the Alabama Hills National Scenic 
Area in the State of California, and for other 
purposes. 
MAY 19, 2016 
Reported with an amendment, committed to the Com-
mittee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, 
and ordered to be printed 
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