I 
113TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 1799 
To designate certain public lands in the Sonoran Desert of the State of 
Arizona as national conservation areas and wilderness areas, and for 
other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
APRIL 26, 2013 
Mr. GRIJALVA introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Natural Resources 
A BILL 
To designate certain public lands in the Sonoran Desert 
of the State of Arizona as national conservation areas 
and wilderness areas, and for other purposes. 
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 
‘‘Arizona Sonoran Desert Heritage Act of 2013’’. 
(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. Belmont-Harquahala and Gila Bend National Conservation Areas. 
Sec. 4. Designation of wilderness areas. 
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Sec. 5. Special management areas. 
Sec. 6. Maps and legal descriptions. 
Sec. 7. Management of national conservation areas, wilderness areas, and spe-
cial management areas. 
Sec. 8. Acquisition of land. 
Sec. 9. Border security. 
Sec. 10. Water rights. 
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
(1) INDIAN TRIBE.—The term ‘‘Indian tribe’’ 
means any Indian tribe, band, nation, or other orga-
nized group or community of Indians which is recog-
nized as eligible by the Secretary for the special pro-
grams and services provided by the United States to 
Indians because of their status as Indians. 
(2) MANAGEMENT PLAN.—The term ‘‘manage-
ment plan’’ means the management plan developed 
under section 3 for each national conservation area 
and section 5 for each special management area. 
(3) NATIONAL
CONSERVATION
AREAS.—The 
term ‘‘National Conservation Areas’’ means the Bel-
mont-Harquahala National Conservation Area and 
the Gila Bend National Conservation Area estab-
lished by section 3. 
(4) PUBLIC
LAND.—The term ‘‘public land’’ 
has the meaning given the term ‘‘public lands’’ in 
section 103 of the Federal Land Policy and Manage-
ment Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1702). 
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(5) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 
the Secretary of the Interior. 
(6) SPECIAL MANAGEMENT AREAS.—The term 
‘‘Special Management Areas’’ means the Sentinel 
Plain Special Management Area and the Rainbow 
Valley Special Management Area established by sec-
tion 5. 
(7) STATE.—The term ‘‘State’’ means the State 
of Arizona. 
(8) WILDERNESS AREAS.—The term ‘‘Wilder-
ness Areas’’ means the wilderness areas designated 
by section 4. 
SEC. 3. BELMONT-HARQUAHALA AND GILA BEND NATIONAL 
CONSERVATION AREAS. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—There are established in the 
State: 
(1) BELMONT-HARQUAHALA
NATIONAL
CON-
SERVATION
AREA.—The Belmont-Harquahala Na-
tional Conservation Area, consisting of approxi-
mately 276,100 acres, as generally depicted on the 
map entitled ‘‘Belmont-Harquahala National Con-
servation Area’’ and dated ølll 2013¿. 
(2) GILA
BEND
NATIONAL
CONSERVATION 
AREA.—The Gila Bend National Conservation Area, 
consisting of approximately 406,298 acres, as gen-
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erally depicted on the map entitled ‘‘Gila Bend 
Mountains National Conservation Area’’ and dated 
øllll 2013¿. 
(b) PURPOSE.—The purpose of the National Con-
servation Areas is to conserve, and thereby to protect, re-
store, and enhance for the benefit and enjoyment of 
present and future generations the unique and important 
resources and values of the land, including the ecological, 
geological, cultural, archaeological, paleontological, nat-
ural, scientific, recreational, wilderness, wildlife, riparian, 
historical, educational, and scenic resources of the public 
land. 
(c) ADMINISTRATION OF NATIONAL CONSERVATION 
AREAS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall manage 
the National Conservation Areas— 
(A) as components of the National Land-
scape Conservation System; 
(B) in a manner that conserves, and there-
by protects, and enhances the resources and 
values of the National Conservation Areas de-
scribed in subsection (b); and 
(C) in accordance with— 
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(i) the Federal Land Policy and Man-
agement Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1701 et 
seq.); 
(ii) this Act; and 
(iii) any other applicable laws. 
(2) MANAGEMENT PLANS.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 3 years 
after the date of enactment of this Act, the Sec-
retary shall develop a comprehensive manage-
ment plan for the long-term protection and 
management of each of the National Conserva-
tion Areas. 
(B) PURPOSES.—Each management plan 
shall— 
(i) describe the appropriate manage-
ment and uses of the National Conserva-
tion Areas consistent with the conservation 
purpose as specified in subsection (b) and 
(c); 
(ii) be developed with extensive public 
input; and 
(iii) take into consideration any infor-
mation developed in studies of the land 
within the National Conservation Areas. 
(3) USES.— 
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(A) IN
GENERAL.—The Secretary shall 
allow only such uses of the National Conserva-
tion Areas as the Secretary determines would 
further the conservation purpose for which the 
National Conservation Areas are established. 
(B) USE OF MOTORIZED VEHICLES.— 
(i) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided 
in clauses (ii) and (iii), use of motorized 
vehicles in the National Conservation 
Areas shall be allowed only— 
(I) before the effective date of 
each management plan prepared pur-
suant to paragraph (2), on roads and 
trails designated for use of motorized 
vehicles in the management plan that 
applies on the date of the enactment 
of this Act; and 
(II) after the effective date of 
each management plan prepared pur-
suant to paragraph (2), on roads and 
trails designated for use of motorized 
vehicles in that management plan. 
(ii) 
ADMINISTRATIVE
AND
EMER-
GENCY
RESPONSE
USE.—Clause (i) shall 
not limit the use of motor vehicles in the 
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National Conservation Areas for adminis-
trative purposes or to respond to an emer-
gency. 
(iii) LIMITATION.—This subparagraph 
shall not apply to the Wilderness Areas. 
(C) NEW ROADS.—No additional road shall 
be built within the National Conservation Areas 
after the date of enactment of this Act unless 
the road is identified in the Management Plans 
as necessary for public safety or resource pro-
tection. 
SEC. 4. DESIGNATION OF WILDERNESS AREAS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—In furtherance of the purposes of 
the Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. 1131 et seq.), the following 
areas in the State are designated as wilderness areas and 
as components of the National Wilderness Preservation 
System: 
(1) HUMMINGBIRD SPRINGS WILDERNESS ADDI-
TIONS.—Certain public land in Maricopa County, 
Arizona, consisting of approximately 17,000 acres, 
as generally depicted on the map entitled ‘‘Hum-
mingbird Springs Wilderness Additions’’ and dated 
øllll 2013¿, which is incorporated in, and 
shall be considered to be a part of, the Humming-
bird Springs Wilderness, as designated by section 
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101(a)(12) of the Arizona Desert Wilderness Act of 
1990 (16 U.S.C. 1132 note 460ddd; 104 Stat. 
4469). 
(2) WOOLSEY PEAK WILDERNESS ADDITIONS.— 
Certain public land in Maricopa County, Arizona, 
consisting of approximately 33,523 acres, as gen-
erally depicted on the map entitled ‘‘Woolsey Peak 
Wilderness Additions’’ and dated øllll 2013¿, 
which is incorporated in, and shall be considered to 
be a part of, the Woolsey Peak Wilderness, as des-
ignated by section 101(a)(15) of the Arizona Desert 
Wilderness Act of 1990 (16 U.S.C. 1132 note 
460ddd; 104 Stat. 4469). 
(3) BELMONT MOUNTAINS WILDERNESS.—Cer-
tain public land in Maricopa County, Arizona, com-
prising approximately 19,000 acres, as generally de-
picted on the map entitled ‘‘Belmont Mountains Wil-
derness’’ and dated ølllll2013¿, which shall 
be known as the ‘‘Belmont Mountains Wilderness’’. 
(4) SADDLE MOUNTAIN CENTENNIAL WILDER-
NESS.—Certain public land in Maricopa County, Ar-
izona, comprising approximately 24,200 acres, as 
generally depicted on the map entitled ‘‘Saddle 
Mountain 
Centennial 
Wilderness’’ 
and 
dated 
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øllll 2013¿, which shall be known as the 
‘‘Saddle Mountain Centennial Wilderness’’. 
(5) GILA BEND WILDERNESS.—Certain public 
land in Maricopa County, Arizona, comprising ap-
proximately 68,800 acres, as generally depicted on 
the map entitled ‘‘Gila Bend Wilderness’’ and dated 
øllll 2013¿, which shall be known as the 
‘‘Gila Bend Wilderness’’. 
(6) SONORAN
DESERT
NATIONAL
MONUMENT 
WILDERNESS.—Certain public land in Maricopa 
County, Arizona, within the Sonoran Desert Na-
tional Monument, comprising approximately 128,300 
acres, as generally depicted on the map entitled 
‘‘Sonoran Desert National Monument Wilderness’’ 
and dated øllll 2013¿, which shall be known 
as the ‘‘Sonoran Desert National Monument Wilder-
ness’’. 
(b) ADMINISTRATION OF WILDERNESS.—Subject to 
valid existing rights, the Wilderness Areas designated by 
this Act shall be managed by the Secretary in accordance 
with the Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. 1131 et seq.) and this 
Act, except that— 
(1) any reference in the Wilderness Act to the 
effective date of that Act shall be considered to be 
a reference to the date of enactment of this Act; and 
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(B) be drafted with consultation from 
local, regional, and state jurisdictions; 
(C) be developed with extensive public 
input; 
(D) take into consideration any informa-
tion developed in studies and plans for the land 
within each special management area; 
(E) shall consider cooperative management 
alternatives between the Bureau of Land Man-
agement and local, regional, and state jurisdic-
tions that further the purposes outlined in sec-
tion 5(a); and 
(F) for the purposes of ensuring ecological 
connectivity and movement of wildlife through 
the Rainbow Valley and Sentinel Plain Special 
Management Areas, the management plans 
shall— 
(i) prioritize landscape permeability, 
wildlife connectivity and continued move-
ment of wildlife between the Sierra 
Estrella Mountains and the Sonoran 
Desert National Monument across Rain-
bow Valley, and between the Barry M. 
Goldwater Air Force Range and the Gila 
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