I
104TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 1922
To provide for the exchange of certain lands in Gilpin County, Colorado.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
JUNE 22, 1995
Mr. SKAGGS (for himself and Mr. MCINNIS) introduced the following bill;
which was referred to the Committee on Resources
A BILL
To provide for the exchange of certain lands in Gilpin
County, Colorado.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. FINDINGS AND PURPOSES.
(a) FINDINGS.—Congress finds and declares that—
(1) certain scattered parcels of Federal land lo-
cated within Gilpin County, Colorado, are currently
administered by the Secretary of the Interior as part
of the Royal Gorge Resource Area, Canon City Dis-
trict, United States Bureau of Land Management;
(2) these land parcels, which comprises approxi-
mately 133 separate tracts of land, and range in size
from approximately 38 acres to much less than an
acre have been identified as suitable for disposal by
the Bureau of Land Management through its re-
source management planning process and are appro-
priate for disposal; and
(3) even though the Federal land parcels in Gil-
pin County, Colorado, are scattered and small in
size, they nevertheless by virtue of their proximity to
existing communities appear to have a fair market
value which may be used by the Federal Government
to exchange for lands which will better lend them-
selves to Federal management and have higher val-
ues for future public access, use and enjoyment,
recreation, the protection and enhancement of fish
and wildlife and fish and wildlife habitat, and the
protection of riparian lands, wetlands, scenic beauty
and other public values.
(b) PURPOSE.—It is the purpose of this Act to au-
thorize, direct, facilitate and expedite the land exchange
set forth herein in order to further the public interest by
disposing of Federal lands with limited public utility and
acquire in exchange therefor lands with important values
for permanent public management and protection.
SEC. 2. LAND EXCHANGE.
(a) IN GENERAL.—The exchange directed by this Act
shall be consummated if within 90 days after enactment
of this Act, Lake Gulch, Inc., a Colorado Corporation (as
defined in section 4 of this Act) offers to transfer to the
United States pursuant to the provisions of this Act the
offered lands or interests in land described herein.
(b) CONVEYANCE BY LAKE GULCH.—Subject to the
provisions of section 3 of this Act, Lake Gulch shall convey
to the Secretary of the Interior all right, title, and interest
in and to the following offered lands—
(1) certain lands comprising approximately 40
acres with improvements thereon located in Larimer
County, Colorado, and lying within the boundaries of
Rocky Mountain National Park as generally depicted
on a map entitled ‘‘Circle C Church Camp’’, dated
August 1994, which shall upon their acquisition by
the United States and without further action by the
Secretary of the Interior be incorporated into Rocky
Mountain National Park and thereafter be adminis-
tered in accordance with the laws, rules and regula-
tions generally applicable to the National Park Sys-
tem and Rocky Mountain National Park;
(2) certain lands located within and adjacent to
the United States Bureau of Land Management San
Luis Resource Area in Conejos County, Colorado,
which comprise approximately 3,993 acres and are
generally depicted on a map entitled ‘‘Quinlan
Ranches Tract’’, dated August 1994; and
(3) certain lands located within the United
States Bureau of Land Management Royal Gorge
Resource Area in Huerfano County, Colorado, which
comprise approximately 4,700 acres and are gen-
erally depicted on a map entitled ‘‘Bonham Ranch-
Cucharas Canyon’’, dated June 1995: Provided, how-
ever, That it is the intention of Congress that such
lands may remain available for the grazing of live-
stock as determined appropriate by the Secretary in
accordance with applicable laws, rules, and regula-
tions: Provided further, That if the Secretary deter-
mines that certain of the lands acquired adjacent to
Cucharas Canyon hereunder are not needed for pub-
lic purposes they may be sold in accordance with the
provisions of section 203 of the Federal Land Policy
and Management Act of 1976 and other applicable
law.
(c) SUBSTITUTION OF LANDS.—If one or more of the
precise offered land parcels identified above is unable to
be conveyed to the United States due to appraisal or other
problems, Lake Gulch and the Secretary may mutually
agree to substitute therefor alternative offered lands ac-
ceptable to the Secretary.
(d) CONVEYANCE
BY
THE UNITED STATES.—(1)
Upon receipt of title to the lands identified in subsection
(a) the Secretary shall simultaneously convey to Lake
Gulch all right, title, and interest of the United States,
subject to valid existing rights, in and to the following se-
lected lands—
(A) certain surveyed lands located in Gilpin
County, Colorado, Township 3 South, Range 72
West, Sixth Principal Meridian, Section 18, Lots
118–220, which comprise approximately 195 acres
and are intended to include all federally owned lands
in section 18, as generally depicted on a map enti-
tled ‘‘Lake Gulch Selected Lands’’, dated July 1994;
(B) certain surveyed lands located in Gilpin
County, Colorado, Township 3 South, Range 72
West, Sixth Principal Meridian, Section 17, Lots 37,
38, 39, 40, 52, 53, and 54, which comprise approxi-
mately 96 acres, as generally depicted on a map en-
titled ‘‘Lake Gulch Selected Lands’’, dated July
1994; and
(C) certain unsurveyed lands located in Gilpin
County, Colorado, Township 3 South, Range 73
West, Sixth Principal Meridian, Section 13, which
comprise approximately 11 acres, and are generally
depicted as parcels 302–304, 306, and 308–326 on
a map entitled ‘‘Lake Gulch Selected Lands’’, dated
July 1994: Provided, however, That a parcel or par-
cels of land in section 13 shall not be transferred to
Lake Gulch if at the time of the proposed transfer
the parcel or parcels are under formal application
for transfer to a qualified unit of local government.
Due to the small and unsurveyed nature of such
parcels proposed for transfer to Lake Gulch in sec-
tion 13, and the high cost of surveying such small
parcels, the Secretary is authorized to transfer such
section 13 lands to Lake Gulch without survey based
on such legal or other description as the Secretary
determines appropriate to carry out the basic intent
of the map cited in this subparagraph.
(2) If the Secretary and Lake Gulch mutually agree,
and the Secretary determines it is in the public interest,
the Secretary may utilize the authority and direction of
this Act to transfer to Lake Gulch lands in sections 17
and 13 that are in addition to those precise selected lands
shown on the map cited herein, and which are not under
formal application for transfer to a qualified unit of local
government, upon transfer to the Secretary of additional
offered lands acceptable to the Secretary or upon payment