I 
117TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. R. 803 
To designate certain lands in the State of Colorado as components of the 
National Wilderness Preservation System, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
FEBRUARY 4, 2021 
Ms. DEGETTE (for herself, Mr. NEGUSE, Mr. CROW, and Mr. PERLMUTTER) 
introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on 
Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committee on Armed Services, 
for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case 
for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the 
committee concerned 
A BILL 
To designate certain lands in the State of Colorado as com-
ponents of the National Wilderness Preservation System, 
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; DEFINITION. 
(a) SHORT TITLE.—This Act may be cited as the 
‘‘Colorado Wilderness Act of 2021’’. 
(b) SECRETARY DEFINED.—As used in this Act, the 
term ‘‘Secretary’’ means the Secretary of the Interior or 
the Secretary of Agriculture, as appropriate. 
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SEC. 2. ADDITIONS TO NATIONAL WILDERNESS PRESERVA-
TION SYSTEM IN THE STATE OF COLORADO. 
(a) ADDITIONS.—Section 2(a) of the Colorado Wil-
derness Act of 1993 (Public Law 103–77; 107 Stat. 756; 
16 U.S.C. 1132 note) is amended by adding at the end 
the following paragraphs: 
‘‘(23) Certain lands managed by the Colorado 
River Valley Field Office of the Bureau of Land 
Management, which comprise approximately 316 
acres, as generally depicted on a map titled ‘Maroon 
Bells Addition Proposed Wilderness’, dated July 20, 
2018, which is hereby incorporated in and shall be 
deemed to be a part of the Maroon Bells-Snowmass 
Wilderness Area designated by Public Law 88–577. 
‘‘(24) Certain lands managed by the Gunnison 
Field Office of the Bureau of Land Management, 
which comprise approximately 38,217 acres, as gen-
erally depicted on a map titled ‘Redcloud & Handies 
Peak Proposed Wilderness’, dated October 9, 2019, 
which shall be known as the Redcloud Peak Wilder-
ness. 
‘‘(25) Certain lands managed by the Gunnison 
Field Office of the Bureau of Land Management or 
located in the Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre, and Gun-
nison National Forests, which comprise approxi-
mately 26,734 acres, as generally depicted on a map 
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titled ‘Redcloud & Handies Peak Proposed Wilder-
ness’, dated October 9, 2019, which shall be known 
as the Handies Peak Wilderness. 
‘‘(26) Certain lands managed by the Royal 
Gorge Field Office of the Bureau of Land Manage-
ment, which comprise approximately 16,481 acres, 
as generally depicted on a map titled ‘Table Moun-
tain & McIntyre Hills Proposed Wilderness’, dated 
November 7, 2019, which shall be known as the 
McIntyre Hills Wilderness. 
‘‘(27) Certain lands managed by the Colorado 
River Valley Field Office of the Bureau of Land 
Management, which comprise approximately 10,282 
acres, as generally depicted on a map titled ‘Grand 
Hogback Proposed Wilderness’, dated October 16, 
2019, which shall be known as the Grand Hogback 
Wilderness. 
‘‘(28) Certain lands managed by the Grand 
Junction Field Office of the Bureau of Land Man-
agement, which comprise approximately 25,624 
acres, as generally depicted on a map titled 
‘Demaree Canyon Proposed Wilderness’, dated Octo-
ber 9, 2019, which shall be known as the Demaree 
Canyon Wilderness. 
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‘‘(29) Certain lands managed by the Grand 
Junction Field Office of the Bureau of Land Man-
agement, which comprise approximately 28,279 
acres, as generally depicted on a map titled ‘Little 
Books Cliff Proposed Wilderness’, dated October 9, 
2019, which shall be known as the Little Bookcliffs 
Wilderness. 
‘‘(30) Certain lands managed by the Colorado 
River Valley Field Office of the Bureau of Land 
Management, which comprise approximately 14,886 
acres, as generally depicted on a map titled ‘Bull 
Gulch & Castle Peak Proposed Wilderness’, dated 
January 29, 2020, which shall be known as the Bull 
Gulch Wilderness. 
‘‘(31) Certain lands managed by the Colorado 
River Valley Field Office of the Bureau of Land 
Management, which comprise approximately 12,016 
acres, as generally depicted on a map titled ‘Bull 
Gulch & Castle Peak Proposed Wilderness Areas’, 
dated January 29, 2020, which shall be known as 
the Castle Peak Wilderness.’’. 
(b) FURTHER ADDITIONS.—The following lands in 
the State of Colorado administered by the Bureau of Land 
Management or the United States Forest Service are here-
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by designated as wilderness and, therefore, as components 
of the National Wilderness Preservation System: 
(1) Certain lands managed by the Colorado 
River Valley Field Office of the Bureau of Land 
Management or located in the White River National 
Forest, which comprise approximately 19,240 acres, 
as generally depicted on a map titled ‘‘Assignation 
Ridge Proposed Wilderness’’, dated November 12, 
2019, which shall be known as the Assignation 
Ridge Wilderness. 
(2) Certain lands managed by the Royal Gorge 
Field Office of the Bureau of Land Management or 
located in the Pike and San Isabel National Forests, 
which comprise approximately 23,116 acres, as gen-
erally depicted on a map titled ‘‘Badger Creek Pro-
posed Wilderness’’, dated November 7, 2019, which 
shall be known as the Badger Creek Wilderness. 
(3) Certain lands managed by the Royal Gorge 
Field Office of the Bureau of Land Management or 
located in the Pike and San Isabel National Forests, 
which comprise approximately 35,251 acres, as gen-
erally depicted on a map titled ‘‘Beaver Creek Pro-
posed Wilderness’’, dated November 7, 2019, which 
shall be known as the Beaver Creek Wilderness. 
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(4) Certain lands managed by the Royal Gorge 
Field Office of the Bureau of Land Management or 
the Bureau of Reclamation or located in the Pike 
and San Isabel National Forests, which comprise ap-
proximately 32,884 acres, as generally depicted on a 
map titled ‘‘Grape Creek Proposed Wilderness’’, 
dated November 7, 2019, which shall be known as 
the Grape Creek Wilderness. 
(5) Certain lands managed by the Grand Junc-
tion Field Office of the Bureau of Land Manage-
ment, which comprise approximately 13,351 acres, 
as generally depicted on a map titled ‘‘North & 
South Bangs Canyon Proposed Wilderness’’, dated 
October 9, 2019, which shall be known as the North 
Bangs Canyon Wilderness. 
(6) Certain lands managed by the Grand Junc-
tion Field Office of the Bureau of Land Manage-
ment, which comprise approximately 5,144 acres, as 
generally depicted on a map titled ‘‘North & South 
Bangs Canyon Proposed Wilderness’’, dated October 
9, 2019, which shall be known as the South Bangs 
Canyon Wilderness. 
(7) Certain lands managed by the Grand Junc-
tion Field Office of the Bureau of Land Manage-
ment, which comprise approximately 26,624 acres, 
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as generally depicted on a map titled ‘‘Unaweep & 
Palisade Proposed Wilderness’’, dated October 9, 
2019, which shall be known as The Palisade Wilder-
ness. 
(8) Certain lands managed by the Grand Junc-
tion Field Office of the Bureau of Land Manage-
ment or located in the Grand Mesa, Uncompaghre, 
and Gunnison National Forests, which comprise ap-
proximately 19,776 acres, as generally depicted on a 
map titled ‘‘Unaweep & Palisade Proposed Wilder-
ness’’, dated October 9, 2019, which shall be known 
as the Unaweep Wilderness. 
(9) Certain lands managed by the Grand Junc-
tion Field Office of the Bureau of Land Manage-
ment and Uncompaghre Field Office of the Bureau 
of Land Management and in the Manti-LaSal Na-
tional Forest, which comprise approximately 37,637 
acres, as generally depicted on a map titled 
‘‘Sewemup Mesa Proposed Wilderness’’, dated No-
vember 7, 2019, which shall be known as the 
Sewemup Mesa Wilderness. 
(10) Certain lands managed by the Kremmling 
Field Office of the Bureau of Land Management, 
which comprise approximately 31 acres, as generally 
depicted on a map titled ‘‘Platte River Addition Pro-
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posed Wilderness’’, dated July 20, 2018, and which 
are hereby incorporated in and shall be deemed to 
be part of the Platte River Wilderness designated by 
Public Law 98–550. 
(11) 
Certain 
lands 
managed 
by 
the 
Uncompahgre Field Office of the Bureau of Land 
Management, which comprise approximately 17,587 
acres, as generally depicted on a map titled 
‘‘Roubideau Proposed Wilderness’’, dated October 9, 
2019, which shall be known as the Roubideau Wil-
derness. 
(12) 
Certain 
lands 
managed 
by 
the 
Uncompahgre Field Office of the Bureau of Land 
Management or located in the Grand Mesa, 
Uncompaghre, and Gunnison National Forests, 
which comprise approximately 12,102 acres, as gen-
erally depicted on a map titled ‘‘Norwood Canyon 
Proposed Wilderness’’, dated November 7, 2019, 
which shall be known as the Norwood Canyon Wil-
derness. 
(13) Certain lands managed by the Tres Rios 
Field Office of the Bureau of Land Management, 
which comprise approximately 24,475 acres, as gen-
erally depicted on a map titled ‘‘Papoose & Cross 
Canyon Proposed Wilderness’’, and dated January 
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(c) WEST ELK ADDITION.—Certain lands in the 
State of Colorado administered by the Gunnison Field Of-
fice of the Bureau of Land Management, the United 
States National Park Service, and the Bureau of Reclama-
tion, which comprise approximately 6,695 acres, as gen-
erally depicted on a map titled ‘‘West Elk Addition Pro-
posed Wilderness’’, dated October 9, 2019, are hereby des-
ignated as wilderness and, therefore, as components of the 
National Wilderness Preservation System and are hereby 
incorporated in and shall be deemed to be a part of the 
West Elk Wilderness designated by Public Law 88–577. 
The boundary adjacent to Blue Mesa Reservoir shall be 
50 feet landward from the water’s edge, and shall change 
according to the water level. 
(d) MAPS AND DESCRIPTIONS.—As soon as prac-
ticable after the date of enactment of the Act, the Sec-
retary shall file a map and a boundary description of each 
area designated as wilderness by this section with the 
Committee on Natural Resources of the House of Rep-
resentatives and the Committee on Energy and Natural 
Resources of the Senate. Each map and boundary descrip-
tion 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 or boundary descrip-
tion. The maps and boundary descriptions shall be on file 
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and available for public inspection in the Office of the Di-
rector of the Bureau of Land Management, Department 
of the Interior, and in the Office of the Chief of the Forest 
Service, Department of Agriculture, as appropriate. 
(e) STATE AND PRIVATE LANDS.—Lands within the 
exterior boundaries of any wilderness area designated 
under this section that are owned by a private entity or 
by the State of Colorado, including lands administered by 
the Colorado State Land Board, shall be included within 
such wilderness area if such lands are acquired by the 
United States. Such lands may be acquired by the United 
States only as provided in the Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. 
1131 et seq.). 
SEC. 3. ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Subject to valid existing rights, 
lands designated as wilderness by this Act shall be man-
aged by the Secretary in accordance with the Wilderness 
Act (16 U.S.C. 1131 et seq.) and this Act, except that, 
with respect to any wilderness areas designated by this 
Act, any reference in the Wilderness Act to the effective 
date of the Wilderness Act shall be deemed to be a ref-
erence to the date of enactment of this Act. 
(b) GRAZING.—Grazing of livestock in wilderness 
areas designated by this Act shall be administered in ac-
cordance with the provisions of section 4(d)(4) of the Wil-
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derness Act (16 U.S.C. 1133(d)(4)), as further inter-
preted by section 108 of Public Law 96–560, and the 
guidelines set forth in appendix A of House Report 101– 
405 of the 101st Congress. 
(c) STATE JURISDICTION.—As provided in section 
4(d)(7) of the Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. 1133(d)(7)), 
nothing in this Act shall be construed as affecting the ju-
risdiction or responsibilities of the State of Colorado with 
respect to wildlife and fish in Colorado. 
(d) BUFFER ZONES.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Nothing in this Act creates 
a protective perimeter or buffer zone around any 
area designated as wilderness by this Act. 
(2) ACTIVITIES
OUTSIDE
WILDERNESS.—The 
fact that an activity or use on land outside the areas 
designated as wilderness by this Act can be seen or 
heard within the wilderness shall not preclude the 
activity or use outside the boundary of the wilder-
ness. 
(e) MILITARY HELICOPTER OVERFLIGHTS AND OP-
ERATIONS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Nothing in this Act restricts 
or precludes— 
(A) low-level overflights of military heli-
copters over the areas designated as wilderness 
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by this Act, including military overflights that 
can be seen or heard within any wilderness 
area; 
(B) military flight testing and evaluation; 
(C) the designation or creation of new 
units of special use airspace, or the establish-
ment of military flight training routes over any 
wilderness area; or 
(D) helicopter operations at designated 
landing zones within the potential wilderness 
areas established by subsection (i)(1). 
(2) AERIAL
NAVIGATION
TRAINING
EXER-
CISES.—The 
Colorado 
Army 
National 
Guard, 
through the High-Altitude Army National Guard 
Aviation Training Site, may conduct aerial naviga-
tion training maneuver exercises over, and associ-
ated operations within, the potential wilderness 
areas designated by this Act— 
(A) in a manner and degree consistent 
with the memorandum of understanding dated 
August 4, 1987, entered into among the Colo-
rado Army National Guard, the Bureau of 
Land Management, and the Forest Service; or 
(B) in a manner consistent with any subse-
quent memorandum of understanding entered 
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into among the Colorado Army National Guard, 
the Bureau of Land Management, and the For-
est Service. 
(f) RUNNING EVENTS.—The Secretary may continue 
to authorize competitive running events currently per-
mitted in the Redcloud Peak Wilderness Area and 
Handies Peak Wilderness Area in a manner compatible 
with the preservation of such areas as wilderness. 
(g) LAND TRADES.—If the Secretary trades privately 
owned land within the perimeter of the Redcloud Peak 
Wilderness Area or the Handies Peak Wilderness Area in 
exchange for Federal land, then such Federal land shall 
be located in Hinsdale County, Colorado. 
(h) RECREATIONAL CLIMBING.—Nothing in this Act 
prohibits recreational rock climbing activities in the wil-
derness areas, such as the placement, use, and mainte-
nance of fixed anchors, including any fixed anchor estab-
lished before the date of the enactment of this Act— 
(1) in accordance with the Wilderness Act (16 
U.S.C. 1131 et seq.); and 
(2) subject to any terms and conditions deter-
mined to be necessary by the Secretary. 
(i) POTENTIAL WILDERNESS DESIGNATIONS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The following lands are des-
ignated as potential wilderness areas: 
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(A) Certain lands managed by the Colo-
rado River Valley Field Office of the Bureau of 
Land Management, which comprise approxi-
mately 7,376 acres, as generally depicted on a 
map titled ‘‘Pisgah East & West Proposed Wil-
derness’’, and dated October 16, 2019, which, 
upon designation as wilderness under para-
graph (2), shall be known as the Pisgah East 
Wilderness. 
(B) Certain lands managed by the Colo-
rado River Valley Field Office of the Bureau of 
Land Management, which comprise approxi-
mately 6,828 acres, as generally depicted on a 
map titled ‘‘Pisgah East & West Proposed Wil-
derness’’, and dated October 16, 2019, which, 
upon designation as wilderness under para-
graph (2), shall be known as the Pisgah West 
Wilderness. 
(C) Certain lands managed by the Colo-
rado River Valley Field Office of the Bureau of 
Land Management or located in the White 
River National Forest, which comprise approxi-
mately 16,101 acres, as generally depicted on a 
map titled ‘‘Flat Tops Proposed Wilderness Ad-
dition’’, dated October 9, 2019, and which, 
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upon designation as wilderness under para-
graph (2), shall be incorporated in and shall be 
deemed to be a part of the Flat Tops Wilder-
ness designated by Public Law 94–146. 
(2) DESIGNATION
AS
WILDERNESS.—Lands 
designated as a potential wilderness area by sub-
paragraphs (A) through (C) of paragraph (1) shall 
be designated as wilderness on the date on which the 
Secretary publishes in the Federal Register a notice 
that all nonconforming uses of those lands author-
ized by subsection (e) in the potential wilderness 
area that would be in violation of the Wilderness Act 
(16 U.S.C. 1131 et seq.) have ceased. Such publica-
tion in the Federal Register and designation as wil-
derness shall occur for the potential wilderness area 
as the nonconforming uses cease in that potential 
wilderness area and designation as wilderness is not 
dependent on cessation of nonconforming uses in the 
other potential wilderness area. 
(3) MANAGEMENT.—Except for activities pro-
vided for under subsection (e), lands designated as 
a potential wilderness area by paragraph (1) shall be 
managed by the Secretary in accordance with the 
Wilderness Act as wilderness pending the designa-
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tion of such lands as wilderness under this sub-
section. 
SEC. 4. WATER. 
(a) EFFECT ON WATER RIGHTS.—Nothing in this 
Act— 
(1) affects the use or allocation, in existence on 
the date of enactment of this Act, of any water, 
water right, or interest in water; 
(2) affects any vested absolute or decreed condi-
tional water right in existence on the date of enact-
ment of this Act, including any water right held by 
the United States; 
(3) affects any interstate water compact in ex-
istence on the date of enactment of this Act; 
(4) authorizes or imposes any new reserved 
Federal water rights; and 
(5) shall be considered to be a relinquishment 
or reduction of any water rights reserved or appro-
priated by the United States in the State of Colo-
rado on or before the date of the enactment of this 
Act. 
(b) MIDSTREAM AREAS.— 
(1) PURPOSE.—The purpose of this subsection 
is to protect for the benefit and enjoyment of 
present and future generations— 
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(A) the unique and nationally important 
values of areas designated as wilderness by sec-
tion 2(b) (including the geological, cultural, ar-
chaeological, paleontological, natural, scientific, 
recreational, environmental, biological, wilder-
ness, wildlife, riparian, historical, educational, 
and scenic resources of the public land); and 
(B) the water resources of area streams, 
based on seasonally available flows, that are 
necessary to support aquatic, riparian, and ter-
restrial species and communities. 
(2) WILDERNESS WATER RIGHTS.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall en-
sure that any water rights within the wilderness 
designated by section 2(b) required to fulfill the 
purposes of such wilderness are secured in ac-
cordance with subparagraphs (B) through (G). 
(B) STATE LAW.— 
(i) PROCEDURAL
REQUIREMENTS.— 
Any water rights for which the Secretary 
pursues adjudication shall be appropriated, 
adjudicated, changed, and administered in 
accordance with the procedural require-
ments and priority system of State law. 
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(ii) 
ESTABLISHMENT
OF
WATER 
RIGHTS.— 
(I) IN GENERAL.—Except as pro-
vided in subclause (II), the purposes 
and other substantive characteristics 
of the water rights pursued under this 
paragraph shall be established in ac-
cordance with State law. 
(II) EXCEPTION.—Notwithstand-
ing subclause (I) and in accordance 
with this Act, the Secretary may ap-
propriate and seek adjudication of 
water rights to maintain surface water 
levels and stream flows on and across 
the wilderness designated by section 
2(b) to fulfill the purposes of such 
wilderness. 
(C) 
DEADLINE.—The 
Secretary 
shall 
promptly, but not earlier than January 1, 2021, 
appropriate the water rights required to fulfill 
the purposes of the wilderness designated by 
section 2(b). 
(D) 
REQUIRED
DETERMINATION.—The 
Secretary shall not pursue adjudication for any 
instream flow water rights unless the Secretary 
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makes a determination pursuant to subpara-
graph (E)(ii) or (F). 
(E) COOPERATIVE ENFORCEMENT.— 
(i) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall 
not pursue adjudication of any Federal 
instream flow water rights established 
under this paragraph if— 
(I) the Secretary determines, 
upon adjudication of the water rights 
by the Colorado Water Conservation 
Board, that the Board holds water 
rights sufficient in priority, amount, 
and timing to fulfill the purposes of 
this subsection; and 
(II) the Secretary has entered 
into a perpetual agreement with the 
Colorado Water Conservation Board 
to ensure full exercise, protection, and 
enforcement of the State water rights 
within the wilderness to reliably fulfill 
the purposes of this subsection. 
(ii) ADJUDICATION.—If the Secretary 
determines that the provisions of clause (i) 
have not been met, the Secretary shall ad-
judicate and exercise any Federal water 
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rights required to fulfill the purposes of 
the wilderness in accordance with this 
paragraph. 
(F) INSUFFICIENT WATER RIGHTS.—If the 
Colorado Water Conservation Board modifies 
the instream flow water rights obtained under 
subparagraph (E) to such a degree that the 
Secretary determines that water rights held by 
the State are insufficient to fulfill the purposes 
of this Act, the Secretary shall adjudicate and 
exercise Federal water rights required to fulfill 
the purposes of this Act in accordance with sub-
paragraph (B). 
(G) FAILURE TO COMPLY.—The Secretary 
shall promptly act to exercise and enforce the 
water rights described in subparagraph (E) if 
the Secretary determines that— 
(i) the State is not exercising its 
water rights consistent with subparagraph 
(E)(i)(I); or 
(ii) the agreement described in sub-
paragraph (E)(i)(II) is not fulfilled or com-
plied with sufficiently to fulfill the pur-
poses of this Act. 
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