I
103D CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 1500
To designate certain Federal lands in the State of Utah as wilderness,
and for other purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
MARCH 25, 1993
Mr. HINCHEY (for himself, Mr. HOAGLAND, Mr. MURTHA, Mr. VALENTINE,
Mr. BROWN of California, Mr. MCHALE, Mr. STARK, Mr. EVANS, Mr.
TOWNS, Mr. MACHTLEY, Ms. SLAUGHTER, Mr. NEAL of Massachusetts,
Mr. MCDERMOTT, Mr. GILCHREST, Mr. SMITH of New Jersey, and Mr.
WAXMAN) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com-
mittee on Natural Resources
A BILL
To designate certain Federal lands in the State of Utah
as wilderness, 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.
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Utah BLM Wilderness
Act of 1993’’.
SEC. 2. GENERAL PROVISIONS.
(a) NAME.—Each wilderness area named in a table
contained in title I shall be—
(1) the area referenced in the table, as gen-
erally depicted on the map entitled ‘‘Utah BLM Wil-
derness Proposed by H.R. 1500, 102d Congress’’;
and
(2) known by the name given to it in that table.
(b) MAP AND DESCRIPTION.—As soon as practicable
after enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall file a map
and a legal description of each wilderness area designated
under this Act with the Committee on Natural Resources
of the House of Representatives and with the Committee
on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate. Each
such map and description shall have the same force and
effect as if included in this Act, except that correction of
clerical and typographical errors in such legal description
and map may be made. Each such map and legal descrip-
tion shall be on file and available for public inspection in
the Office of the Director of the Bureau of Land Manage-
ment, Department of the Interior.
(c) SECRETARY.—For the purposes of this Act, the
term ‘‘Secretary’’ means the Secretary of the Interior.
TITLE I—DESIGNATION OF
WILDERNESS
SEC. 101. GREAT BASIN WILDERNESS AREAS.
(a) FINDINGS.—The Congress finds that the Great
Basin region of western Utah is comprised of starkly beau-
tiful mountain ranges which rise as islands from the desert
floor. Some, like Wah Wah Mountains, are arid and aus-
tere, with massive cliff faces and leathery slopes speckled
with pinyon and juniper. Others, like the Deep Creek and
Stansbury Mountains, are high enough to draw moisture
from passing clouds and support ecosystems found no-
where else on earth. From bristlecone pine, the world’s
oldest living thing, to newly flowered mountain meadows,
these islands of nature support remarkable biological di-
versity and provide opportunities to experience the colossal
silence of the Great Basin.
(b) DESIGNATION.—In order to protect and manage
so as to preserve the natural conditions of the Great Basin
wilderness areas in western Utah and in furtherance of
the purposes of the Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. 1131 et
seq.), the following lands in the State of Utah are hereby
designated as wilderness and therefore as components of
the National Wilderness Preservation System:
Approximate
Name of Wilderness Area
Acreage
Cedar Mountains Wilderness ............................................
62,100
Conger Mountain Wilderness ............................................
20,400
Deep Creek Mountains Wilderness ...................................
90,200
Dugway Mountains Wilderness .........................................
23,100
Fish Springs Range Wilderness ........................................
55,200
Granite Peak Wilderness ..................................................
16,000
House Range Wilderness ..................................................
139,400
King Top Wilderness ........................................................
78,800
Little Goose Creek Wilderness ..........................................
1,300
Newfoundland Mountains Wilderness ...............................
23,300
Rockwell Wilderness ..........................................................
13,400
Silver Island Mountains Wilderness .................................
27,200
Stansbury Mountains Wilderness .....................................
22,500
Wah Wah Mountains Wilderness ......................................
109,700
White Rock Range Wilderness ..........................................
3,900
SEC. 102. ZION AND MOJAVE DESERT WILDERNESS AREAS.
(a) FINDINGS.—The Congress finds that Zion Na-
tional Park’s renowned landscape of soaring cliff walls,
forested plateaus, and deep narrow gorges extends beyond
the boundaries of the park onto surrounding public lands
managed by the Secretary through the Bureau of Land
Management. From the pink sand dunes of Moquith
Mountain to the golden pools of Beaver Dam Wash, the
Zion and Mojave Desert wilderness areas encompass three
major provinces of the Southwest: the sculpted canyon
country of the Colorado Plateau, the Mojave Desert, and
portions of the Great Basin—a rich mosaic of biological,
archeological, and scenic diversity. One of the last remain-
ing populations of endangered desert tortoise is found
within this wilderness.
(b) DESIGNATION.—In order to protect and manage
so as to preserve the natural conditions of the Zion and
Mojave Desert wilderness areas of Utah and in further-
ance of the purposes of the Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C.
1131 et seq.), the following lands in the State of Utah
are hereby designated as wilderness and therefore as com-
ponents of the National Wilderness Preservation System:
Approximate
Name of Wilderness Area and Unit
Acreage
Beaver Dam Slopes Wilderness:
Beaver Dam Wash ....................................................
24,900
Joshua Tree ..............................................................
13,500
Cottonwood Canyon Wilderness ................................
11,500
Cougar Creek-Docs Pass Wilderness ........................
29,400
Upper Kanab Creek Wilderness ................................
42,200
Moquith Mountain Wilderness ..................................
26,500
Red Mountain Wilderness .........................................
18,500
Zion Wilderness:
Beartrap Canyon .......................................................
Black Ridge ...............................................................
21,800
Canaan Mountain ......................................................
52,100
Deep Creek ................................................................
7,100
Goose Creek ...............................................................
LaVerkin Creek .........................................................
567
Orderville Canyon ......................................................
6,500
North Fork Virgin River ...........................................
1,040
Parunuweap Canyon .................................................
37,700
Red Butte ..................................................................
804
Spring Canyon ...........................................................
4,400
Taylor Creek Canyon ................................................
The Watchman ..........................................................
600
SEC. 103. GRAND STAIRCASE AND KAIPAROWITS PLATEAU
WILDERNESS AREAS.
(a) GRAND STAIRCASE.—
(1) FINDINGS.—The Congress finds that the
area known as the Grand Staircase rises more than
6,000 feet in a series of great cliffs and plateaus
from the depths of the Grand Canyon to the forested
rim of Bryce Canyon. It spans six major life zones,
from the lower Sonoran Desert to alpine forest, and
encompasses geologic formations which display
3,000,000,000 years of earth history. Wildlands,
managed by the Secretary through the Bureau of
Land Management, line the intricate canyon system
of the Paria River and form a vital wilderness cor-
ridor connection to the deserts and forests of these
national parks.
(2) DESIGNATION.—In order to protect and
manage so as to preserve the natural conditions of
the wilderness area known as the Great Staircase
and in furtherance of the purposes of the Wilderness
Act (16 U.S.C. 1131 et seq.), the following lands in
the State of Utah are hereby designated as wilder-
ness and therefore as components of the National
Wilderness Preservation System:
Approximate
Name of Wilderness Area and Unit
Acreage
Grand Staircase Wilderness:
Box Canyon ...................................................
2,300
Cockscomb .....................................................
10,300
East of Bryce .................................................
900
Mud Spring Canyon .......................................
55,100
Paria-Hackberry ............................................
158,700
Squaw and Willis Creek .................................
22,300
The Blues-Table Cliff ....................................
18,700
(b) KAIPAROWITS PLATEAU.—
(1) FINDINGS.—The Congress finds that east
of the Paria River lies the Kaiparowitz Plateau, one
of the most rugged and isolated wilderness regions
in the United States, a lonely, windswept land of
harsh beauty, distant vistas, and a remarkable vari-
ety of plant and animal species. Ancient forests,
abundant big game animals, and 22 species of
raptors thrive undisturbed on its grassland mesa
tops.
(2) DESIGNATION.—In order to protect and
manage so as to preserve the Kaiparowitz Plateau
and in furtherance of the purposes of the Wilderness
Act (16 U.S.C. 1131 et seq.), the following lands in
the State of Utah are hereby designated as wilder-
ness and therefore as components of the National
Wilderness Preservation System:
Approximate
Name of Wilderness Area and Unit
Acreage
Kaiparowits Wilderness:
Burning Hills .................................................
68,400
Carcass Canyon .............................................
72,600
Cave Point .....................................................
4,800
Fiftymile Bench .............................................
11,100
Fiftymile Mountain ........................................
173,900
Horse Spring Canyon ....................................
27,900
Nipple Bench .................................................
31,600
Squaw Canyon ...............................................
11,200
Wahweap-Paradise Canyon ...........................
228,000
Warm Creek ...................................................
21,000
SEC. 104. ESCALANTE CANYONS WILDERNESS AREAS.
(a) FINDINGS.—The Congress finds that enchanting
glens and coves carved in massive sandstone cliffs, spring-
watered hanging gardens, and the silence of ancient
Anasazi ruins are exemplary of the unique features that
entice hikers, campers, and sightseers from around the
world to Escalante Canyon. This wilderness links the
spruce fir forests of the 11,000 foot Aquarius Plateau with
winding slickrock canyons that flow into Lake Powell. It
protects critical habitat for deer, elk, and wild bighorn
sheep, as well as the scenic integrity of one of Utah’s most
popular natural areas.
(b) DESIGNATION.—In order to protect and manage
so as to preserve Escalante Canyon wilderness areas and
in furtherance of the purposes of the Wilderness Act (16
U.S.C. 1131 et seq.), the following lands in the State of
Utah are hereby designated as wilderness and therefore
as components of the National Wilderness Preservation
System:
Approximate
Name of Wilderness Area
Acreage
Colt Mesa ..........................................................................
23,500
Dogwater Creek ................................................................
3,500
Fortymile Gulch ................................................................
640
Fremont Gorge ..................................................................
19,400
Hurricane Wash ................................................................
4,300
Long Canyon .....................................................................
16,400
North Escalante Canyons .................................................
144,000
Notom Bench ....................................................................
8,400
Phipps-Death Hollow ........................................................
43,500
Scorpion ............................................................................
38,100
Steep Creek .......................................................................
34,400
Studhorse Peaks ...............................................................
9,500
SEC. 105. HENRY MOUNTAINS WILDERNESS AREAS.
(a) FINDINGS.—The Congress finds that the last
mountain range to be discovered and named by early ex-
plorers in the contiguous United States, the Henry Moun-
tains, still retains its wild and mysterious character.
Fluted badlands adorn the flanks of 11,000 foot Mount
Ellen and Mount Pennell, containing islands of critical
habitat for mule deer and the largest herd of free-roaming
buffalo in the Nation. Despite their relative accessibility,
the Henry Mountains remain one of the wildest, least-
known ranges in the United States.
(b) DESIGNATION.—In order to protect and manage
so as to preserve the Henry Mountains and in furtherance
of the purposes of the Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. 1131
et seq.), the following lands in the State of Utah are here-
by designated as wilderness and therefore as components
of the National Wilderness Preservation System:
Approximate
Name of Wilderness Area and Unit
Acreage
Henry Mountains Wilderness:
Bull Mountain ...........................................................
12,400
Bullfrog Creek ...........................................................
36,900
Mount Ellen-Blue Hills .............................................
116,900
Mount Hillers ............................................................
18,600
Mount Pennell ...........................................................
141,200
Ragged Mountain ......................................................
23,300
SEC. 106. DIRTY DEVIL RIVER WILDERNESS AREAS.
(a) FINDINGS.—The Congress finds that the Dirty
Devil River, once the fortress hideout of outlaw Butch
Cassidy’s Wild Bunch, has sculpted a maze of slickrock
canyons through an imposing landscape of monoliths and
inaccessible mesas. This isolated and remote area, long a
barrier to civilization and would-be colonists, now beckons
a different type of explorer, the modern recreationist, who
seeks to experience solitude and isolation amid spectacular
beauty.
(b) DESIGNATION.—In order to protect and manage
so as to preserve the Dirty Devil River wilderness areas
in southeast Utah and in furtherance of the purposes of
the Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. 1131 et seq.), the following
lands in the State of Utah are hereby designated as wilder-
ness and therefore as components of the National Wilder-
ness Preservation System:
Approximate
Name of Wilderness Area and Unit
Acreage
Dirty Devil Wilderness:
Dirty Devil-French Springs ......................................
175,300
Fiddler Butte ............................................................
88,200
SEC. 107. CEDAR MESA WILDERNESS AREAS.
(a) FINDINGS.—The Congress finds that over a thou-
sand years ago, the Anasazi Indian culture flourished in
the slickrock canyons and on the pinyon-covered mesas of
southeastern Utah. Evidence of their ancient presence per-
vades the Cedar Mesa area where haunting cliff dwellings,
rock art, and ceremonial kivas embellish sandstone over-
hangs and isolated benchlands. This area cries out for pro-
tection from the vandalism and theft of these unique cul-
tural resources. These wilderness areas are drawn to pro-
tect both the Nation’s archaeological heritage and extraor-
dinary wilderness scenic and ecological values.
(b) DESIGNATION.—In order to protect and manage
so as to preserve the Cedar Mesa wilderness areas and
in furtherance of the purposes of the Wilderness Act (16
U.S.C. 1131 et seq.), the following lands in the State of
Utah are hereby designated as wilderness and therefore
as components of the National Wilderness Preservation
System:
Approximate
Name of Wilderness Area and Unit
Acreage
White Canyon Wilderness:
Gravel and Long Canyon ..........................................
35,000
Cheesebox Canyon .....................................................
28,500
Harmony Flat ...........................................................
9,100
Fortknocker Canyon ..................................................
12,400
San Juan-Anasazi Wilderness:
Arch and Mule Canyon .............................................
15,300
Comb Ridge ...............................................................
15,000
Fish and Owl Creek ..................................................
59,000
Grand Gulch ..............................................................
139,800
Nokai dome ...............................................................
93,400
Road Canyon .............................................................
60,100