I 
118TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 4332 
To redesignate land within certain wilderness study areas in the State of 
Wyoming, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JUNE 23, 2023 
Ms. HAGEMAN introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Natural Resources 
A BILL 
To redesignate land within certain wilderness study areas 
in the State of Wyoming, 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 ‘‘Wyoming Public Lands 
Initiative Act of 2023’’. 
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
(1) BUREAU.—The term ‘‘Bureau’’ means the 
Bureau of Land Management. 
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(2) DEPARTMENT.—The term ‘‘Department’’ 
means the Department of the Interior. 
(3) DIRECTOR.—The term ‘‘Director’’ means 
the Director of the Bureau of Land Management. 
(4) 
EMERGENCY.—The 
term 
‘‘emergency’’ 
means a situation that requires immediate action be-
cause of an imminent danger— 
(A) to the health or safety of people; or 
(B) of harm to property. 
(5) RANGE IMPROVEMENT.—The term ‘‘range 
improvement’’ has the meaning given the term in 
section 3 of the Public Rangelands Improvement Act 
of 1978 (43 U.S.C. 1902). 
(6) STATE.—The term ‘‘State’’ means the State 
of Wyoming. 
SEC. 3. DESIGNATION OF LAND IN CARBON COUNTY, WYO-
MING. 
(a) DESIGNATION OF WILDERNESS AREAS.— 
(1) ENCAMPMENT
RIVER
CANYON
WILDER-
NESS.— 
(A) DESIGNATION.—In accordance with 
the Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. 1131 et seq.), 
except as provided in subparagraph (B), the 
land within the boundaries of the Encampment 
River Canyon Wilderness Study Area is des-
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ignated as wilderness and as a component of 
the National Wilderness Preservation System, 
to be known as the ‘‘Encampment River Can-
yon Wilderness’’ (referred to in this paragraph 
as the ‘‘Wilderness’’). 
(B) EXCLUDED LAND.— 
(i) DEFINITION
OF
WATER
VALLEY 
ROAD.—In this subparagraph, the term 
‘‘Water Valley Road’’ means the road in 
Carbon County, Wyoming, that is 50 feet 
wide and 17,340 feet long, consisting of 
approximately 19.904 acres of land in T. 
14 N., R. 84 W., including— 
(I) in sec. 22, land in— 
(aa) the NE1⁄4SW1⁄4; and 
(bb) the S1⁄2SW1⁄4; 
(II) in sec. 27, land in lots 4, 6, 
and 7 of the NW1⁄4SW1⁄4; 
(III) in sec. 28, land in lot 1 of 
the NE1⁄4SE1⁄4; 
(IV) in sec. 34, land in— 
(aa) the S1⁄2NE1⁄4; and 
(bb) the E1⁄2NW1⁄4; and 
(V) in sec. 35, land in— 
(aa) the N1⁄2SW1⁄4; 
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(bb) the NW1⁄4SE1⁄4; and 
(cc) the S1⁄2SE1⁄4. 
(ii) LAND EXCLUDED FROM THE WIL-
DERNESS.—The following land is not in-
cluded in the Wilderness: 
(I) 
Any 
land 
in 
the 
NW1⁄4NW1⁄4NW1⁄4 sec. 24, T. 14 N., 
R. 84 W. 
(II) Any land within 50 feet of 
the centerline of— 
(aa) County Road 353; or 
(bb) Water Valley Road. 
(C) MAINTENANCE OF ROADS.—Necessary 
maintenance or repairs to County Road 353 or 
Water Valley Road (as defined in subparagraph 
(B)) shall be permitted after the date of enact-
ment of this Act, consistent with the require-
ments of this subsection. 
(D) WILDFIRE SUPPRESSION.— 
(i) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 
days after the date of enactment of this 
Act, the Director shall establish a fire sup-
pression plan for the protection of— 
(I) any individual or structure 
adjacent to the Wilderness; and 
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(II) the population centers of— 
(aa) 
Encampment, 
Wyo-
ming; and 
(bb) Riverside, Wyoming. 
(ii) COORDINATION.—In carrying out 
clause (i), the Director shall coordinate 
with— 
(I) the Wyoming State Forestry 
Division; and 
(II) Carbon County, Wyoming. 
(2) PROSPECT MOUNTAIN WILDERNESS.— 
(A) DESIGNATION.—In accordance with 
the Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. 1131 et seq.), 
except as provided in subparagraph (B), the 
land within the boundaries of the Prospect 
Mountain Wilderness Study Area is designated 
as wilderness and as a component of the Na-
tional Wilderness Preservation System, to be 
known as the ‘‘Prospect Mountain Wilderness’’ 
(referred to in this paragraph as the ‘‘Wilder-
ness’’). 
(B) EXCLUDED LAND.—Any land within 
100 feet of the centerline of Prospect Road is 
not included in the Wilderness. 
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(C) MAINTENANCE OF PROSPECT ROAD.— 
Necessary maintenance or repairs to Prospect 
Road shall be permitted after the date of enact-
ment of this Act, consistent with the require-
ments of this subsection. 
(3) MANAGEMENT OF WILDERNESS AREAS.— 
(A) ADMINISTRATION.—Subject to valid 
existing rights, the wilderness areas designated 
in paragraphs (1) and (2) (referred to in this 
paragraph as the ‘‘Wilderness Areas’’) shall be 
administered by the Director in accordance 
with— 
(i) this paragraph; and 
(ii) the Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. 
1131 et seq.), except that any reference in 
that Act to the effective date of that Act 
shall be considered to be a reference to the 
date of enactment of this Act. 
(B) GRAZING.—Grazing of livestock in the 
Wilderness Areas, where established before the 
date of enactment of this Act, shall be allowed 
to continue in accordance with— 
(i) section 4(d)(4) of the Wilderness 
Act (16 U.S.C. 1133(d)(4)); 
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(ii) the guidelines set forth in the re-
port of the Committee on Interior and In-
sular Affairs of the House of Representa-
tives accompanying H.R. 5487 of the 96th 
Congress (H. Rept. 96–617); and 
(iii) the guidelines set forth in appen-
dix A of the Report of the Committee on 
Interior and Insular Affairs to accompany 
H.R. 2570 of the 101st Congress (H. 
Rept. 101–405). 
(C) REVIEW OF POLICIES, PRACTICES, AND 
REGULATIONS.— 
(i) IN GENERAL.—To ensure that the 
policies, practices, and regulations of the 
Department conform to and implement the 
intent of Congress regarding forest fires 
and the outbreak of disease or insects, not 
later than 180 days after the date of en-
actment of this Act, the Secretary of the 
Interior shall review all policies, practices, 
and regulations of the Department applica-
ble to the Wilderness Areas that pertain 
to— 
(I) wildland fires, including the 
use of modern methods of fire sup-
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pression (including mechanical activ-
ity, as necessary); or 
(II) the outbreak of disease or in-
sect populations. 
(ii) REVISIONS.—On completion of the 
review under clause (i), the Secretary of 
the Interior shall revise or develop policies, 
practices, and regulations for the Wilder-
ness Areas— 
(I) to ensure the timely and effi-
cient control of fires, diseases, and in-
sects in the Wilderness Areas, in ac-
cordance with section 4(d)(1) of the 
Wilderness 
Act 
(16 
U.S.C. 
1133(d)(1)); and 
(II) to provide, to the maximum 
extent practicable, adequate protection 
from forest fires, disease outbreaks, 
and insect infestations to any Federal, 
State, or private land adjacent to the 
Wilderness Areas. 
(b) DESIGNATION OF BENNETT MOUNTAINS SPE-
CIAL MANAGEMENT AREA.— 
(1) DESIGNATION.—The land within the Ben-
nett Mountains Wilderness Study Area is designated 
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as the ‘‘Bennett Mountains Special Management 
Area’’ (referred to in this subsection as the ‘‘Special 
Management Area’’). 
(2) ADMINISTRATION.—The Special Manage-
ment Area shall be administered by the Director. 
(3) ROADS; MOTORIZED VEHICLES.— 
(A) ROADS.— 
(i) PROHIBITION ON NEW PERMANENT 
ROADS.—The construction of new perma-
nent roads in the Special Management 
Area shall not be allowed. 
(ii) TEMPORARY ROADS.—The Direc-
tor may authorize the construction of new 
temporary roads to respond to an emer-
gency. 
(B) MOTORIZED
VEHICLES.—Except as 
needed for administrative purposes, to respond 
to an emergency, or to develop range improve-
ments, the use of motorized and mechanized ve-
hicles in the Special Management Area shall be 
allowed only on existing roads and trails des-
ignated for the use of motorized or mechanized 
vehicles by the travel management plan estab-
lished under subparagraph (C). 
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(C) TRAVEL
MANAGEMENT
PLAN.—Not 
later than 2 years after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the Director shall establish a travel 
management plan for the Special Management 
Area. 
(4) GRAZING.—Grazing of livestock in the Spe-
cial Management Area shall be administered— 
(A) as a nondiscretionary use; and 
(B) in accordance with the laws generally 
applicable to land under the jurisdiction of the 
Bureau, including— 
(i) the Act of June 28, 1934 (com-
monly known as the ‘‘Taylor Grazing 
Act’’) (48 Stat. 1269, chapter 865; 43 
U.S.C. 315 et seq.); 
(ii) the Federal Land Policy and Man-
agement Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1701 et 
seq.); and 
(iii) the Public Rangelands Improve-
ment Act of 1978 (43 U.S.C. 1901 et 
seq.). 
(5) FIRE MANAGEMENT AND SUPPRESSION.— 
(A) IN
GENERAL.—The Director shall 
carry out fire management and suppression ac-
tivities in the Special Management Area in ac-
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cordance with the laws generally applicable to 
land under the jurisdiction of the Bureau. 
(B) REVIEW OF POLICIES, PRACTICES, AND 
REGULATIONS.— 
(i) IN GENERAL.—To ensure that the 
policies, practices, and regulations of the 
Bureau conform to and implement the in-
tent of Congress regarding forest fires, not 
later than 180 days after the date of en-
actment of this Act, the Director shall re-
view all policies, practices, and regulations 
of the Bureau applicable to the Special 
Management Area that pertain to wildland 
fires, including the use of modern methods 
of fire suppression. 
(ii) REVISION.—On completion of the 
review under clause (i), the Director shall 
revise or develop policies, practices, and 
regulations for the Special Management 
Area— 
(I) to ensure the timely and effi-
cient control of fires in the Special 
Management Area; and 
(II) to provide, to the maximum 
extent practicable, adequate protection 
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from forest fires to any Federal, 
State, or private land adjacent to the 
Special Management Area. 
(6) TIMBER HARVESTING.—Commercial timber 
harvesting shall not be allowed in the Special Man-
agement Area. 
(7) WITHDRAWAL.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in 
subparagraph (B), subject to valid rights in ex-
istence on the date of enactment of this Act, 
the land within the boundaries of the Special 
Management Area is withdrawn from— 
(i) location, entry, and patent under 
the mining laws; and 
(ii) disposition under all laws relating 
to mineral and geothermal leasing. 
(B) EXCEPTION.—The Secretary of the In-
terior may lease oil and gas resources within 
the boundaries of the Special Management Area 
if— 
(i) the lease may only be accessed by 
directional drilling from a lease that is out-
side of the Special Management Area; and 
(ii) the lease prohibits, without excep-
tion or waiver, surface occupancy and sur-
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face disturbance within the Special Man-
agement Area for any activities, including 
activities related to exploration, develop-
ment, or production. 
(c) DESIGNATION OF BLACK CAT SPECIAL MANAGE-
MENT AREA.— 
(1) DESIGNATION.—The land described in 
paragraph (2) is designated as the ‘‘Black Cat Spe-
cial Management Area’’ (referred to in this sub-
section as the ‘‘Special Management Area’’). 
(2) INCLUDED
LAND.—The Special Manage-
ment Area shall consist of— 
(A) the Federal land in T. 14 N., R. 81 
W., sec. 35, that is managed by the Forest 
Service; and 
(B) the portions of T. 14 N., R. 81 W., 
secs. 26, 35, and 36, that are south and west 
of the North Platte River. 
(3) ADMINISTRATION.—The Special Manage-
ment Area shall be administered by the Secretary of 
Agriculture. 
(4) ROADS; MOTORIZED VEHICLES.— 
(A) ROADS.— 
(i) PROHIBITION ON NEW PERMANENT 
ROADS.—The construction of new perma-
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nent roads in the Special Management 
Area shall not be allowed. 
(ii) TEMPORARY
ROADS.—The Sec-
retary of Agriculture may authorize the 
construction of new temporary roads to re-
spond to an emergency. 
(B) MOTORIZED
VEHICLES.—Except as 
needed for administrative purposes, to respond 
to an emergency, or to develop or maintain 
range improvements, the Secretary of Agri-
culture shall prohibit the use of motorized and 
mechanized vehicles in the Special Management 
Area. 
(5) GRAZING.—Grazing of livestock in the Spe-
cial Management Areas shall be administered— 
(A) as a nondiscretionary use; and 
(B) in accordance with the laws generally 
applicable to the National Forest System, in-
cluding— 
(i) the Multiple-Use Sustained-Yield 
Act of 1960 (16 U.S.C. 528 et seq.); 
(ii) the Act of June 28, 1934 (com-
monly known as the ‘‘Taylor Grazing 
Act’’) (48 Stat. 1269, chapter 865; 43 
U.S.C. 315 et seq.); and 
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(iii) the Public Rangelands Improve-
ment Act of 1978 (43 U.S.C. 1901 et 
seq.). 
(6) FIRE MANAGEMENT AND SUPPRESSION.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Agri-
culture shall carry out fire management and 
suppression activities in the Special Manage-
ment Area— 
(i) in accordance with the laws gen-
erally applicable to— 
(I) the National Forest System; 
and 
(II) the land within the bound-
aries of the Special Management 
Area; and 
(ii)(I) if a land management plan has 
been established for the Special Manage-
ment Area, in accordance with that land 
management plan; or 
(II) if a land management plan has 
not been established for the Special Man-
agement Area, in a manner consistent with 
land that is similarly situated to the land 
within the boundaries of the Special Man-
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agement Area, as determined by the Sec-
retary of Agriculture. 
(B) REVIEW OF POLICIES, PRACTICES, AND 
REGULATIONS.— 
(i) IN GENERAL.—To ensure that the 
policies, practices, and regulations of the 
Department of Agriculture conform to and 
implement the intent of Congress regard-
ing forest fires, not later than 180 days 
after the date of enactment of this Act, the 
Secretary of Agriculture shall review all 
policies, practices, and regulations of the 
Department of Agriculture applicable to 
the Special Management Area that pertain 
to forest fires, including the use of modern 
methods of fire suppression. 
(ii) REVISION.—On completion of the 
review under clause (i), the Secretary of 
Agriculture shall revise or develop policies, 
practices, and regulations for the Special 
Management Area— 
(I) to ensure the timely and effi-
cient control of fires in the Special 
Management Area; and 
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(II) to provide, to the maximum 
extent practicable, adequate protection 
from forest fires to any Federal, 
State, or private land adjacent to the 
Special Management Area. 
(7) TIMBER HARVESTING.—Commercial timber 
harvesting shall not be allowed in the Special Man-
agement Area. 
(8) WITHDRAWAL.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in 
subparagraph (B), subject to valid rights in ex-
istence on the date of enactment of this Act, 
the land within the boundaries of the Special 
Management Area is withdrawn from— 
(i) location, entry, and patent under 
the mining laws; and 
(ii) disposition under all laws relating 
to mineral and geothermal leasing. 
(B) EXCEPTION.—The Secretary of the In-
terior may, with the approval of the Secretary 
of Agriculture, lease oil and gas resources with-
in the boundaries of the Special Management 
Area if— 
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