H. R. 2941
One Hundred Sixth Congress
of the
United States of America
AT THE SECOND SESSION
Begun and held at the City of Washington on Monday,
the twenty-fourth day of January, two thousand
An Act
To establish the Las Cienegas National Conservation Area in the State of Arizona.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. DEFINITIONS.
For the purposes of this Act, the following definitions apply:
(1) CONSERVATION AREA.—The term ‘‘Conservation Area’’
means the Las Cienegas National Conservation Area estab-
lished by section 4(a).
(2) ACQUISITION PLANNING DISTRICT.—The term ‘‘Acquisi-
tion Planning District’’ means the Sonoita Valley Acquisition
Planning District established by section 2(a).
(3) MANAGEMENT
PLAN.—The term ‘‘management plan’’
means the management plan for the Conservation Area.
(4) PUBLIC
LANDS.—The term ‘‘public lands’’ has the
meaning given the term in section 103(e) of the Federal Land
Policy and Management Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1702(e)), except
that such term shall not include interest in lands not owned
by the United States.
(5) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means the Secretary
of the Interior.
SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT OF THE SONOITA VALLEY ACQUISITION PLAN-
NING DISTRICT.
(a) IN GENERAL.—In order to provide for future acquisitions
of important conservation land within the Sonoita Valley region
of the State of Arizona, there is hereby established the Sonoita
Valley Acquisition Planning District.
(b) AREAS INCLUDED.—The Acquisition Planning District shall
consist of approximately 142,800 acres of land in the Arizona coun-
ties of Pima and Santa Cruz, including the Conservation Area,
as generally depicted on the map entitled ‘‘Sonoita Valley Acquisi-
tion Planning District and Las Cienegas National Conservation
Area’’ and dated October 2, 2000.
(c) MAP AND LEGAL DESCRIPTION.—As soon as practicable after
the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit
to Congress a map and legal description of the Acquisition Planning
District. In case of a conflict between the map referred to in sub-
section (b) and the map and legal description submitted by the
Secretary, the map referred to in subsection (b) shall control. The
map and legal description shall have the same force and effect
as if included in this Act, except that the Secretary may correct
clerical and typographical errors in such map and legal description.
Copies of the map and legal description shall be on file and available
H. R. 2941—2
for public inspection in the Office of the Director of the Bureau
of Land Management, and in the appropriate office of the Bureau
of Land Management in Arizona.
SEC. 3. PURPOSES OF THE ACQUISITION PLANNING DISTRICT.
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall negotiate with land
owners for the acquisition of lands and interest in lands suitable
for Conservation Area expansion that meet the purposes described
in section 4(a). The Secretary shall only acquire property under
this Act pursuant to section 7.
(b) FEDERAL LANDS.—The Secretary, through the Bureau of
Land Management, shall administer the public lands within the
Acquisition Planning District pursuant to this Act and the
applicable provisions of the Federal Land Policy and Management
Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.), subject to valid existing
rights, and in accordance with the management plan. Such public
lands shall become part of the Conservation Area when they become
contiguous with the Conservation Area.
(c) FISH AND WILDLIFE.—Nothing in this Act shall be construed
as affecting the jurisdiction or responsibilities of the State of Arizona
with respect to fish and wildlife within the Acquisition Planning
District.
(d) 
PROTECTION
OF
STATE
AND
PRIVATE
LANDS
AND
INTERESTS.—Nothing in this Act shall be construed as affecting
any property rights or management authority with regard to any
lands or interest in lands held by the State of Arizona, any political
subdivision of the State of Arizona, or any private property rights
within the boundaries of the Acquisition Planning District.
(e) PUBLIC LANDS.—Nothing in this Act shall be construed
as in any way diminishing the Secretary’s or the Bureau of Land
Management’s authorities, rights, or responsibilities for managing
the public lands within the Acquisition Planning District.
(f ) COORDINATED MANAGEMENT.—The Secretary shall coordi-
nate the management of the public lands within the Acquisition
Planning District with that of surrounding county, State, and pri-
vate lands consistent with the provisions of subsection (d).
SEC. 4. ESTABLISHMENT OF THE LAS CIENEGAS NATIONAL CONSERVA-
TION AREA.
(a) IN GENERAL.—In order to conserve, protect, and enhance
for the benefit and enjoyment of present and future generations
the unique and nationally important aquatic, wildlife, vegetative,
archaeological, paleontological, scientific, cave, cultural, historical,
recreational, educational, scenic, rangeland, and riparian resources
and values of the public lands described in subsection (b) while
allowing livestock grazing and recreation to continue in appropriate
areas, there is hereby established the Las Cienegas National Con-
servation Area in the State of Arizona.
(b) AREAS INCLUDED.—The Conservation Area shall consist of
approximately 42,000 acres of public lands in the Arizona counties
of Pima and Santa Cruz, as generally depicted on the map entitled
‘‘Sonoita Valley Acquisition Planning District and Las Cienegas
National Conservation Area’’ and dated October 2, 2000.
(c) MAPS AND LEGAL DESCRIPTION.—As soon as practicable after
the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit
to Congress a map and legal description of the Conservation Area.
In case of a conflict between the map referred to in subsection
(b) and the map and legal description submitted by the Secretary,
H. R. 2941—3
the map referred to in subsection (b) shall control. The map and
legal description shall have the same force and effect as if included
in this Act, except that the Secretary may correct clerical and
typographical errors in such map and legal description. Copies
of the map and legal description shall be on file and available
for public inspection in the Office of the Director of the Bureau
of Land Management, and in the appropriate office of the Bureau
of Land Management in Arizona.
(d) FOREST
LANDS.—Any lands included in the Coronado
National Forest that are located within the boundaries of the Con-
servation Area shall be considered to be a part of the Conservation
Area. The Secretary of Agriculture shall revise the boundaries
of the Coronado National Forest to reflect the exclusion of such
lands from the Coronado National Forest.
SEC. 5. MANAGEMENT OF THE LAS CIENEGAS NATIONAL CONSERVA-
TION AREA.
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall manage the Conservation
Area in a manner that conserves, protects, and enhances its
resources and values, including the resources and values specified
in section 4(a), pursuant to the Federal Land Policy and Manage-
ment Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.) and other applicable
law, including this Act.
(b) USES.—The Secretary shall allow only such uses of the
Conservation Area as the Secretary finds will further the purposes
for which the Conservation Area is established as set forth in
section 4(a).
(c) GRAZING.—The Secretary of the Interior shall permit grazing
subject to all applicable laws, regulations, and Executive orders
consistent with the purposes of this Act.
(d) MOTORIZED VEHICLES.—Except where needed for adminis-
trative purposes or to respond to an emergency, use of motorized
vehicles on public lands in the Conservation Area shall be allowed
only—
(1) before the effective date of a management plan prepared
pursuant to section 6, 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
(2) after the effective date of a management plan prepared
pursuant to section 6, on roads and trails designated for use
of motor vehicles in that management plan.
(e) MILITARY AIRSPACE.—Prior to the date of the enactment
of this Act the Federal Aviation Administration approved restricted
military airspace (Areas 2303A and 2303B) which covers portions
of the Conservation Area. Designation of the Conservation Area
shall not impact or impose any altitude, flight, or other airspace
restrictions on current or future military operations or missions.
Should the military require additional or modified airspace in the
future, the Congress does not intend for the designation of the
Conservation Area to impede the military from petitioning the
Federal Aviation Administration to change or expand existing
restricted military airspace.
(f ) ACCESS TO STATE AND PRIVATE LANDS.—Nothing in this
Act shall affect valid existing rights-of-way within the Conservation
Area. The Secretary shall provide reasonable access to nonfederally
owned lands or interest in lands within the boundaries of the
Conservation Area.
H. R. 2941—5
and with the other proposed management activities to accommo-
date visitors to the Conservation Area;
(4) cultural resources management strategies for the Con-
servation Area, prepared in consultation with appropriate
departments of the State of Arizona, with emphasis on the
preservation of the resources of the Conservation Area and
the interpretive, educational, and long-term scientific uses of
these resources, giving priority to the enforcement of the
Archaeological Resources Protection Act of 1979 (16 U.S.C.
470aa et seq.) and the National Historic Preservation Act (16
U.S.C. 470 et seq.) within the Conservation Area;
(5) wildlife management strategies for the Conservation
Area, prepared in consultation with appropriate departments
of the State of Arizona and using previous studies of the Con-
servation Area;
(6) production livestock grazing management strategies,
prepared in consultation with appropriate departments of the
State of Arizona;
(7) provisions designed to ensure the protection of environ-
mentally sustainable livestock use on appropriate lands within
the Conservation Area;
(8) recreation management strategies, including motorized
and nonmotorized dispersed recreation opportunities for the
Conservation Area, prepared in consultation with appropriate
departments of the State of Arizona;
(9) cave resources management strategies prepared in
compliance with the goals and objectives of the Federal Cave
Resources Protection Act of 1988 (16 U.S.C. 4301 et seq.);
and
(10) provisions designed to ensure that if a road or trail
located on public lands within the Conservation Area, or any
portion of such a road or trail, is removed, consideration shall
be given to providing similar alternative access to the portion
of the Conservation Area serviced by such removed road or
trail.
(c) COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS.—In order to better implement
the management plan, the Secretary may enter into cooperative
agreements with appropriate Federal, State, and local agencies
pursuant to section 307(b) of the Federal Land Policy and Manage-
ment Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1737(b)).
(d) RESEARCH ACTIVITIES.—In order to assist in the develop-
ment and implementation of the management plan, the Secretary
may authorize appropriate research, including research concerning
the environmental, biological, hydrological, cultural, agricultural,
recreational, and other characteristics, resources, and values of
the Conservation Area, pursuant to section 307(a) of the Federal
Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1737(a)).
SEC. 7. LAND ACQUISITION.
(a) IN GENERAL.—
(1) PRIORITY TO CONSERVATION EASEMENTS.—In acquiring
lands or interest in lands under this section, the Secretary
shall give priority to such acquisitions in the form of conserva-
tion easements.
(2) PRIVATE LANDS.—The Secretary is authorized to acquire
privately held lands or interest in lands within the boundaries
H. R. 2941—6
of the Acquisition Planning District only from a willing seller
through donation, exchange, or purchase.
(3) COUNTY LANDS.—The Secretary is authorized to acquire
county lands or interest in lands within the boundaries of
the Acquisition Planning District only with the consent of the
county through donation, exchange, or purchase.
(4) STATE LANDS.—
(A) IN
GENERAL.—The Secretary is authorized to
acquire lands or interest in lands owned by the State
of Arizona located within the boundaries of the Acquisition
Planning District only with the consent of the State and
in accordance with State law, by donation, exchange, or
purchase.
(B) CONSIDERATION.—As consideration for the acquisi-
tions by the United States of lands or interest in lands
under this paragraph, the Secretary shall pay fair market
value for such lands or shall convey to the State of Arizona
all or some interest in Federal lands (including buildings
and other improvements on such lands or other Federal
property other than real property) or any other asset of
equal value within the State of Arizona.
(C) TRANSFER OF JURISDICTION.—All Federal agencies
are authorized to transfer jurisdiction of Federal lands
or interest in lands (including buildings and other improve-
ments on such lands or other Federal property other than
real property) or any other asset within the State of Arizona
to the Bureau of Land Management for the purpose of
acquiring lands or interest in lands as provided for in
this paragraph.
(b) MANAGEMENT OF ACQUIRED LANDS.—Lands acquired under
this section shall, upon acquisition, become part of the Conservation
Area and shall be administered as part of the Conservation Area.
These lands shall be managed in accordance with this Act, other
applicable laws, and the management plan.
SEC. 8. REPORTS TO CONGRESS.
(a) PROTECTION OF CERTAIN LANDS.—Not later than 2 years
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall
submit to Congress a report describing the most effective measures
to protect the lands north of the Acquisition Planning District
within the Rincon Valley, Colossal Cave area, and Agua Verde
Creek corridor north of Interstate 10 to provide an ecological link
to Saguaro National Park and the Rincon Mountains and contribute
to local government conservation priorities.
(b) IMPLEMENTATION OF THIS ACT.—Not later than 5 years
after the date of the enactment of this Act, and at least at the
end of every 10-year period thereafter, the Secretary shall submit
to Congress a report describing the implementation of this Act,
the condition of the resources and values of the Conservation Area,
and the progress of the Secretary in achieving the purposes for
H. R. 2941—7
which the Conservation Area is established as set forth in section
4(a).
Speaker of the House of Representatives.
Vice President of the United States and
President of the Senate.