I 
115TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. R. 857 
To provide for conservation and enhanced recreation activities in the 
California Desert Conservation Area, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
FEBRUARY 3, 2017 
Mr. COOK introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee 
on Natural Resources 
A BILL 
To provide for conservation and enhanced recreation activi-
ties in the California Desert Conservation Area, 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; TABLE OF CONTENTS. 
(a) SHORT TITLE.—This Act may be cited as the 
‘‘California Off-Road Recreation and Conservation Act’’. 
(b) TABLE OF CONTENTS.—The table of contents of 
this Act is as follows: 
Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents. 
Sec. 2. California Off-Road Recreation and Conservation. 
Sec. 3. Visitor center. 
Sec. 4. California State school land. 
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Sec. 5. Designation of wild and scenic rivers. 
Sec. 6. Conforming amendments. 
SEC. 2. CALIFORNIA OFF-ROAD RECREATION AND CON-
SERVATION. 
Public Law 103–433 (16 U.S.C. 410aaa et seq.) is 
amended by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘TITLE XIII—WILDERNESS 
‘‘SEC. 1301. DESIGNATION OF WILDERNESS AREAS. 
‘‘(a) DESIGNATION OF WILDERNESS AREAS TO BE 
ADMINISTERED
BY
THE BUREAU
OF LAND MANAGE-
MENT.—In accordance with the Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. 
1131 et seq.) and sections 601 and 603 of the Federal 
Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 
1781, 1782), the following land in the State is designated 
as wilderness areas and as components of the National 
Wilderness Preservation System: 
‘‘(1) AVAWATZ MOUNTAINS WILDERNESS.—Cer-
tain land in the Conservation Area administered by 
the Director of the Bureau of Land Management, 
comprising approximately 91,800 acres, as generally 
depicted on the map entitled ‘Avawatz Mountains 
Proposed Wilderness’ and dated June 30, 2015, to 
be known as the ‘Avawatz Mountains Wilderness’. 
‘‘(2) GOLDEN
VALLEY
WILDERNESS.—Certain 
land in the Conservation Area administered by the 
Director of the Bureau of Land Management, com-
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prising approximately 1,250 acres, as generally de-
picted on the map entitled ‘Golden Valley Proposed 
Wilderness Additions’ and dated June 22, 2015, 
which shall be considered to be part of the ‘Golden 
Valley Wilderness’. 
‘‘(3) GREAT FALLS BASIN WILDERNESS.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—Certain land in the 
Conservation Area administered by the Director 
of the Bureau of Land Management, com-
prising approximately 7,870 acres, as generally 
depicted on the map entitled ‘Great Falls Basin 
Proposed Wilderness’ and dated April 29, 2015, 
to be known as the ‘Great Falls Basin Wilder-
ness’. 
‘‘(B) LIMITATIONS.—Designation of the 
wilderness under subparagraph (A) shall not es-
tablish a Class I Airshed under the Clean Air 
Act (42 U.S.C. 7401 et seq.). 
‘‘(4) KINGSTON RANGE WILDERNESS.—Certain 
land in the Conservation Area administered by the 
Bureau of Land Management, comprising approxi-
mately 53,320 acres, as generally depicted on the 
map entitled ‘Kingston Range Proposed Wilderness 
Additions’ and dated February 18, 2015, which shall 
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be considered to be a part of as the ‘Kingston Range 
Wilderness’. 
‘‘(5) SODA MOUNTAINS WILDERNESS.—Certain 
land in the Conservation Area, administered by the 
Bureau of Land Management, comprising approxi-
mately 79,990 acres, as generally depicted on the 
map entitled ‘Soda Mountains Proposed Wilderness’ 
and dated February 18, 2015, to be known as the 
‘Soda Mountains Wilderness’. 
‘‘(b) DESIGNATION OF WILDERNESS AREAS TO BE 
ADMINISTERED BY THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE.—In 
accordance with the Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. 1131 et 
seq.) and sections 601 and 603 of the Federal Land Policy 
and Management Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1781, 1782), 
the following land in the State is designated as wilderness 
areas and as components of the National Wilderness Pres-
ervation System: 
‘‘(1) DEATH VALLEY NATIONAL PARK WILDER-
NESS ADDITIONS-NORTH EUREKA VALLEY.—Certain 
land in the Conservation Area administered by the 
Director of the National Park Service, comprising 
approximately 11,496 acres, as generally depicted on 
the map entitled ‘Death Valley National Park Pro-
posed Wilderness Area-North Eureka Valley’, num-
bered 143/100,082C, and dated October 7, 2014, 
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be considered to be a part of the Death Valley Na-
tional Park Wilderness. 
‘‘(c) DESIGNATION OF WILDERNESS AREA TO BE 
ADMINISTERED BY THE FOREST SERVICE.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—In accordance with the Wil-
derness Act (16 U.S.C. 1131 et seq.), the land in 
the State described in paragraph (2) is designated 
as a wilderness area and as a component of the Na-
tional Wilderness Preservation System. 
‘‘(2) DESCRIPTION
OF
LAND.—The land re-
ferred to in paragraph (1) is certain land in the San 
Bernardino National Forest, comprising approxi-
mately 7,141 acres, as generally depicted on the 
map entitled ‘San Gorgonio Proposed Wilderness 
Expansion,’ dated November 2, 2016, which shall 
considered to be a part of the San Gorgonio Wilder-
ness. 
‘‘(3) FIRE MANAGEMENT AND RELATED ACTIVI-
TIES.— 
‘‘(A) IN
GENERAL.—The Secretary may 
carry out such activities in the wilderness area 
designated by paragraph (1) as are necessary 
for the control of fire, insects, and disease, in 
accordance with section 4(d)(1) of the Wilder-
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ness Act (16 U.S.C. 1133(d)(1)) and House 
Report 98–40 of the 98th Congress. 
‘‘(B) FUNDING
PRIORITIES.—Nothing in 
this subsection limits the provision of any fund-
ing for fire or fuel management in the wilder-
ness area designated by paragraph (1). 
‘‘(C) REVISION
AND
DEVELOPMENT
OF 
LOCAL FIRE MANAGEMENT PLANS.—As soon as 
practicable after the date of enactment of this 
title, the Secretary shall amend the local fire 
management plans that apply to the wilderness 
area designated by paragraph (1). 
‘‘(D) 
ADMINISTRATION.—In 
accordance 
with subparagraph (A) and other applicable 
Federal law, to ensure a timely and efficient re-
sponse to fire emergencies in the wilderness 
area designated by paragraph (1), the Secretary 
shall— 
‘‘(i) not later than 1 year after the 
date of enactment of this title, establish 
agency approval procedures (including ap-
propriate delegations of authority to the 
Forest Supervisor, District Manager, or 
other agency officials) for responding to 
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fire emergencies in the wilderness area des-
ignated by paragraph (1); and 
‘‘(ii) enter into agreements with ap-
propriate State or local firefighting agen-
cies relating to that wilderness area. 
‘‘SEC. 1302. MANAGEMENT. 
‘‘(a) ADJACENT MANAGEMENT.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Nothing in this title creates 
any protective perimeter or buffer zone around the 
wilderness areas designated by section 1301. 
‘‘(2) 
ACTIVITIES
OUTSIDE
WILDERNESS 
AREAS.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—The fact that an ac-
tivity (including military activities) or use on 
land outside a wilderness area designated by 
section 1301 can be seen or heard within the 
wilderness area shall not preclude or restrict 
the activity or use outside the boundary of the 
wilderness area. 
‘‘(B) EFFECT ON NONWILDERNESS ACTIVI-
TIES.— 
‘‘(i) IN GENERAL.—In any permitting 
proceeding (including a review under the 
National Environmental Policy Act of 
1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.)) conducted 
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with respect to a project described in 
clause (ii) that is formally initiated 
through a notice in the Federal Register 
before December 31, 2013, the consider-
ation of any visual, noise, or other impacts 
of the project on a wilderness area des-
ignated by section 1301 shall be conducted 
based on the status of the area before des-
ignation as wilderness. 
‘‘(ii) DESCRIPTION OF PROJECTS.—A 
project referred to in clause (i) is a renew-
able energy project or associated energy 
transport facility project— 
‘‘(I) for which the Bureau of 
Land Management has received a 
right-of-way use application on or be-
fore the date of enactment of this 
title; and 
‘‘(II) that is located outside the 
boundary of a wilderness area des-
ignated by section 1301. 
‘‘(3) NO
ADDITIONAL
REGULATION.—Nothing 
in this title requires additional regulation of activi-
ties on land outside the boundary of the wilderness 
areas. 
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‘‘(4) EFFECT
ON
MILITARY
OPERATIONS.— 
Nothing in this title alters any authority of the Sec-
retary of Defense to conduct any military operations 
at desert installations, facilities, and ranges of the 
State that are authorized under any other provision 
of law. 
‘‘(5) EFFECT
ON
UTILITY
FACILITIES
AND 
RIGHTS-OF-WAY.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—Subject to paragraph 
(2), nothing in this title terminates or precludes 
the renewal or reauthorization of any valid ex-
isting right-of-way or customary operation, 
maintenance, repair, upgrading, or replacement 
activities in a right-of-way, issued, granted, or 
permitted to the Southern California Edison 
Company or predecessors, successors, or assigns 
of the Southern California Edison Company 
that is located on land included in the San 
Gorgonio Wilderness Area or the Sand to Snow 
National Monument. 
‘‘(B) 
LIMITATION.—The 
activities 
de-
scribed in subparagraph (A) shall be conducted 
in a manner that minimizes the impact of the 
activities resources of the San Gorgonio Wilder-
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ness Area or the Sand to Snow National Monu-
ment. 
‘‘(C) APPLICABLE
LAW.—In accordance 
with the National Environmental Policy Act of 
1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), any approval re-
quired for an increase in the voltage of the 
Coachella distribution circuit shall require con-
sideration of alternative alignments, including 
alignments adjacent to State Route 62. 
‘‘(b) MAPS; LEGAL DESCRIPTIONS.— 
‘‘(1) IN
GENERAL.—As soon as practicable 
after the date of enactment of this title, the Sec-
retary shall file a map and legal description of each 
wilderness area and wilderness addition designated 
by section 1301 with— 
‘‘(A) the Committee on Natural Resources 
of the House of Representatives; and 
‘‘(B) the Committee on Energy and Nat-
ural Resources of the Senate. 
‘‘(2) FORCE OF LAW.—A map and legal de-
scription filed under paragraph (1) shall have the 
same force and effect as if included in this title, ex-
cept that the Secretary may correct errors in the 
maps and legal descriptions. 
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‘‘(3) PUBLIC
AVAILABILITY.—Each map and 
legal description filed under paragraph (1) shall be 
filed and made available for public inspection in the 
appropriate office of the Secretary. 
‘‘(c) ADMINISTRATION.—Subject to valid existing 
rights, the land designated as wilderness or as a wilder-
ness addition by section 1301 shall be administered by the 
Secretary in accordance with this Act and the Wilderness 
Act (16 U.S.C. 1131 et seq.), except that any reference 
in that Act to the effective date shall be considered to be 
a reference to the date of enactment of this title. 
‘‘SEC. 1303. RELEASE OF WILDERNESS STUDY AREAS. 
‘‘(a) FINDING.—Congress finds that, for purposes of 
section 603 of the Federal Land Policy and Management 
Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1782), any portion of a wilderness 
study area described in subsection (b) that is not des-
ignated as a wilderness area or wilderness addition by sec-
tion 1301 or any other Act enacted before the date of en-
actment of this title has been adequately studied for wil-
derness. 
‘‘(b) DESCRIPTION OF STUDY AREAS.—The study 
areas referred to in subsection (a) are— 
‘‘(1) the Cady Mountains Wilderness Study 
Area; 
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‘‘(2) the Kingston Range Wilderness Study 
Area; 
‘‘(3) the Avawatz Mountain Wilderness Study 
Area; 
‘‘(4) the Death Valley National Park Boundary 
and Wilderness 17 Wilderness Study Area; 
‘‘(5) the Great Falls Basin Wilderness Study 
Area; and 
‘‘(6) the Soda Mountains Wilderness Study 
Area. 
‘‘(c) RELEASE.—Any portion of a wilderness study 
area described in subsection (b) that is not designated as 
a wilderness area or wilderness addition by section 1301 
is no longer subject to section 603(c) of the Federal Land 
Policy and Management Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1782(c)). 
‘‘SEC. 1304. TREATMENT OF CHERRY-STEMMED ROADS. 
‘‘(a) DEFINITION OF CHERRY-STEMMED ROAD.—In 
this section, the term ‘cherry-stemmed road’ means a road 
or trail that is excluded from a wilderness area or wilder-
ness addition designated by section 202 by a non-wilder-
ness corridor having designated wilderness on both sides, 
as generally depicted on the maps described in such sec-
tion. 
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‘‘(b) PROHIBITION ON CLOSURE OR TRAVEL RE-
STRICTIONS
ON CHERRY-STEMMED ROADS.—The Sec-
retary concerned shall not— 
‘‘(1) close any cherry-stemmed road that is 
open to the public as of the date of the enactment 
of this Act; 
‘‘(2) prohibit motorized access on a cherry- 
stemmed road that is open to the public for motor-
ized access as of the date of the enactment of this 
Act; or 
‘‘(3) prohibit mechanized access on a cherry- 
stemmed road that is open to the public for mecha-
nized access as of the date of the enactment of this 
Act. 
‘‘(c) RESOURCE PROTECTION OR PUBLIC SAFETY 
EXCEPTIONS.—Subsection (b) shall not apply to a cherry- 
stemmed road if the Secretary concerned determines that 
a closure or traffic restriction of the cherry-stemmed road 
is necessary for purposes of significant resource protection 
or public safety. 
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‘‘TITLE XIV—NATIONAL PARK 
SYSTEM ADDITIONS 
‘‘SEC. 1401. DEATH VALLEY NATIONAL PARK BOUNDARY RE-
VISION. 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The boundary of Death Valley 
National Park is adjusted to include— 
‘‘(1) the approximately 28,923 acres of Bureau 
of Land Management land in Inyo County, Cali-
fornia, abutting the southern end of the Death Val-
ley National Park that lies between Death Valley 
National Park to the north and Ft. Irwin Military 
Reservation to the south and which runs approxi-
mately 34 miles from west to east, as depicted on 
the map entitled ‘Death Valley National Park Pro-
posed Boundary Addition-Bowling Alley’, numbered 
143/128,605, and dated May 14, 2015; and 
‘‘(2) the approximately 6,369 acres of Bureau 
of Land Management land in Inyo County, Cali-
fornia, located in the northeast area of Death Valley 
National Park that is within, and surrounded by, 
land under the jurisdiction of the Director of the 
National Park Service, as depicted on the map enti-
tled ‘Death Valley National Park Proposed Bound-
ary Addition-Crater’, numbered 143/100,079C, and 
dated October 7, 2014. 
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‘‘(b) AVAILABILITY OF MAP.—The maps described in 
paragraphs (1) and (2) of subsection (a) shall be on file 
and available for public inspection in the appropriate of-
fices of the National Park Service. 
‘‘(c) ADMINISTRATION.—The Secretary of the Inte-
rior (referred to in this title as the ‘Secretary’) shall— 
‘‘(1) administer any land added to Death Valley 
National Park under subsection (a)— 
‘‘(A) as part of Death Valley National 
Park; and 
‘‘(B) in accordance with applicable laws 
(including regulations); and 
‘‘(2) not later than 180 days after the date of 
enactment of this Act, enter into a memorandum of 
understanding with Inyo County, California, to per-
mit operationally feasible, ongoing access and use 
(including, but not limited to, material storage as 
well as excavation) to gravel pits in existence as of 
that date along Saline Valley Road within Death 
Valley National Park for road maintenance and re-
pairs in accordance with applicable laws (including 
regulations). 
‘‘SEC. 1402. MOJAVE NATIONAL PRESERVE. 
‘‘The boundary of the Mojave National Preserve is 
adjusted to include the 25 acres of Bureau of Land Man-
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agement land in Baker, California, as depicted on the map 
entitled ‘Mojave National Preserve Proposed Boundary 
Addition’, numbered 170/100,199, and dated August 
2009. 
‘‘SEC. 1403. JOSHUA TREE NATIONAL PARK BOUNDARY RE-
VISION. 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The boundary of the Joshua 
Tree National Park is adjusted to include— 
‘‘(1) the 2,879 acres of land managed by Direc-
tor of the Bureau of Land Management that are 
contiguous at several different places to the northern 
boundaries of Joshua Tree National Park in the 
northwest section of the Park, as depicted on the 
map entitled ‘Joshua Tree National Park Proposed 
Boundary Additions’, numbered 156/100,077, and 
dated August 2009; and 
‘‘(2) the 1,639 acres of land to be acquired 
from the Mojave Desert Land Trust that are contig-
uous at several different places to the northern 
boundaries of Joshua Tree National Park in the 
northwest section of the Park, as depicted on the 
map entitled ‘Mojave Desert Land Trust National 
Park Service Additions’, numbered 156/126,376, 
and dated September 2014. 
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