H. R. 63
One Hundred Third Congress
of the
United States of America
AT THE FIRST SESSION
Begun and held at the City of Washington on Tuesday,
the fifth day of January, one thousand nine hundred and ninety-three
An Act
To establish the Spring Mountains National Recreation Area in Nevada, and for
other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Spring Mountains National
Recreation Area Act’’.
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.
As used in this Act:
(1) NATIONAL FOREST LANDS.—The term ‘‘National Forest
lands’’ means lands included in the National Forest System
(as defined in section 11(a) of the Forest and Rangeland Renew-
able Resources Planning Act of 1974 (16 U.S.C. 1609(a))).
(2) RECREATION AREA.—The term ‘‘Recreation Area’’ means
the Spring Mountains National Recreation Area established
by this Act.
(3) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means the Secretary
of Agriculture.
SEC. 3. PURPOSES.
The purposes of this Act are to—
(1) preserve scenic, scientific, historic, cultural, natural,
wilderness, watershed, riparian, wildlife, threatened and endan-
gered species, and other values contributing to public enjoyment
and biological diversity in the Spring Mountains of Nevada;
(2) ensure appropriate conservation and management of
natural and recreation resources in the Spring Mountains; and
(3) provide for the development of public recreation
opportunities in the Spring Mountains for the enjoyment of
present and future generations.
SEC. 4. ESTABLISHMENT OF RECREATION AREA.
(a) IN GENERAL.—Subject to valid existing rights, there is estab-
lished the Spring Mountains National Recreation Area in Nevada.
(b) BOUNDARIES AND MAP.—The Recreation Area shall consist
of approximately 316,000 acres of federally owned lands and
interests therein in the Toiyabe National Forest, as generally
depicted on a map entitled ‘‘Spring Mountain National Recreation
Area—Proposed’’, numbered NV–CH, and dated August 2, 1992.
(c) MAP FILING.—As soon as practicable after the date of enact-
ment of this Act, the Secretary shall file a map of the Recreation
Area with the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of
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the Senate and the Committee on Natural Resources of the House
of Representatives.
(d) PUBLIC INSPECTION.—The map shall be on file and available
for public inspection in the offices of the Chief of the Forest Service,
Department of Agriculture.
(e) DISCREPANCIES.—In the case of any discrepancy between
or among the acreage referred to in subsection (b) and the map
described in subsection (b), the map described in subsection (b)
shall control any question concerning the boundaries of the Recre-
ation Area.
SEC. 5. MANAGEMENT.
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary, acting through the Chief of
the Forest Service, shall manage the Recreation Area in accordance
with the laws, rules, and regulations pertaining to the National
Forest System and this Act to provide for—
(1) the conservation of scenic, scientific, historic, cultural,
and other values contributing to public enjoyment;
(2) the conservation of fish and wildlife populations and
habitat, including the use of prescribed fire to improve or
maintain habitat;
(3) the protection of watersheds and the maintenance of
free flowing streams and the quality of ground and surface
waters in accordance with applicable law;
(4) public outdoor recreation benefits, including, but not
limited to, hunting, fishing, trapping, hiking, horseback riding,
backpacking, rock climbing, camping, and nature study;
(5) wilderness areas as designated by Congress; and
(6) the management and use of natural resources in a
manner compatible with the purposes for which the Recreation
Area is established.
(b) HUNTING, TRAPPING, AND FISHING.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—Subject to paragraph (2), the Secretary
shall permit hunting, trapping, fishing, and habitat manage-
ment within the Recreation Area in accordance with the laws
of the United States and the State of Nevada.
(2) EXCEPTIONS.—The Secretary, in consultation with the
Nevada Department of Wildlife, may designate zones where
and periods when hunting, trapping, or fishing shall not be
permitted for reasons of public safety, administration, or public
use and enjoyment.
(c) GRAZING.—The grazing of livestock on Federal lands may
be permitted to continue pursuant to Federal law and subject to
such reasonable regulations, policies, and practices as the Secretary
considers necessary.
(d) PREVENTIVE MEASURES.—Nothing in this Act shall preclude
such reasonable measures as the Secretary considers necessary
to protect the land and resources from fire or insect or disease
infestation in the Recreation Area.
SEC. 6. MANAGEMENT PLAN.
(a) IN GENERAL.—
(1) PROCEDURES.—Not later than 3 full fiscal years after
the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall develop
a general management plan for the Recreation Area as an
amendment to the Toiyabe National Forest Land and Resource
Management Plan. Such an amendment shall reflect the
establishment of the Recreation Area and be consistent with
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the provisions of this Act, except that nothing in this Act
shall require the Secretary to revise the Toiyabe National For-
est Land and Resource Management Plan pursuant to section
6 of the Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources Planning
Act of 1974. The provisions of the national forest land and
resource management plan relating to the recreation area shall
also be available to the public in a document separate from
the rest of the forest plan.
(2) CONTENTS.—The management plan described in para-
graph (1) shall be developed with full public participation and
shall include—
(A) implementation plans for a continuing program
of interpretation and public education about the resources
and values of the Recreation Area;
(B) proposals for public facilities to be developed,
expanded, or improved for the Recreation Area, including
one or more visitor centers to accommodate both local and
out-of-State visitors;
(C) plans for the management of natural and cultural
resources in the Recreation Area, with emphasis on the
preservation and long-term scientific use of archaeological
resources, with priority in development given 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 Recre-
ation Area;
(D) wildlife and fish resource management plans for
the Recreation Area prepared in consultation with appro-
priate departments of the State of Nevada and using other
available studies of the Recreation Area;
(E) recreation management plans for the Recreation
Area in consultation with appropriate departments of the
State of Nevada;
(F) wild horse and burro herd management plans for
the Recreation Area prepared in consultation with appro-
priate departments and commissions of the State of
Nevada; and
(G) an inventory of all lands within the Recreation
Area not presently managed as National Forest lands that
will permit the Secretary to evaluate possible future
acquisitions.
(3) CONSULTATION.—The plans for the management of natu-
ral and cultural resources described in paragraph (2)(C) shall
be prepared in consultation with the Advisory Council on His-
toric Preservation established by title II of the National Historic
Preservation Act (16 U.S.C. 470i et seq.) and the Nevada State
Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Division
of Historic Preservation and Archaeology.
(b) WILDERNESS STUDY AREAS.—
(1) RECOMMENDATIONS.—The general management plan for
the Recreation Area shall include the recommendations of the
Bureau of Land Management as to the suitability or
nonsuitability for preservation as wilderness those lands within
the Recreation Area identified as the Mt. Stirling, La Madre
Mountains, and Pine Creek Wilderness Study Areas on the
Bureau of Land Management Wilderness Status Map, dated
March 1990.
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SEC. 10. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may
be necessary to carry out this Act.
Speaker of the House of Representatives.
Vice President of the United States and
President of the Senate.