Title: Imperial Valley Desert Conservation and Recreation Act
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources

Summary:
Imperial Valley Desert Conservation and Recreation Act
This bill directs the Department of the Interior to convey to the state of California approximately 934 acres of specified public lands administered by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) in San Diego County, upon termination of all mining claims to such lands, to be managed in accordance with the provisions of the California Wilderness Act.
On the submission of an application by Imperial County, California, the Department of Transportation shall seek a conveyance from Interior of approximately 3,500 acres of BLM-administered land adjacent to the Imperial County Holtville Airport in Imperial County, California, for purposes of airport expansion.
The bill establishes the Vinagre Wash Special Management Area in California to conserve, protect, and enhance its plant and wildlife values and nationally significant resources. The area shall consist of approximately 81,880 acres of certain public lands in Imperial County. Interior shall manage specified lands in the management area to preserve their character for eventual inclusion in the National Wilderness Preservation System.

[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 827 Introduced in House (IH)]

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115th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 827

To establish certain conservation and recreation areas in the State of 
                  California, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            February 2, 2017

  Mr. Vargas introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                     Committee on Natural Resources

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To establish certain conservation and recreation areas in the State of 
                  California, 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 ``Imperial Valley Desert Conservation 
and Recreation Act''.

SEC. 2. TRANSFER OF LAND TO ANZA-BORREGO DESERT STATE PARK, CALIFORNIA.

    (a) In General.--On termination of all mining claims to the land 
described in paragraph (2), the Secretary shall transfer the land 
described in that paragraph to the State.
    (b) Description of Land.--The land referred to in paragraph (1) is 
certain Bureau of Land Management land in San Diego County, California, 
comprising approximately 934 acres, as generally depicted on the map 
entitled ``Table Mountain Wilderness Study Area Proposed Transfer to 
the State'' and dated March 17, 2015.
    (c) Management.--
            (1) In general.--The land transferred under paragraph (1) 
        shall be managed in accordance with the provisions of the 
        California Wilderness Act (California Public Resources Code 
        sections 5093.30-5093.40).
            (2) Withdrawal.--Subject to valid existing rights, the land 
        transferred under paragraph (1) is withdrawn from--
                    (A) all forms of entry, appropriation, or disposal 
                under the public land laws;
                    (B) location, entry, and patent under the mining 
                laws; and
                    (C) disposition under all laws relating to mineral 
                and geothermal leasing.
            (3) Reversion.--If the State ceases to manage the land 
        transferred under paragraph (1) as part of the State Park 
        System or in a manner inconsistent with the California 
        Wilderness Act (California Public Resources Code sections 
        5093.30-5093.40), the land shall revert to the Secretary at the 
        discretion of the Secretary, to be managed as a Wilderness 
        Study Area.

SEC. 3. HOLTVILLE AIRPORT, IMPERIAL COUNTY.

    (a) In General.--On the submission of an application by Imperial 
County, California, the Secretary of Transportation shall, in 
accordance with section 47125 of title 49, United States Code, and 
section 2641.1 of title 43, Code of Federal Regulations (or successor 
regulations) seek a conveyance from the Secretary of approximately 
3,500 acres of Bureau of Land Management land adjacent to the Imperial 
County Holtville Airport (L04) for the purposes of airport expansion.
    (b) Segregation.--The Secretary (acting through the Director of the 
Bureau of Land Management) shall, with respect to the land to be 
conveyed under subsection (a)--
            (1) segregate the land;
            (2) endeavor to develop a joint Memorandum of Understanding 
        with the Imperial County Board of Supervisors, the Department 
        of Defense, and the Department of Transportation; such an 
        agreement shall not impose any obligation, term, or condition 
        on the property owned by Imperial County; and
            (3) prohibit the appropriation of the land until--
                    (A) the date on which a joint Memorandum of 
                Understanding is signed by the parties listed in 
                paragraph (2);
                    (B) the date on which a notice of realty action 
                terminates the application; and
                    (C) the date on which a document of conveyance is 
                published.

SEC. 4. VINAGRE WASH SPECIAL MANAGEMENT AREA.

    (a) Establishment.--There is established the Vinagre Wash Special 
Management Area in the State, to be managed by the El Centro Field 
Office and the Yuma Field Office of the Bureau of Land Management.
    (b) Purpose.--The purpose of the Management Area is to conserve, 
protect, and enhance--
            (1) the plant and wildlife values of the Management Area; 
        and
            (2) the outstanding and nationally significant ecological, 
        geological, scenic, recreational, archaeological, cultural, 
        historic, and other resources of the Management Area.
    (c) Boundaries.--The Management Area shall consist of the public 
land in Imperial County, California, comprising approximately 81,880 
acres, as generally depicted on the map.
    (d) Map; Legal Description.--
            (1) In general.--As soon as practicable, but not later than 
        3 years, after the date of enactment of this title, the 
        Secretary shall submit a map and legal description of the 
        Management Area to--
                    (A) the Committee on Natural Resources of the House 
                of Representatives; and
                    (B) the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources 
                of the Senate.
            (2) Effect.--The map and legal description submitted under 
        paragraph (1) shall have the same force and effect as if 
        included in this title, except that the Secretary may correct 
        any errors in the map and legal description.
            (3) Availability.--Copies of the map submitted under 
        paragraph (1) shall be on file and available for public 
        inspection in--
                    (A) the Office of the Director of the Bureau of 
                Land Management; and
                    (B) the appropriate office of the Bureau of Land 
                Management in the State.

SEC. 5. MANAGEMENT.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary shall allow hiking, camping, 
hunting, and sightseeing and the use of motorized vehicles, mountain 
bikes, and horses on designated routes in the Management Area in a 
manner that--
            (1) is consistent with the purpose of the Management Area 
        described in section 4(b);
            (2) ensures public health and safety; and
            (3) is consistent with applicable laws and regulations, 
        including the Desert Renewable Energy Conservation Plan.
    (b) Off-Highway Vehicle Use.--
            (1) In general.--Subject to paragraphs (2) and (3) and all 
        other applicable laws, the use of off-highway vehicles shall be 
        permitted on routes in the Management Area generally depicted 
        on the map.
            (2) Closure.--The Secretary may temporarily close or 
        permanently reroute a portion of a route described in paragraph 
        (1)--
                    (A) to prevent, or allow for restoration of, 
                resource damage;
                    (B) to protect tribal cultural resources, including 
                the resources identified in the tribal cultural 
                resources management plan;
                    (C) to address public safety concerns; or
                    (D) as otherwise required by law.
            (3) Designation of additional routes.--During the 3-year 
        period beginning on the date of enactment of this title, the 
        Secretary--
                    (A) shall accept petitions from the public 
                regarding additional routes for off-highway vehicles; 
                and
                    (B) may designate additional routes that the 
                Secretary determines--
                            (i) would provide significant or unique 
                        recreational opportunities; and
                            (ii) are consistent with the purposes of 
                        the Management Area.
    (c) Withdrawal.--Subject to valid existing rights, all Federal land 
within the Management Area is withdrawn from--
            (1) all forms of entry, appropriation, or disposal under 
        the public land laws;
            (2) location, entry, and patent under the mining laws; and
            (3) right-of-way, leasing, or disposition under all laws 
        relating to--
                    (A) minerals; or
                    (B) solar, wind, and geothermal energy.
    (d) No Buffers.--The establishment of the Management Area shall 
not--
            (1) create a protective perimeter or buffer zone around the 
        Management Area; or
            (2) preclude uses or activities outside the Management Area 
        that are permitted under other applicable laws, even if the 
        uses or activities are prohibited within the Management Area.
    (e) Notice of Available Routes.--The Secretary shall ensure that 
visitors to the Management Area have access to adequate notice relating 
to the availability of designated routes in the Management Area 
through--
            (1) the placement of appropriate signage along the 
        designated routes;
            (2) the distribution of maps, safety education materials, 
        and other information that the Secretary determines to be 
        appropriate; and
            (3) restoration of areas that are not designated as open 
        routes, including vertical mulching.
    (f) Stewardship.--The Secretary, in consultation with Indian tribes 
and other interests, shall develop a program to provide opportunities 
for monitoring and stewardship of the Management Area to minimize 
environmental impacts and prevent resource damage from recreational 
use, including volunteer assistance with--
            (1) route signage;
            (2) restoration of closed routes;
            (3) protection of Management Area resources; and
            (4) recreation education.
    (g) Protection of Tribal Cultural Resources.--Not later than 2 
years after the date of enactment of this title, the Secretary, in 
accordance with chapter 2003 of title 54, United States Code, and any 
other applicable law, shall--
            (1) prepare and complete a tribal cultural resources survey 
        of the Management Area; and
            (2) consult with the Quechan Indian Nation and other Indian 
        tribes demonstrating ancestral, cultural, or other ties to the 
        resources within the Management Area on the development and 
        implementation of the tribal cultural resources survey under 
        paragraph (1).

SEC. 6. POTENTIAL WILDERNESS.

    (a) Protection of Wilderness Character.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary shall manage the Federal 
        land in the Management Area described in paragraph (2) in a 
        manner that preserves the character of the land for the 
        eventual inclusion of the land in the National Wilderness 
        Preservation System.
            (2) Description of land.--The Federal land described in 
        this paragraph is--
                    (A) the approximately 10,860 acres of land, as 
                generally depicted as the Indian Pass Additions on the 
                map entitled ``Vinagre Wash Proposed Special Management 
                Area'' and dated November 10, 2009;
                    (B) the approximately 17,250 acres of land, as 
                generally depicted as Milpitas Wash Potential 
                Wilderness on the map entitled ``Vinagre Wash Proposed 
                Special Management Area'' and dated November 10, 2009;
                    (C) the approximately 11,840 acres of land, as 
                generally depicted as Buzzards Peak Potential 
                Wilderness on the map entitled ``Vinagre Wash Proposed 
                Special Management Area'' and dated November 10, 2009; 
                and
                    (D) the approximately 9,350 acres of land, as 
                generally depicted as Palo Verde Mountains Potential 
                Wilderness on the map entitled ``Vinagre Wash Proposed 
                Special Management Area'' and dated November 10, 2009.
            (3) Use of land.--
                    (A) Military uses.--The Secretary shall manage the 
                Federal land in the Management Area described in 
                paragraph (2) in a manner that is consistent with the 
                Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. 1131 et seq.), except that 
                the Secretary may authorize use of the land by the 
                Secretary of the Navy for Naval Special Warfare 
                Tactical Training, including long-range small unit 
                training and navigation, vehicle concealment, and 
                vehicle sustainment training, in accordance with 
                applicable Federal laws.
                    (B) Prohibited uses.--The following shall be 
                prohibited on the Federal land described in paragraph 
                (2):
                            (i) Permanent roads.
                            (ii) Commercial enterprises.
                            (iii) Except as necessary to meet the 
                        minimum requirements for the administration of 
                        the Federal land and to protect public health 
                        and safety--
                                    (I) the use of mechanized vehicles; 
                                and
                                    (II) the establishment of temporary 
                                roads.
            (4) Wilderness designation.--
                    (A) In general.--The Federal land described in 
                paragraph (2) shall be designated as wilderness and as 
                a component of the National Wilderness Preservation 
                System on the date on which the Secretary, in 
                consultation with the Secretary of Defense, publishes a 
                notice in the Federal Register that all activities on 
                the Federal land that are incompatible with the 
                Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. 1131 et seq.) have 
                terminated.
                    (B) Designation.--On designation of the Federal 
                land under clause (i)--
                            (i) the land described in paragraph (2)(A) 
                        shall be incorporated in, and shall be 
                        considered to be a part of, the Indian Pass 
                        Wilderness;
                            (ii) the land described in paragraph (2)(B) 
                        shall be designated as the ``Milpitas Wash 
                        Wilderness'';
                            (iii) the land described in paragraph 
                        (2)(C) shall be designated as the ``Buzzard 
                        Peak Wilderness''; and
                            (iv) the land described in paragraph (2)(D) 
                        shall be incorporated in, and shall be 
                        considered to be a part of, the Palo Verde 
                        Mountains Wilderness.
    (b) Administration of Wilderness.--Subject to valid existing 
rights, the land designated as wilderness or as a wilderness addition 
by this title shall be administered by the Secretary in accordance with 
this Act and the Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. 1131 et seq.).

SEC. 7. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Management area.--The term ``Management Area'' means 
        the Vinagre Wash Special Management Area.
            (2) Map.--The term ``map'' means the map entitled ``Vinagre 
        Wash Proposed Special Management Area; Indian Pass Mountains 
        and Palo Verde Mountains Potential Wilderness Additions, and 
        Buzzards Peak, Milpitas Wash Potential Wilderness'' and dated 
        February 19, 2015.
            (3) Public land.--The term ``public land'' has the meaning 
        given the term ``public lands'' in section 103 of the Federal 
        Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1702).
            (4) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of the Interior.
            (5) State.--The term ``State'' means the State of 
        California.
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