California Desert and Mountain Heritage Act of 2008

Bill: 110-hr-3682
Sponsor: Rep. Bono, Mary [R-CA-45]
Introduced: 2007-09-27 in the House
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources
Subjects: Arts, Culture, Religion
California
Commemorations
Land use
Minorities
Mountains
National forests
National monuments
National parks
Native Americans
Religion
Water Resources Development
Wild rivers
Wilderness areas

Summary:
action_date: 2007-09-27
text: 
California Desert and Mountain Heritage Act - Designates as wilderness: (1) certain Bureau of Land Management (BLM) lands in the Cleveland National Forest, to be part of the Agua Tibia Wilderness; (2) specified lands in the San Bernardino National Forest to be known as the Cahuilla Mountain Wilderness and the South Fork San Jacinto Wilderness and certain BLM land in such Forest as part of the Santa Rosa Wilderness; (3) certain BLM land in Riverside County, California, to be known as the Beauty Mountain Wilderness; (4) certain land in Joshua Tree National Park, to be part of the Joshua Tree Wilderness; (5) certain BLM land in the county as part of the Orocopia Mountains Wilderness; (6) certain BLM land in the county as part of the Palen/McCoy Wilderness; (7) certain BLM land in the county to be known as the Pinto Mountains Wilderness; and (8) certain BLM land in the county as part of the Chuckwalla Mountains Wilderness. 

Designates certain lands in the Joshua Tree National Park as potential wilderness. Requires the Secretary of the Interior to manage such land as wilderness until it is incorporated into the Joshua Tree Wilderness (effective when the Secretary publishes notice that all uses of the land prohibited by the Wilderness Act have ceased or that sufficient inholdings have been acquired to establish a manageable wilderness unit). 

Provides for access to the Cahuilla Mountain Wilderness by Indian tribes for traditional cultural and religious purposes.

Amends the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act to designate as wild, scenic, or recreational rivers specified segments of the North Fork San Jacinto River, Fuller Mill Creek, Palm Canyon Creek, and Bautista Creek in California. 

Amends the Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument Act of 2000 to include additional lands within the boundaries of the Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument. 

action_date: 2008-06-09
text: 
California Desert and Mountain Heritage Act of 2008 - 
Title I: Designation and Expansion of Wilderness Areas 
- (Sec. 102) Designates the following lands in California as wilderness: (1) certain Bureau of Land Management (BLM) lands in the Cleveland National Forest, to be part of the Agua Tibia Wilderness; (2) specified lands in the San Bernardino National Forest to be known as the Cahuilla Mountain Wilderness and the South Fork San Jacinto Wilderness and certain BLM land in such Forest as part of the Santa Rosa Wilderness; (3) certain BLM land in Riverside County, to be known as the Beauty Mountain Wilderness; (4) certain land in Joshua Tree National Park, to be part of the Joshua Tree Wilderness; (5) certain BLM land in the county as part of the Orocopia Mountains Wilderness (excluding specified corridors); (6) certain BLM land in the county as part of the Palen/McCoy Wilderness; (7) certain BLM land in the county to be known as the Pinto Mountains Wilderness; and (8) certain BLM land in the county as part of the Chuckwalla Mountains Wilderness. 

States that the wilderness areas and wilderness additions designated by this title are intended to exclude rights of way for existing utility facilities, such as power, gas, and telecommunications lines, and associated structures and access roads, and existing designated utility corridors. 

(Sec. 103) Designates certain lands in the Joshua Tree National Park as potential wilderness. Requires the Secretary of the Interior to manage such land as wilderness until it is incorporated into the Joshua Tree Wilderness, effective when the Secretary publishes notice that all uses of the land prohibited by the Wilderness Act have ceased and that sufficient inholdings have been acquired to establish a manageable wilderness unit. 

(Sec. 104) Requires any land within the boundaries of a wilderness area or wilderness addition that is acquired by the United States to become part of the wilderness area in which the land is located. 

Withdraws the land designated as wilderness from all forms of: (1) entry, appropriation, or disposal under the public land laws; (2) location, entry, and patent under the mining laws; and (3) disposition under all laws pertaining to mineral and geothermal leasing or mineral materials. 

Authorizes the Secretary to take such measures in a wilderness area or addition designated by this Act as are necessary for the control and prevention of fire, insects, and diseases (including the use of prescribed burning, priority treatments, or fuels reduction). Directs the Secretary to: (1) amend the local fire management plans applicable to the Santa Rosa Wilderness and the Agua Tibia Wilderness; (2) prepare local fire management plans for the Beauty Mountain Wilderness, Cahuilla Mountain Wilderness, and South Fork San Jacinto Wilderness Area; (3) identify local officials to take such actions in such wilderness areas as are necessary for fire prevention and watershed protection, including best management practices for fire pre-suppression and fire suppression measures and techniques. Allows the Secretary to delegate by written agreement primary fire fighting authority and related public safety activities to a state or local agency. 

Provides for the grazing of livestock in the wilderness areas and wilderness additions designated by this title. 

Provides for access to the Cahuilla Mountain Wilderness by Indian tribes for traditional cultural purposes.

Title II: Wild and Scenic River Designations 
- (Sec. 201) Amends the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act to designate as wild, scenic, or recreational rivers specified segments of the North Fork San Jacinto River, Fuller Mill Creek, Palm Canyon Creek, and Bautista Creek in California. 

Title III: Additions and Technical Corrections to Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument 
- (Sec. 301) Amends the Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument Act of 2000 to include additional lands within the boundaries of the Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument. 

(Sec. 302) Amends such Act to revise the number of members of the advisory committee of the National Monument needed to attain a quorum from eight members (under current law) to a majority of the appointed members. 

action_date: 2008-09-16
text: 
California Desert and Mountain Heritage Act of 2008 - 
Title I: Designation and Expansion of Wilderness Areas
 - (Sec. 102) Designates the following lands in California as wilderness: (1) certain Bureau of Land Management (BLM) lands in the Cleveland National Forest, to be part of the Agua Tibia Wilderness; (2) specified lands in the San Bernardino National Forest to be known as the Cahuilla Mountain Wilderness and the South Fork San Jacinto Wilderness and certain BLM land in such Forest as part of the Santa Rosa Wilderness; (3) certain BLM land in Riverside County, to be known as the Beauty Mountain Wilderness; (4) certain land in Joshua Tree National Park, to be part of the Joshua Tree Wilderness; (5) certain BLM land in the county as part of the Orocopia Mountains Wilderness (excluding specified corridors); (6) certain BLM land in the county as part of the Palen/McCoy Wilderness; (7) certain BLM land in the county to be known as the Pinto Mountains Wilderness; and (8) certain BLM land in the county as part of the Chuckwalla Mountains Wilderness. 

Declares that nothing in this Act prohibits construction, operation, or maintenance of existing utility facilities outside of the wilderness areas and additions designated by this Act. 

(Sec. 103) Designates certain lands in the Joshua Tree National Park as potential wilderness. Requires the Secretary of the Interior to manage such land as wilderness until it is incorporated into the Joshua Tree Wilderness, effective when the Secretary publishes notice that all uses of the land prohibited by the Wilderness Act have ceased and that sufficient inholdings have been acquired to establish a manageable wilderness unit. 

(Sec. 104) Requires any land within the boundaries of a wilderness area or wilderness addition that is acquired by the United States to become part of the wilderness area in which the land is located. Withdraws the land designated as wilderness from all forms of: (1) entry, appropriation, or disposal under the public land laws; (2) location, entry, and patent under the mining laws; and (3) disposition under all laws pertaining to mineral and geothermal leasing or mineral materials. 

Authorizes the Secretary to take such measures in a wilderness area or addition designated by this Act as are necessary for the control of fire, insects, and diseases. Prohibits anything in this Act from limiting funding for fire and fuels management in the wilderness areas and additions designated by this Act. 

Directs the Secretary to: (1) amend the local fire management plans that apply to the land designated as a wilderness area or addition by this Act; and (2) establish agency approval procedures (including appropriate delegations of authority to the Forest Supervisor, District Manager, or other agency officials) for responding to fire emergencies and enter into agreements with state or local firefighting agencies. 

Provides for the grazing of livestock in the wilderness areas and wilderness additions designated by this title. 

Provides for access to the Cahuilla Mountain Wilderness by Indian tribes for traditional cultural purposes. 

Title II: Wild and Scenic River Designations
 - (Sec. 201) Amends the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act to designate as wild, scenic, or recreational rivers specified segments of the North Fork San Jacinto River, Fuller Mill Creek, Palm Canyon Creek, and Bautista Creek in California. 

Title III: Additions and Technical Corrections to Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument
 - (Sec. 301) Amends the Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument Act of 2000 to include additional lands within the boundaries of the Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument. 

(Sec. 302) Amends such Act to revise the number of members of the advisory committee of the National Monument needed to attain a quorum from eight members (under current law) to a majority of the appointed members. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-09-16
text: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 1025.
action_date: 2008-09-16
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Reported by Senator Bingaman with amendments. Without written report.
action_date: 2008-09-16
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Reported by Senator Bingaman with amendments. Without written report.
action_date: 2008-09-11
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Ordered to be reported with amendments favorably.
action_date: 2008-06-10
text: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
action_date: 2008-06-09
text: Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
action_date: 2008-06-09
text: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H5053-5055)
action_date: 2008-06-09
text: Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote.(text: CR H5053-5055)
action_date: 2008-06-09
text: DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 3682.
action_date: 2008-06-09
text: Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H5053-5057)
action_date: 2008-06-09
text: Mr. Costa moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
action_date: 2008-06-05
text: Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 436.
action_date: 2008-06-05
text: Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Natural Resources. H. Rept. 110-693.
action_date: 2008-06-05
text: Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Natural Resources. H. Rept. 110-693.
action_date: 2008-05-14
text: Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by Voice Vote.
action_date: 2008-05-14
text: Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
action_date: 2008-05-14
text: Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests, and Public Lands Discharged.
action_date: 2007-11-13
text: Subcommittee Hearings Held.
action_date: 2007-10-01
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands.
action_date: 2007-09-27
text: Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.
action_date: 2007-09-27
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2007-09-27
text: Introduced in House