Big Sur Wilderness and Conservation Act of 2002
PL 107-370 (H.R.4750), enacted 12/19/2002

PUBLIC LAW 107-370-DEC. 19, 2002 
116 STAT. 3071 
Public Law 107-370 
107th Congress 
An Act 
To designate certain lands in the State of California as components of the National 
Dec. 19, 2002 
Wilderness Preservation System, and for other purposes. 
[H.R. 4750] 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
Big Sur 
Wilderness and 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE AND DEFINITIONS. 
Conservation Act 
(a) SHORT TITLE.—This Act may 
be cited as the "Big 
Sur 
Wilderness and Conservation Act of 2002". 
(b) DEFINITIONS.—As used in this Act, the term "Secretary" 
means the Secretary of the Interior or the Secretary of Agriculture, 
as appropriate. 
SEC. 2. ADDITIONS TO THE WILDERNESS PRESERVATION SYSTEM. 
(a) ADDITIONS TO VENTANA WILDERNESS. — 
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(1) IN GENERAL.—The areas described in paragraph (2)— note. 
(A) are hereby designated as wilderness and, therefore, 
as components of the National Wilderness Preservation 
System; and 
(B) are hereby incorporated in and shall be deemed 
to be a part of the Ventana Wilderness designated by 
Pubhc Law 91-58. 
(2) AREAS DESCRIBED.—The areas referred to in paragraph 
(1) are the following lands in the State of California adminis-
tered by the Bureau of Land Management or the United States 
Forest Service: 
(A) Certain lands which comprise approximately 995 
acres, as generally depicted on a map entitled "Anastasia 
Canyon Proposed Wilderness Additions to the Ventana 
Wilderness" and dated March 22, 2002. 
(B) Certain-Jands which comprise approximately 3,530 
acres, as generally depicted on a map entitled "Arroyo 
Seco Corridor Proposed Wilderness Addition to the Ventana 
Wilderness" and dated March 22, 2002. 
(C) Certain lands which comprise approximately 14,550 
acres, as generally depicted on a map entitled "Bear Canyon 
Proposed Wilderness Addition to the Ventana Wilderness" 
and dated March 22, 2002. 
(D) Certain lands which comprise approximately 855 
acres, as generally depicted on a map entitled "Black Rock 
Proposed Wilderness Additions to the Ventana Wilderness" 
and dated March 22, 2002. 
(E) Certain lands which comprise approximately 6,550 
acres, as generally depicted on a map entitled "Chalk Peak 
116 STAT. 3072 
PUBLIC LAW 107-370—DEC. 19, 2002 
Proposed Wilderness Addition to the Ventana Wilderness" 
and dated March 22, 2002. 
(F) Certain lands which comprise approximately 1,345 
acres, as generally depicted on a map entitled "Chews 
Ridge Proposed Wilderness Addition to the Ventana Wilder-
ness" and dated March 22, 2002. 
(G) Certain lands which comprise approximately 2,130 
acres, as generally depicted on a map entitled "Coast Ridge 
Proposed Wilderness Additions to the Ventana Wilderness" 
and dated March 22, 2002. 
(H) Certain lands which comprise approximately 2,270 
acres, as generally depicted on a map entitled "Horse 
Canyon Proposed Wilderness Addition to the Ventsina 
Wilderness" and dated March 22, 2002. 
(I) Certain lands which comprise approximately 755 
acres, as generally depicted on a map entitled "Little Sur 
Proposed Wilderness Addition to the Ventana Wilderness" 
and dated March 22, 2002. 
(J) Certain lands which comprise approximately 4,130 
acres, as generally depicted on a map entitled "San Antonio 
Proposed Wilderness Addition to the Ventana Wilderness" 
and dated March 22, 2002. 
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(b) ADDITIONS TO SILVER PEAK WILDERNESS.— 
note. 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The areas described in paragraph (2)— 
(A) are hereby designated as wilderness and, therefore, 
as components of the National Wilderness Preservation 
System; and 
(B) are hereby incorporated in £ind shall be deemed 
to be a peirt of the Silver Peak Wilderness designated 
by PubHc Law 102-301. 
(2) AREAS DESCRIBED.—The areas referred to in paragraph 
(1) are the following lands in the State of California adminis-
tered by the United States Forest Service: 
(A) Certain lands which comprise approximately 8,235 
acres, as generally depicted on a map entitled "San 
Carpoforo Proposed Wilderness Addition to the Silver Peak 
Wilderness" and dated March 22, 2002. 
(B) Certain lands which comprise approximately 8,820 
acres, as generally depicted on a map entitled "Willow 
Creek Proposed Wilderness Addition to the Silver Peak 
Wilderness" and dated March 22, 2002. 
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(c) ADDITIONS TO PINNACLES WILDERNESS.— 
note. 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The areas described in paragraph (2)— 
(A) are hereby designated as wilderness and, therefore, 
as components of the National Wilderness Preservation 
System; and 
(B) are hereby incorporated in and shall be deemed 
to be a part of the Pinnacles Wilderness designated by 
Public Law 94-567. 
(2) AREAS DESCRIBED.—The areas referred to in paragraph 
(1) are the lands in the State of California administered by 
the National Park Service which comprise approximately 2,715 
acres, as generally depicted on a map entitled "Pinnacles Pro-
posed Wilderness Additions" and dated October 30, 2001. 
(d) MAPS AND DESCRIPTIONS.— 
(1) FILING.—^As soon as practicable after the date of enact-
ment of this Act, the appropriate Secretary shall file a map 
PUBLIC LAW 107-370—DEC. 19, 2002 
116 STAT. 3073 
and a boundgiry description of each area designated as wilder-
ness by this Act with the Committee on Resources of the 
House of Representatives and the Committee on Energy and 
Natural Resources of the Senate. 
(2) EFFECT.—Each map and description shall have the same 
force and effect as if included in this Act, except that the 
appropriate Secretary is authorized to correct clerical and typo-
graphical errors in such boundary descriptions and maps. 
(3) AVAILABILITY.—Such maps and boundary descriptions 
shall be on file and available for public inspection in the Office 
of the Director of the Bureau of Land Management and in 
the Office of the Chief of the Forest Service, as appropriate. 
(e) STATE AND PRIVATE LANDS.—Lands within the exterior 
boundaries of any area added to a wilderness area under this 
section that are owned by the State or by a private entity shall 
be included within such wilderness area if such lands are acquired 
by the United States. Such lands may be acquired by the United 
States only as provided in the Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. 1131 
and following). 
SEC. 3. ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Subject to valid existing rights, lands des-
ignated as wilderness by this Act shall be managed by the Secretary 
of Agriculture or the Secretary of the Interior, as appropriate, 
in accordance with the Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. 1131 et seq.) 
and this Act, except that, with respect to any wilderness areas 
designated by this Act, any reference in the Wilderness Act to 
the effective date of the Wilderness Act shall be deemed to be 
a reference to the date of enactment of this Act. 
(b) GRAZING.—Grazing of livestock in wilderness areas des-
ignated by this Act shall be administered in accordance with the 
provisions of section 4(d)(4) of the Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. 
1133(d)(4)), as further interpreted by section 108 of Public Law 
96-560, and, the guidelines set forth in Appendix A of House 
Report 101-405 of the 101st Congress. 
(c) STATE JURISDICTION.—AS provided in section 4(d)(7) of the 
Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. 1133(dX7)), nothing in this Act shall 
be construed as affecting the jurisdiction or responsibilities of the 
State of California with respect to wildlife and fish in California. 
(d) WATER.— 
(1) RESERVATION OF WATER.—With respect to each wilder-
ness area designated by this Act, Congress hereby reserves 
a quantity of water sufficient to fulfill the purposes of this 
Act. The priority date of such reserved rights shall be the 
date of enactment of this Act. 
(2) REQUIREMENT TO PROTECT RIGHTS.—The appropriate 
Secretary and all other officers of the United States shall 
take steps necessary to protect the rights reserved by paragraph 
(1), including the filing by the Secretary of a claim for the 
quantification of such rights in any present or future appro-
priate stream adjudication in the courts of the State of Cali-
fornia in which the United States is or may be joined and 
which is conducted in accordance with the McCarreui Amend-
ment (43 U.S.C. 666). 
(3) No REDUCTION OR RELINQUISHMENT.—Nothing in this 
Act shall be construed as a relinquishment or reduction of 
any water rights reserved or appropriated by the United States 
116 STAT. 3074 
PUBLIC LAW 107-370—DEC. 19, 2002 
in the State of California on or before the date of enactment 
of this Act. 
(4) LIMITATION ON EFFECT.—The Federal water rights 
reserved by this Act are specific to the wilderness areas located 
in the State of California designated by this Act. Nothing 
in this Act related to reserved Federal water rights shall be 
construed as establishing a precedent with regard to any future 
designations, nor shall it constitute an interpretation of any 
other Act or any designation made pursuant thereto. 
SEC. 4. WILDERNESS FIRE MANAGEMENT. 
Deadline. 
(a) REVISION OF MANAGEMENT PLANS.—The Secretary of Agri-
culture shedl, by not later thsm 1 year after the date of the enact-
ment of this Act, amend the management plans that apply to 
each of the Ventana Wilderness and the Silver Peak Wilderness, 
respectively, to authorize the Forest Supervisor of the Los Padres 
National Forest to take whatever appropriate actions in such wilder-
ness areas are necessary for fire prevention and watershed protec-
tion consistent with wilderness values, including best meinagement 
practices for fire presuppression and fire suppression measures 
and techniques. 
(b) INCORPORATION INTO FOREST PiANNiNC^Any special provi-
sions contained in the management plan for the Ventana Wilderness 
and Silver Peak Wilderness pursuant to subsection (a) shall be 
incorporated into the management plan for the Los Padres National 
Forest. 
SEC. 5. MIUTARY TRAINING AT FORT HUNTER-LIGGETT. 
(a) OVERFLIGHTS.—Nothing in this Act shgJl preclude low level 
overflights of militEiry aircraft, the designation of new units of 
special airspace, or the use or establishment of military flight 
training routes over wilderness areas designated by this Act. 
(b) MILITARY ACCESS.—Nonmotorized access to and use of the 
wilderness areas designated by this Act for military tredning shall 
be authorized to continue in wilderness areas designated by this 
Act in the same manner and degree as authorized prior to enact-
ment of this Act. 
SEC. 6, BIG SUR INVASIVE SPECIES ERADICATION. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Agriculture may conduct 
a 5-year pilot program to target the eradication of invasive plant 
and animal species in the Monterey District of the Los Padres 
National Forest. 
(b) APPLICATION TO OTHER PROPERTY.—^Activities under the 
program may include actions to address invasive species problems 
on nearby private land or other land that is not Forest Service 
property, if— 
(1) the land owner, or the head of the governmental agency 
having administrative jurisdiction over the land in the case 
of State, local, or Federed government-owned land, seeks to 
participate in the program; and 
(2) the invasive species concerned occurs on the land and 
poses a threat to national forest lands. 
(c) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRL\TIONS.—To carry out this sec-
tion there is authorized to be appropriated $1,000,000 for each 
of 5 fiscal years. 
PUBLIC LAW 107-370—DEC. 19, 2002 
116 STAT. 3075 
SEC. 8. SILVER PEAK WILDERNESS WATER SYSTEM SPLIT. 
The Secretary of Agriculture may authorize the construction 
and maintenance of a new water Hne and corresponding spring 
box improvements adjacent to an existing domestic water service 
in the Silver Peak Wilderness. 
Approved December 19, 2002. 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY—H.R. 4750: 
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 148 (2002): 
Nov. 14, considered and passed House. 
Nov. 19, considered and passed Senate.