Las Cienegas National Conservation Area Establishment Act of 1999
PL 106-538 (H.R.2941), enacted 12/06/2000

PUBLIC LAW 106-538—DEC. 6, 2000 
114 STAT. 2563 
Public Law 106-538 
106th Congress 
An Act 
To establish the Las Cienegas National Conservation Area in the State of Arizona. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives 
of 
the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. DEFINITIONS. 
For the purposes of this Act, the following definitions apply: 
(1) CONSERVATION AREA.—The term "Conservation Area" 
means the Las Cienegas National Conservation Area estab-
lished by section 4(a). 
(2) ACQUISITION PLANNING DISTRICT.—^The term "Acquisi-
tion Planning District" means the Sonoita Valley Acquisition 
Planning District established by section 2(a). 
(3) MANAGEMENT PLAN.—The term "management plan" 
means the management plan for the Conservation Area. 
(4) PUBLIC LANDS.—The term "public lands" has the 
meaning given the term in section 103(e) of the Federal Land 
PoUcy and Management Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1702(e)), except 
that such term shall not include interest in lands not owned 
by the United States. 
(5) SECRETARY.—^The term "Secretary" means the Secretary 
of the Interior. 
SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT OF THE SONOITA VALLEY ACQUISITION PLAN-
NING DISTRICT. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—In order to provide for future acquisitions 
of important conservation land within the Sonoita Valley region 
of the State of Arizona, there is hereby established the Sonoita 
Valley Acquisition Planning District. 
(b) AREAS INCLUDED.—^The Acquisition Plsinning District shall 
consist of approximately 142,800 acres of land in the Arizona coun-
ties of Pima and Santa Cruz, including the Conservation Area, 
as generally depicted on the map entitled "Sonoita Valley Acquisi-
tion Planning District and Las Cienegas National Conservation 
Area" and dated October 2, 2000. 
(c) MAP AND LEGAL DESCRIPTION.—^As soon as practicable after 
the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit 
to Congress a map and legal description of the Acquisition Planning 
District. In case of a conflict between the map referred to in sub-
section (b) and the map and legal description submitted by the 
Secretary, the map referred to in subsection (b) shall control. The 
map and legal description shall have the same force and effect 
as if included in this Act, except that the Secretary may correct 
clerical and typographical errors in such map and legal description. 
Copies of the map and legal description shall be on file and available 
Dec. 6, 2000 
[H.R. 2941] 
16 use 
460ooo. 
16 use 
460ooo-l. 
114 STAT. 2564 
PUBLIC LAW 106-538—DEC. 6, 2000 
16 use 
460OOO-2. 
16 use 
460OOO-3. 
for public inspection in the Office of the Director of the Bureau 
of Land Management, and in the appropriate office of the Bureau 
of Land Management in Arizona. 
SEC. 3. PURPOSES OF THE ACQUISITION PLANNING DISTRICT. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall negotiate with land 
owners for the acquisition of lands and interest in lands suitable 
for Conservation Area expansion that meet the purposes described 
in section 4(a). The Secretary shall only acquire property under 
this Act pursuant to section 7. 
(b) FEDERAL LANDS.—^The Secretary, through the Bureau of 
Land Management, shall administer the public lands within the 
Acquisition Planning District pursuant to this Act and the 
applicable provisions of the Federal Land Policy and Management 
Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.), subject to vahd existing 
rights, and in accordance with the management plan. Such public 
lands shall become part of the Conservation Area when they become 
contiguous with the Conservation Area. 
(c) FISH AND WILDLIFE.—^Nothing in this Act shall be construed 
as affecting the jurisdiction or responsibilities of the State of Arizona 
with respect to fish and wildlife within the Acquisition Planning 
District. 
(d) 
PROTECTION 
OF 
STATE 
AND 
PRIVATE 
LANDS 
AND 
INTERESTS.—^Nothing in this Act shall be construed as affecting 
any property rights or management authority with regard to any 
lands or interest in lands held by the State of Arizona, any political 
subdivision of the State of Arizona, or any private property rights 
within the boundaries of the Acquisition Planning District. 
(e) PUBLIC LANDS.—^Nothing in this Act shall be construed 
as in any way diminishing the Secretar3^s or the Bureau of Land 
Management's authorities, rights, or responsibilities for managing 
the public lands within the Acquisition Planning District. 
(f) COORDINATED MANAGEMENT.—^The Secretary shall coordi-
nate the management of the public lands within the Acquisition 
Planning District with that of surrounding county, State, and pri-
vate lands consistent with the provisions of subsection (d). 
SEC. 4. ESTABLISHMENT OF THE LAS CIENEGAS NATIONAL CONSERVA-
TION AREA. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—In order to conserve, protect, and enhance 
for the benefit and enjo3niient of present and future generations 
the unique and nationally important aquatic, wildlife, vegetative, 
archaeological, paleontological, scientific, cave, cultural, historical, 
recreational, educational, scenic, rangeland, and riparian resources 
and values of the public lands described in subsection (b) while 
allowing livestock grazing and recreation to continue in appropriate 
areas, there is hereby established the Las Cienegas National Con-
servation Area in the State of Arizona. 
(b) AREAS INCLUDED.—^The Conservation Area shall consist of 
approximately 42,000 acres of public lands in the Arizona counties 
of Pima and Santa Cruz, as generally depicted on the map entitled 
"Sonoita Valley Acquisition Planning District and Las Cienegas 
National Conservation Area" and dated October 2, 2000. 
(c) MAPS AND LEGAL DESCRIPTION.—^As soon as practicable after 
the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit 
to Congress a map and legal description of the Conservation Area. 
In case of a conflict between the map referred to in subsection 
(b) and the map and legal description submitted by the Secretary, 
PUBLIC LAW 106-538—DEC. 6, 2000 
114 STAT. 2565 
the map referred to in subsection (b) shall control. The map and 
legal description shall have the same force and effect as if included 
in this Act, except that the Secretary may correct clerical and 
typographical errors in such map and legal description. Copies 
of the map and legal description shall be on file and available 
for public inspection in the Office of the Director of the Bureau 
of Land Management, and in the appropriate office of the Bureau 
of Land Management in Arizona. 
(d) FOREST LANDS.—^Any lands included in the Coronado 
National Forest that are located within the boundaries of the Con-
servation Area shall be considered to be a part of the Conservation 
Area. The Secretary of Agriculture shall revise the boundaries 
of the Coronado National Forest to reflect the exclusion of such 
lands from the Coronado National Forest. 
SEC. 5. MANAGEMENT OF THE LAS CIENEGAS NATIONAL CONSERVA- 
16 USC 
TIONAREA. 
460OOO-4. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—^The Secretary shall manage the Conservation 
Area in a manner that conserves, protects, and enhances its 
resources and values, including the resources and values specified 
in section 4(a), pursuant to the Federal Land Policy and Manage-
ment Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.) and other applicable 
law, including this Act. 
(b) USES.—^The Secretary shall allow only such uses of the 
Conservation Area as the Secretary finds will further the purposes 
for which the Conservation Area is established as set forth in 
section 4(a). 
(c) GRAZING.—^The Secretary of the Interior shall permit grazing 
subject to all applicable laws, regulations, and Executive orders 
consistent with the purposes of this Act. 
(d) MOTORIZED VEHICLES.—^Except where needed for adminis-
trative purposes or to respond to an emergency, use of motorized 
vehicles on public lands in the Conservation Area shall be allowed 
only— 
(1) before the effective date of a management plan prepared 
pursuant to section 6, on roads and trails designated for use 
of motorized vehicles in the management plan that applies 
on the date of the enactment of this Act; and 
(2) after the effective date of a management plan prepared 
pursuant to section 6, on roads and trails designated for use 
of motor vehicles in that management plan. 
(e) MILITARY AIRSPACE.—Prior to the date of the enactment 
of this Act the Federal Aviation Administration approved restricted 
military airspace (Areas 2303A and 2303B) which covers portions 
of the Conservation Area. Designation of the Conservation Area 
shall not impact or impose any altitude, flight, or other airspace 
restrictions on current or future military operations or missions. 
Should the military require additional or modified airspace in the 
future, the Congress does not intend for the designation of the 
Conservation Area to impede the military from petitioning the 
Federal Aviation Administration to change or expand existing 
restricted military airspace. 
(f) ACCESS TO STATE AND PRIVATE LANDS.—^Nothing in this 
Act shall affect valid existing rights-of-way within the Conservation 
Area. The Secretary shall provide reasonable access to nonfederally 
owned lands or interest in lands within the boundaries of the 
Conservation Area. 
114 STAT. 2566 
PUBLIC LAW 106-538—DEC. 6, 2000 
16 use 
460ooo-5. 
Deadline. 
(g) HUNTING.—Hunting shall be allowed within the Conserva-
tion Area in accordance with applicable laws and regulations of 
the United States and the State of Arizona, except that the Sec-
retary, after consultation with the Arizona State wildlife manage-
ment agency, may issue regulations designating zones where and 
establishing periods when no hunting shall be permitted for reasons 
of public safety, administration, or public use and enjojmient. 
(h) PREVENTATIVE MEASURES.—^Nothing in this Act shall pre-
clude such measures as the Secretary determines necessary to 
prevent devastating fire or infestation of insects or disease within 
the Conservation Area. 
(i) No BUFFER ZONES.—The establishment of the Conservation 
Area shall not lead to the creation of protective perimeters or 
buffer zones around the Conservation Area. The fact that there 
may be activities or uses on lands outside the Conservation Area 
that would not be permitted in the Conservation Area shall not 
preclude such activities or uses on such lands up to the boundary 
of the Conservation Area consistent with other applicable laws. 
(j) WITHDRAWALS.—Subject to valid existing rights all Federal 
lands within the Conservation Area and all lands and interest 
therein which are hereafter acquired by the United States are 
hereby withdrawn from all forms of entry, appropriation, or disposal 
under the public land laws and from location, entry, and patent 
under the mining laws, and from operation of the mineral leasing 
and geothermal leasing laws and all amendments thereto. 
SEC. 6. MANAGEMENT PLAN. 
(a) PLAN REQUIRED.—Not later than 2 years after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary, through the Bureau 
of Land Management, shall develop and begin to implement a 
comprehensive management plan for the long-term management 
of the public lands within the Conservation Area in order to fulfill 
the purposes for which it is established, as set forth in section 
4(a). Consistent with the provisions of this Act, the management 
plan shall be developed— 
(1) in consultation with appropriate departments of the 
State of Arizona, including wildlife and land management agen-
cies, with full public participation; 
(2) from the draft Empire-Cienega Ecosystem Management 
Plan/EIS, dated October 2000, as it applies to Federal lands 
or lands with conservation easements; and 
(3) in accordance with the resource goals and objectives 
developed through the Sonoita Valley Planning Partnership 
process as incorporated in the draft Empire-Cienega Ecosystem 
Management Plan/EIS, dated October 2000, giving full consid-
eration to the management alternative preferred by the Sonoita 
Valley Planning Partnership, as it applies to Federal lands 
or lands with conservation easements. 
(b) CONTENTS.—^The management plan shall include— 
(1) provisions designed to ensure the protection of the 
resources and values described in section 4(a); 
(2) an implementation plan for a continuing program of 
interpretation and public education about the resources and 
values of the Conservation Area; 
(3) a proposal for minimal administrative and public facili-
ties to be developed or improved at a level compatible with 
achieving the resource objectives for the Conservation Area 
PUBLIC LAW 106-538—DEC. 6, 2000 
114 STAT. 2567 
and with the other proposed management activities to accommo-
date visitors to the Conservation Area; 
(4) cultural resources management strategies for the Con-
servation Area, prepared in consultation with appropriate 
departments of the State of Arizona, with emphasis on the 
preservation of the resources of the Conservation Area and 
the interpretive, educational, and long-term scientific uses of 
these resources, giving priority 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 Conservation Area; 
(5) wildlife management strategies for the Conservation 
Area, prepared in consultation with appropriate departments 
of the State of Arizona and using previous studies of the Con-
servation Area; 
(6) production livestock grazing msinagement strategies, 
prepared in consultation with appropriate departments of the 
State of Arizona; 
(7) provisions designed to ensure the protection of environ-
mentally sustainable livestock use on appropriate lands within 
the Conservation Area; 
(8) recreation management strategies, including motorized 
and nonmotorized dispersed recreation opportunities for the 
Conservation Area, prepared in consultation with appropriate 
departments of the State of Arizona; 
(9) cave resources management strategies prepsired in 
compliance with the goals and objectives of the Federal Cave 
Resources Protection Act of 1988 (16 U.S.C. 4301 et seq.); 
and 
(10) provisions designed to ensure that if a road or trail 
located on public lands within the Conservation Area, or any 
portion of such a road or trail, is removed, consideration shall 
be given to providing similar alternative access to the portion 
of the Conservation Area serviced by such removed road or 
trail. 
(c) COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS.—In order to better implement 
the management plan, the Secretary may enter into cooperative 
agreements with appropriate Federal, State, and local agencies 
pursuant to section 307(b) of the Federal Land Policy and Manage-
ment Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1737(b)). 
(d) RESEARCH ACTIVITIES.—^In order to assist in the develop-
ment and implementation of the management plan, the Secretary 
may authorize appropriate research, including research concerning 
the environmental, biological, hydrological, cultural, agricultural, 
recreational, and other characteristics, resources, and values of 
the Conservation Area, pursuant to section 307(a) of the Federal 
Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1737(a)). 
SEC. 7. LAND ACQUISITION. 
16 USC 
(a) IN GENERAL.- 
^^°''^-
(1) PRIORITY TO CONSERVATION EASEMENTS.—In acquiring 
lands or interest in lands under this section, the Secretary 
shall give priority to such acquisitions in the form of conserva-
tion easements. 
(2) PRIVATE LANDS.—^The Secretary is authorized to acquire 
privately held lands or interest in lands within the boundaries 
114 STAT. 2568 
PUBLIC LAW 106-538—DEC. 6, 2000 
Deadlines. 
16 use 
460OOO-7. 
of the Acquisition Planning District only from a willing seller 
through donation, exchange, or purchase. 
(3) COUNTY LANDS.—^The Secretary is authorized to acquire 
county lands or interest in lands within the boundaries of 
the Acquisition Planning District only with the consent of the 
county through donation, exchange, or purchase. 
(4) STATE LANDS.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary is authorized to 
acquire lands or interest in lands owned by the State 
of Arizona located within the boundaries of the Acquisition 
Planning District only with the consent of the State and 
in accordance with State law, by donation, exchange, or 
purchase. 
(B) CONSIDERATION.—^As consideration for the acquisi-
tions by the United States of lands or interest in lands 
under this paragraph, the Secretary shall pay fair market 
value for such lands or shall convey to the State of Arizona 
all or some interest in Federal lands (including buildings 
and other improvements on such lands or other Federal 
property other than real property) or any other asset of 
equal value within the State of Arizona. 
(C) TRANSFER OF JURISDICTION.^AII Federal agencies 
are authorized to transfer jurisdiction of Federal lands 
or interest in lands (including buildings and other improve-
ments on such lands or other Federal property other than 
real property) or any other asset within the State of Arizona 
to the Bureau of Land Management for the purpose of 
acquiring lands or interest in lands as provided for in 
this paragraph. 
(b) MANAGEMENT OF ACQUIRED LANDS.—^Lands acquired under 
this section shall, upon acquisition, become part of the Conservation 
Area and shall be administered as part of the Conservation Area. 
These lands shall be managed in accordance with this Act, other 
applicable laws, and the management plan. 
SEC. 8. REPORTS TO CONGRESS. 
(a) PROTECTION OF CERTAIN LANDS.—^Not later than 2 years 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall 
submit to Congress a report describing the most effective measures 
to protect the lands north of the Acquisition Planning District 
within the Rincon Valley, Colossal Cave area, and Agua Verde 
Creek corridor north of Interstate 10 to provide an ecological link 
to Saguaro National Park and the Rincon Mountains and contribute 
to local government conservation priorities. 
(b) IMPLEMENTATION OF THIS ACT.—^Not later than 5 years 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, and at least at the 
end of every 10-year period thereafter, the Secretary shall submit 
to Congress a report describing the implementation of this Act, 
the condition of the resources and values of the Conservation Area, 
and the progress of the Secretary in achieving the purposes for 
PUBLIC LAW 106-538—DEC. 6, 2000 
114 STAT. 2569 
which the Conservation Area is established as set forth in section 
4(a). 
Approved December 6, 2000. 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY—H.R. 2941: 
HOUSE REPORTS: No. 106-934 (Comm. on Resoiirces). 
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 146 (2000): 
Oct. 5, considered and passed House. 
Oct. 27, considered and passed Senate.