Spring Mountains National Recreation Area Act
PL 103-63 (H.R.63), enacted 08/04/1993

PUBLIC LAW 103-63—AUG. 4, 1993 
107 STAT. 297 
Public Law 103-63 
103d Congress 
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 
Aug. 4, 1993 
[H.R. 63] 
Spring 
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Area Act. 
Conservation. 
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107 STAT. 298 
PUBLIC LAW 103-63—AUG. 4, 1993 
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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 desi^ated 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 
PUBLIC LAW 103-63—AUG. 4, 1993 
107 STAT. 299 
the provisions of this Act, except that nothing in this Act 
shall reauire the Secretary to revise the Toiyabe National For-
est Lana 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 (Jouncil 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. 
107 STAT. 300 
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(2) MANAGEMENT.—Pending submission of a recommenda-
tion and imtil otherwise directed by Act of Congress, the Sec-
retary, acting through the Chief of the Forest Service, shall 
manage the lands and waters within the wilderness study 
areas referred to in paragraph (1) so as to maintain their 
potential for inclusion within the National Wilderness Preserva-
tion System. 
SEC. 7. ACQUISITION OF LANDS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—^The Secretary is authorized to acquire lands 
and interests therein within the boundaries of the Recreation Area 
by donation, purchase with donated or appropriated 
funds, 
exchange, or transfer from another Federal agency, except that 
such lands or interests owned by the State of Nevada or a political 
subdivision thereof may be acquired only by donation or exchange. 
(b) INCORPORATION OF ACQUIRED LANDS.—Any lands, waters, 
or interests in lands or interests therein located within the Recre-
ation Area that are acquired by the United States or administra-
tively transferred to the Secretary after the date of enactment 
of this Act shall be incorporated into the Recreation Area and 
managed in accordance with the laws, rules, and regulations 
applicable to the National Forest System and the provisions of 
this Act. 
(c) LAND AND WATER CONSERVATION FUND.—For purposes of 
section 7 of the Land and Water Conservation Fund Act of 1965 
(16 U.S.C. 4601-9), where such boundaries are established for units 
of the National Forest System, such established boundaries shall 
be treated as if they were the boundaries of the National Forests 
as of January 1, 1965. Money appropriated from the Land and 
Water Conservation Fund shall be available for the acquisition 
of lands and interests therein in furtherance of the purposes of 
this Act. 
SEC. 8. WITHDRAWAL. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Subject to valid existing rights and except 
for lands described in subsection (b), all Federal lands within the 
Recreation Area are 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) operation under the mineral leasing and geothermal 
leasing laws. 
(b) EXCEPTION.—^The lands referred to in subsection (a) are 
described as follows: 
Wy2Ey2 and WVa, Sec. 27, T23S, R58E, Mt. Diablo Meridian. 
SEC. 9. COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS. 
In order to encourage unified and cost-effective management 
and interpretation of natural and cultural resources in southern 
Nevada, the Secretary may enter into cooperative agreements with 
other Federal, State, and local agencies, and with nonprofit entities, 
that provide for the management and interpretation of natural 
and cultural resources. 
PUBLIC LAW 103-63—AUG. 4, 1993 
107 STAT. 301 
SEC. 10. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 
16 USC 
There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may 
be necessary to carry out this Act. 
Approved August 4, 1993. 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY—H.R. 63: 
HOUSE REPORTS: No. 103-59 (Comm. on Natural Resources). 
SENATE REPORTS: No. 103-63 (Comm. on Energy and Natural Resources). 
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 139 (1993): 
Apr. 20, considered and passed House. 
June 29, considered and passed Senate, amended. 
July 26, House concurred in Senate amendments.