Colorado Canyons National Conservation Area and Black Ridge Canyons Wilderness Act of 2000
PL 106-353 (H.R.4275), enacted 10/24/2000

114 STAT. 1374 
PUBLIC LAW 106-353—OCT. 24, 2000 
Public Law 106-353 
106th Congress 
Oct. 24, 2000 
[H.R. 4275] 
Colorado 
Canyons 
National 
Conservation 
Area and Black 
Ridge Canyons 
Wilderness Act of 
2000. 
Utah. 
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note. 
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An Act 
To establish the Colorado Canyons National Conservation Area and the Black 
Ridge Canyons Wilderness, 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 "Colorado Canyons National 
Conservation Area and Black Ridge Canyons Wilderness Act of 
2000". 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSE. 
(a) FINDINGS.—Congress finds that certain areas located in 
the Grand Valley in Mesa County, Colorado, and Grand County, 
Utah, should be protected and enhanced for the benefit and enjoy-
ment of present and future generations. These areas include the 
following: 
(1) The areas making up the Black Ridge and Ruby Can-
yons of the Grand Valley and Rabbit Valley, which contain 
unique 
and 
valuable 
scenic, 
recreational, 
multiple 
use 
opportunities (including grazing), paleontological, natural, and 
wildlife components enhanced by the rural western setting 
of the area, provide extensive opportunities for recreational 
activities, and are publicly used for hiking, camping, and 
grazing, and are worthy of additional protection as a national 
conservation area. 
(2) The Black Ridge Canyons Wilderness Study Area has 
wilderness value and offers unique geological, paleontological, 
scientific, and recreational resources. 
(b) PURPOSE.—The purpose of this Act is to conserve, protect, 
and enhance for the benefit and enjoyment of present and fiiture 
generations the unique and nationally important values of the 
public lands described in section 4(b), including geological, cultural, 
paleontological, natural, scientific, recreational, environmental, 
biological, wilderness, wildlife education, and scenic resources of 
such public lands, by establishing the Colorado Canyons National 
Conservation Area and the Black Ridge Canyons Wilderness in 
the State of Colorado and the State of Utah. 
SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
(1) CONSERVATION AREA.—The term "Conservation Area" 
means the Colorado Canyons National Conservation Area estab-
lished by section 4(a). 
PUBLIC LAW 106-a53—OCT. 24, 2000 
114 STAT. 1375 
(2) COUNCIL.—The term "Couneil" means the Colorado Can-
yons National Conservation Area Advisory Council established 
under section 8. 
(3) MANAGEMENT PLAN.—The term "management plan" 
means the management plan developed for the Conservation 
Area under section 6(h). 
(4) MAP.—The term "Map" means the map entitled "Pro-
posed Colorado Canyons National Conservation Area and Black 
Ridge Canyons Wilderness Area" and dated July 18, 2000. 
(5) SECRETARY.—The term "Secretary" means the Secretary 
of the Interior, acting through the Director of the Bureau 
of Land Management. 
(6) WILDERNESS.—The term "Wilderness" means the Black 
Ridge Canyons Wilderness so designated in section 5. 
SEC. 4. COLORADO CANYONS NATIONAL CONSERVATION AREA. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—^There is established the Colorado Canyons 
National Conservation Area in the State of Colorado and the State 
of Utah. 
(b) AREAS INCLUDED.—^The Conservation Area shall consist of 
approximately 122,300 acres of public land as generally depicted 
on the Map. 
SEC. 5. BLACK RIDGE CANYONS WILDERNESS DESIGNATION. 
Certain lands in Mesa County, Colorado, and Grand County, 
Utah, which comprise approximately 75,550 acres as generally 
depicted on the Map, are hereby designated as wilderness and 
therefore as a component of the National Wilderness Preservation 
System. Such component shall be known as the Black Ridge Can-
yons Wilderness. 
SEC. 
6
. 
MANAGEMENT. 
(a) CONSERVATION AREA.—The Secretary shall manage the Con-
servation Area in a manner that— 
(1) conserves, protects, and enhances the resources of the 
Conservation Area specified in section 2(b); and 
(2) is in accordance with— 
(A) the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 
1976 (43 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.); and 
(B) other applicable law, including this Act. 
(b) USES.—The Secretary shall allow only such uses of the 
Conservation Area as the Secretary determines will further the 
purposes for which the Conservation Area is established. 
(c) WITHDRAWALS.—Subject to valid existing rights, all Federal 
land within the Conservation Area and the Wilderness and all 
land and interests in land acquired for the Conservation Area 
or the Wilderness by the United States 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) the operation of the mineral leasing, mineral materials, 
and geothermal leasing laws, and all amendments thereto. 
Nothing in this subsection shall be construed to affect discretionary 
authority of the Secretary under other Federal laws to grant, issue, 
or renew rights-of-way or other land use authorizations consistent 
with the other provisions of this Act. 
(d) OFF-HIGHWAY VEHICLE USE.— 
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114 STAT, 1376 
PUBLIC LAW 106-353—OCT. 24, 2000 
<1) iN GENERAL.—Except as provided in paragraph (2), use 
of motorized vehicles in the Conservation Area— 
(A) before the effective date of a management plan 
under subsection (h), shall be allowed only on roads and 
trails designated for use of motor vehicles in the manage-
ment plan that applies on the date of the enactment of 
this Act to the public lands in the Conservation Area; 
and 
(B) after the effective date of a management plan under 
subsection (h), shall be allowed only on roads and trails 
designated for use of motor vehicles in that management 
plan. 
(2) ADMINISTRATIVE AND EMERGENCY RESPONSE USE.—Para-
graph (1) shall not limit the use of motor vehicles in the 
Conservation Area as needed for administrative purposes or 
to respond to an emergency. 
(e)'WILDERNESS.—Subject to valid existing rights, lands des-
ignated as wilderness by this Act shall be managed by the Secretary, 
as appropriate, in accordance with the Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. 
1131 et seq.) and this Act, except that, with respect to any wilder-
ness 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 the enactment of this Act. 
(f) HUNTING, TRAPPING, AND FISHING.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Hunting, trapping, and fishing shall be 
allowed within the Conservation Area and the Wilderness in 
accordance with applicable laws and regulations of the United 
States and the States of Colorado and Utah. 
(2) AREA AND TIME CLOSURES.—The head of the Colorado 
Division of Wildlife (in reference to land within the State of 
Colorado), the head of the Utah Division of Wildlife (in reference 
to land within the State of Utah), or the Secretary after con-
sultation with the Colorado Division of Wildlife (in reference 
to land within the State of Colorado) or the head of the Utah 
Division of Wildlife (in reference to land within the State of 
Utah), may issue regulations designating zones where, and 
establishing limited periods when, hunting, trapping, or fishing 
shall be prohibited in the Conservation Area or the Wilderness 
for reasons of public safety, administration, or public use and 
enjoyment. 
(g) GRAZING.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—^Except as provided by paragraph (2), 
the Secretary shall issue and administer any grazing leases 
or permits in the Conservation Area and the Wilderness in 
accordance with the same laws (including regulations) and 
Executive orders followed by the Secretary in issuing and 
administering grazing leases and permits on other land under 
the jurisdiction of the Bureau of Land Management. 
(2) GRAZING IN WILDERNESS.—Grazing of livestock in 
the 
Wilderness shall be administered in accordance with the provi-
sions of section 4(d)(4) of the Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. 
1133(d)(4)), in accordance with the guidelines set forth in 
Appendix A of House Report 101-405 of the 101st Congress, 
(h) MANAGEMENT PLAN.— 
Deadline. 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 3 years after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall develop a 
comprehensive management plan for the long-range protection 
PUBLIC LAW 106-353—OCT. 24, 2000 
114 STAT. 1377 
and management of the Conservation Area and the Wilderness 
and the lands described in paragraph (2)(E). 
(2) PURPOSES.—^The management plan shall— 
(A) describe the appropriate uses and management 
of the Conservation Area and the Wilderness; 
(B) take into consideration any information developed 
in studies of the land within the Conservation Area or 
the Wilderness; 
(C) provide for the continued management of the utility 
corridor, Black Ridge Communications Site, and the Fed-
eral Aviation Administration site as such for the land des-
ignated on the Map as utility corridor. Black Ridge Commu-
nications Site, and the Federal Aviation Administration 
site; 
(D) take into consideration the historical involvement 
of the local community in the interpretation and protection 
of the resources of the Conservation Area and the Wilder-
ness, as well as the Ruby Canyon/Black Ridge Integrated 
Resource Management Plan, dated March 1998, which was 
the result of collaborative efforts on the part of the Bureau 
of Land Management and the local community; and 
(E) include all public lands between the boundary of 
the Conservation Area and the edge of the Colorado River 
and, on such lands, the Secretary shall allow only such 
recreational or other uses as are consistent with this Act. 
(i) No BUFFER ZONES.—The Congress does not intend for the 
establishment of the Conservation Area or the Wilderness to lead 
to the creation of protective perimeters or buffer zones around 
the Conservation Area or the Wilderness. The fact that there may 
be activities or uses on lands outside the Conservation Area or 
the Wilderness that would not be allowed in the Conservation 
Area or the Wilderness shall not preclude such activities or uses 
on such lands up to the boundary of the Conservation Area or 
the Wilderness consistent with other applicable laws. 
(j) ACQUISITION OF LAND.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary may acquire non-federally 
owned land within the exterior boundaries of the Conservation 
Area or the Wilderness only through purchase from a willing 
seller, exchange, or donation. 
(2) MANAGEMENT.—Land acquired under paragraph (1) 
shall be managed as part of the Conservation Area or the 
Wilderness, as the case may be, in accordsmce with this Act. 
(k) INTERPRETIVE FACILITIES OR SITES.—^The Secretary 
may 
establish minimal interpretive facilities or sites in cooperation with 
other public or private entities as the Secretary considers appro-
priate. Any facilities or sites shall be designed to protect the 
resources referred to in section 2(b). 
(1) WATER RIGHTS.— 
(1) FINDINGS.—Congress finds that— 
(A) the lands designated as wilderness by this Act 
are located at the headwaters of the streams and rivers 
on those lands, with few, if any, actual or proposed water 
resource facilities located upstream from such lands and 
few, if any, opportunities for diversion, storage, or other 
uses of water occurring outside such lands that would 
adversely affect the wilderness or other values of such 
lands; 
114 STAT. 1378 
PUBLIC LAW 106-353—OCT. 24, 2000 
(B) the lands designated as wilderness by this Act 
generally are not suitable for use for development of new 
water resource facilities, or for the expansion of existing 
facilities; 
(0) it is possible to provide for proper management 
and protection of the wilderness and other values of such 
lands in ways different from those utilized in other legisla-
tion designating as wilderness lands not sharing the 
attributes of the lands designated as wilderness by this 
Act. 
(2) STATUTORY CONSTRUCTION.— 
(A) Nothing in this Act shall constitute or be construed 
to constitute either an express or implied reservation of 
any water or water rights with respect to the lands des-
ignated as a national conservation area or as wilderness 
by this Act. 
(B) Nothing in this Act shall affect any conditional 
or absolute water rights in the State of Colorado existing 
on the date of the enactment of this Act. 
(C) Nothing in this subsection shall be construed as 
establishing a precedent with regard to any future national 
conservation area or wilderness designations. 
(D) Nothing in this Act shall be construed as limiting, 
altering, modifying, or amending any of the interstate com-
pacts or equitable apportionment decrees that apportion 
water among and between the State of Colorado and other 
States. 
(3) COLORADO WATER LAW.—^The Secretary shall follow the 
procedural and substantive requirements of the law of the 
State of Colorado in order to obtain and hold any new water 
rights with respect to the Conservation Area and the Wilder-
ness. 
(4) NEW PROJECTS.— 
(A) As used in this paragraph, the term "water resource 
facility" means irrigation and pumping facilities, reservoirs, 
water conservation works, aqueducts, canals, ditches, pipe-
lines, wells, hydropower projects, and transmission and 
other ancillary facilities, and other water diversion, storage, 
and carriage structures. Such term does not include any 
such facilities related to or used for the purpose of livestock 
grazing. 
(B) Except as otherwise provided by section 6(g) or 
other provisions of this Act, on and after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, neither the President nor any other 
officer, employee, or agent of the United States shall fimd, 
assist, authorize, or issue a license or permit for the 
development of any new water resource facility within the 
wilderness area designated by this Act. 
(C) Except as provided in this paragraph, nothing in 
this Act shall be construed to affect or limit the use, oper-
ation, maintenance, repair, modification, or replacement 
of water resource facilities in existence on the date of 
the enactment of this Act within the boundaries of the 
Wilderness. 
(5) BOUNDARIES ALONG COLORADO RIVER.—(A) Neither the 
Conservation Area nor the Wilderness shall include any part 
of the Colorado River to the 100-year high water mark. 
PUBLIC LAW 106-353—OCT. 24, 2000 
114 STAT. 1379 
(B) Nothing in this Act shall affect the authority that 
the Secretary may or may not have to manage recreational 
uses on the Colorado River, except as such authority may 
be affected by compliance with paragraph (3). Nothing in this 
Act shall be construed to affect the authority of the Secretary 
to manage the public lands between the boundary of the Con-
servation Area and the edge of the Colorado River. 
(C) Subject to valid existing rights, all lands owned by 
the Federal Government between the 100-year high water mark 
on each shore of the Colorado River, as designated on the 
Map from the line labeled "Line A" on the east to the boundary 
between the States of Colorado and Utah on the west, are 
hereby withdrawn from— 
(i) all forms of entry, appropriation, or disposal under 
the public land laws; 
(ii) location, entry, and patent under the mining laws; 
and 
(iii) the operation of the mineral leasing, mineral mate-
rials, and geothermal leasing laws. 
SEC. 7. MAPS AND LEGAL DESCRIPTIONS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—^As soon as practicable after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to Congress 
a copy of the Map and a legal description of the Conservation 
Area and of the Wilderness. 
(b) FORCE AND EFFECT.—^The Map and legal descriptions shall 
have the same force and effect as if included in this Act, except 
that the Secretary may correct clerical and typographical errors 
in the Map and the legal descriptions. 
(c) PUBLIC AVAILABILITY.—Copies of the Map and the legal 
descriptions shall be on file and available for public inspection 
in— 
(1) the Office of the Director of the Bureau of Land Manage-
ment; 
(2) the Grand Junction District Office of the Bureau of 
Land Management in Colorado; 
(3) the appropriate office of the Bureau of Land Manage-
ment in Colorado, if the Grand Junction District Office is 
not deemed the appropriate office; and 
(4) the appropriate office of the Bureau of Land Manage-
ment in Utah. 
(d) MAP CONTROLLING.—Subject to section 6(1)(3), in the case 
of a discrepancy between the Map and the descriptions, the Map 
shall control. 
SEC. 8. ADVISORY COUNCIL. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—Not later than 6 months after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall establish an 
advisory council to be known as the "Colorado Canyons National 
Conservation Area Advisory Council". 
(b) DUTY.—^The Council shall advise the Secretary with respect 
to preparation and implementation of the management plan, 
including budgetary matters, for the Conservation Area and the 
Wilderness. 
(c) APPLICABLE LAW.—The Council shall be subject to— 
(1) the Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.); 
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114 STAT. 1380 
PUBLIC LAW 106-353—OCT. 24, 2000 
(2) the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 
(43 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.). 
(d) MEMBERS.—The Council shall consist of 10 members to 
be appointed by the Secretary including, to the extent practicable: 
(1) A member of or nominated by the Mesa County Commis-
sion. 
(2) A member nominated by the permittees holding grazing 
allotments within the Conservation Area or the Wilderness. 
(3) A member of or nominated by the Northwest Resource 
Advisory Council. 
(4) Seven members residing in, or within reasonable prox-
imity to, Mesa County, Colorado, with recognized backgrounds 
reflecting— 
(A) the purposes for which the Conservation Area or 
Wilderness was established; and 
(B) the interests of the stakeholders that are affected 
by the planning and management of the Conservation Area 
and the Wilderness. 
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SEC. 9. PUBLIC ACCESS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—^The Secretary shall continue to allow private 
landowners reasonable access to inholdings in the Conservation 
Area and Wilderness. 
(b) GLADE PARK.—^The Secretary shall continue to allow public 
right of access, including commercial vehicles, to Glade Park, Colo-
rado, in accordance with the decision in Board of County Commis-
sioners of Mesa County v. Watt (634 F. Supp. 1265 (D.Colo.; May 
2, 1986)). 
Approved October 24, 2000. 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY—H.R. 4275: 
SENATE REPORTS: No. 106-460 (Comm. on Energy and Natural Resources). 
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 146 (2000): 
July 25, considered and passed House. 
Oct. 5, considered and passed Senate.