[Congressional Bills 107th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1576 Engrossed in House (EH)]


  1st Session

                               H. R. 1576

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 AN ACT

   To designate the James Peak Wilderness and Protection Area in the 
 Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests in the State of Colorado, and 
                          for other purposes.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
107th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 1576

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 AN ACT


 
   To designate the James Peak Wilderness and Protection Area in the 
 Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests in the State of Colorado, 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 ``James Peak Wilderness and Protection 
Area Act''.

SEC. 2. WILDERNESS DESIGNATION.

    (a) Inclusion With Other Colorado Wilderness Areas.--Section 2(a) 
of the Colorado Wilderness Act of 1993 (Public Law 103-77; 107 Stat. 
756; 16 U.S.C. 1132 note) is amended by adding at the end the following 
new paragraph:
            ``(21) Certain lands in the Arapaho/Roosevelt National 
        Forest which comprise approximately 14,000 acres, as generally 
        depicted on a map entitled `Proposed James Peak Wilderness', 
        dated September 2001, and which shall be known as the James 
        Peak Wilderness.''.
    (b) Addition to the Indian Peaks Wilderness Area.--Section 3 of the 
Indian Peaks Wilderness Area and Arapaho National Recreation Area and 
the Oregon Islands Wilderness Area Act (Public Law 95-450; 92 Stat. 
1095; 16 U.S.C. 1132 note) is amended by adding at the end the 
following new subsections:
    ``(c) The approximately 2,232 acres of Federal lands in the 
Arapaho/Roosevelt National Forest generally depicted on the map 
entitled `Ranch Creek Addition to Indian Peaks Wilderness' dated 
September 2001, are hereby added to the Indian Peaks Wilderness Area.
    ``(d) The approximately 963 acres of Federal lands in the Arapaho/
Roosevelt National Forest generally depicted on the map entitled 
`Fourth of July Addition to Indian Peaks Wilderness' dated September 
2001, are hereby added to the Indian Peaks Wilderness Area.''.
    (c) Maps and Boundary Descriptions.--As soon as practicable after 
the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Agriculture 
(hereafter in this Act referred to as the ``Secretary'') shall file 
with the Committee on Resources of the House of Representatives and the 
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate a map and a 
boundary description of the area designated as wilderness by subsection 
(a) and of the area added to the Indian Peaks Wilderness Area by 
subsection (b). The maps and boundary descriptions shall have the same 
force and effect as if included in the Colorado Wilderness Act of 1993 
and the Indian Peaks Wilderness Area and Arapaho National Recreation 
Area and the Oregon Islands Wilderness Area Act, respectively, except 
that the Secretary may correct clerical and typographical errors in the 
maps and boundary descriptions. The maps and boundary descriptions 
shall be on file and available for public inspection in the office of 
the Chief of the Forest Service, Department of Agriculture and in the 
office of the Forest Supervisor of the Arapaho/Roosevelt National 
Forest.

SEC. 3. DESIGNATION OF JAMES PEAK PROTECTION AREA, COLORADO.

    (a) Findings and Purpose.--
            (1) Findings.--The Congress finds the following:
                    (A) The lands covered by this section include 
                important resources and values, including wildlife 
                habitat, clean water, open space, and opportunities for 
                solitude.
                    (B) These lands also include areas that are 
                suitable for recreational uses, including use of 
                snowmobiles in times of adequate snow cover as well as 
                use of other motorized and nonmotorized mechanical 
                devices.
                    (C) These lands should be managed in a way that 
                affords permanent protection to their resources and 
                values while permitting continued recreational uses in 
                appropriate locales and subject to appropriate 
                regulations.
            (2) Purpose.--The purpose of this section is to provide for 
        management of certain lands in the Arapaho/Roosevelt National 
        Forest in a manner consistent with the 1997 Revised Land and 
        Resources Management Plan for this forest in order to protect 
        the natural qualities of these areas.
    (b) Designation.--The approximately 16,000 acres of land in the 
Arapaho/Roosevelt National Forest generally depicted on the map 
entitled ``Proposed James Peak Protection Area'', dated September 2001, 
are hereby designated as the James Peak Protection Area (hereafter in 
this Act referred to as the ``Protection Area'') .
    (c) Map and Boundary Description.--As soon as practicable after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall file with the 
Committee on Resources of the House of Representatives and the 
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate a map and a 
boundary description of the Protection Area. The map and boundary 
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 the map and boundary description. The map and boundary 
description shall be on file and available for public inspection in the 
office of the Chief of the Forest Service, Department of Agriculture, 
and in the office of the Forest Supervisor of the Arapaho/Roosevelt 
National Forest.
    (d) Management.--
            (1) In general.--Except as otherwise provided in this 
        section, the Protection Area shall be managed and administered 
        by the Secretary in the same manner as the management area 
        prescription designations identified for these lands in the 
        1997 Revision of the Land and Resource Management Plan for the 
        Arapaho/Roosevelt National Forest and the Pawnee National 
        Grasslands. Such management and administration shall be in 
        accordance with the following:
                    (A) Grazing.--Nothing in this Act, including the 
                establishment of the Protection Area, shall affect 
                grazing on lands within or outside of the Protection 
                Area.
                    (B) Mining withdrawal.--Subject to valid existing 
                rights, all Federal land within the Protection Area and 
                all land and interests in land acquired for the 
                Protection Area by the United States are 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 materials, and geothermal leasing laws, 
                        and all amendments thereto.
                Nothing in this subparagraph 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.
                    (C) Motorized and mechanized travel.--
                            (i) Review and inventory.--Not later than 
                        two years after the date of the enactment of 
                        this Act, the Secretary, in consultation with 
                        interested parties, shall complete a review and 
                        inventory of all roads and trails in the 
                        Protection Area on which use was allowed on 
                        September 10, 2001, except those lands managed 
                        under the management prescription referred to 
                        in subparagraph (F). During the review and 
                        inventory, the Secretary may--
                                    (I) connect existing roads and 
                                trails in the inventoried area to other 
                                existing roads and trails in the 
                                inventoried area for the purpose of 
                                mechanized and other nonmotorized use 
                                on any lands within the Protection Area 
                                as long as there is no net gain in the 
                                total mileage of either roads or trails 
                                open for public use within the 
                                Protection Area; and
                                    (II) close or remove roads or 
                                trails within the Protection Area that 
                                the Secretary determines to be 
                                undesirable, except those roads or 
                                trails managed pursuant to paragraph 
                                (2) of this subsection or subsection 
                                (e)(3).
                            (ii) After completion of inventory.--After 
                        completion of the review and inventory required 
                        by clause (i), the Secretary shall ensure that 
                        motorized and mechanized travel within the 
                        Protection Area shall be permitted only on 
                        those roads and trails identified as open to 
                        use in the inventory or established pursuant to 
                        subparagraph (D).
                    (D) New roads and trails.--No new roads or trails 
                shall be established within the Protection Area except 
                those which the Secretary shall establish as follows:
                            (i) Roads and trails established to replace 
                        roads or trails of the same character and scope 
                        which have become nonserviceable through 
                        reasons other than neglect.
                            (ii) Nonpermanent roads as needed for 
                        hazardous fuels reduction or other control of 
                        fire, insect or disease control projects, or 
                        other management purposes.
                            (iii) Roads determined to be appropriate 
                        for reasonable access under section 4(b)(2).
                            (iv) A loop trail established pursuant to 
                        section 6.
                            (v) Construction of a trail for 
                        nonmotorized use following the corridor 
                        designated as the Continental Divide Trail.
                    (E) Timber harvesting.--No timber harvesting shall 
                be allowed within the Protection Area except to the 
                extent needed for hazardous fuels reduction or other 
                control of fire, insect or disease control projects, or 
                protection of public health or safety.
                    (F) Special interest area.--The management 
                prescription applicable to the lands described in the 
                1997 Revision of the Land and Resource Management Plan 
                as the James Peak Special Interest Area shall also be 
                applicable to all the lands in the Protection Area that 
                are bounded on the north by Rollins Pass Road, on the 
                east by the Continental Divide, and on the west by the 
                11,300 foot elevation contour as shown on the map 
                referred to in subsection (b). In addition, motorized 
                vehicle use shall not be permitted on any part of the 
                Rogers Pass trail.
            (2) Natural gas pipeline.--The Secretary shall allow for 
        maintenance of rights-of-ways and access roads located within 
        the Protection Area to the extent necessary to operate the 
        natural gas pipeline permitted under the Arapaho/Roosevelt 
        National Forest master permit numbered 4138.01 in a manner that 
        avoids negative impacts on public safety and allows for 
        compliance with Federal pipeline safety requirements. Such 
        maintenance may include vegetation management, road 
        maintenance, ground stabilization, and motorized vehicle 
        access.
            (3) Permanent federal ownership.--All right, title, and 
        interest of the United States, held on or acquired after the 
        date of the enactment of this Act, to lands within the 
        boundaries of the Protection Area shall be retained by the 
        United States.
    (e) Issues Related to Water.--
            (1) 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 within the Protection Area.
                    (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 
                protection area designation.
                    (D) Nothing in this Act shall be construed as 
                limiting, altering, modifying, or amending any of the 
                interstate compacts or equitable apportionment decrees 
                that apportion water among and between the State of 
                Colorado and other States.
            (2) 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 Protection Area.
            (3) Water infrastructure.--Nothing in this Act (including 
        the provisions related to establishment or management of the 
        Protection Area) shall affect, impede, interfere with, or 
        diminish the operation, existence, access, maintenance, 
        improvement, or construction of water facilities and 
        infrastructure, rights-of-way, or other water-related property, 
        interests, and uses, (including the use of motorized vehicles 
        and equipment existing or located on lands within the 
        Protection Area) on any lands except those lands managed under 
        the management prescription referred to in subsection 
        (d)(1)(F).

SEC. 4. INHOLDINGS.

    (a) State Land Board Lands.--If the Colorado State Land Board 
informs the Secretary that the Board is willing to transfer to the 
United States some or all of the lands owned by the Board located 
within the Protection Area, the Secretary shall promptly seek to reach 
agreement with the Board regarding terms and conditions for acquisition 
of such lands by the United States by purchase or exchange.
    (b) Jim Creek Inholding.--
            (1) Acquisition of lands.--The Secretary shall enter into 
        negotiations with the owner of lands located within the portion 
        of the Jim Creek drainage within the Protection Area for the 
        purpose of acquiring the lands by purchase or exchange, but the 
        United States shall not acquire such lands without the consent 
        of the owner of the lands.
            (2) Landowner rights.--Nothing in this Act shall affect any 
        rights of the owner of lands located within the Jim Creek 
        drainage within the Protection Area, including any right to 
        reasonable access to such lands by motorized or other means as 
        determined by the Forest Service and the landowner consistent 
        with applicable law and relevant and appropriate rules and 
        regulations governing such access.
    (c) Report.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary shall submit to the 
        Committee on Resources of the House of Representatives and the 
        Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate a 
        report concerning any agreement or the status of negotiations 
        conducted pursuant to--
                    (A) subsection (a), upon conclusion of an agreement 
                for acquisition by the United States of lands referred 
                to in subsection (a), or 1 year after the date of the 
                enactment of this Act, whichever occurs first; and
                    (B) subsection (b), upon conclusion of an agreement 
                for acquisition by the United States of lands referred 
                to in subsection (b), or 1 year after the date of the 
                enactment of this Act, whichever occurs first.
            (2) Funding information.--The report required by this 
        subsection shall indicate to what extent funds are available to 
        the Secretary as of the date of the report for the acquisition 
of the relevant lands and whether additional funds need to be 
appropriated or otherwise made available to the Secretary for such 
purpose.
    (d) Management of Acquisitions.--Any lands within the James Peak 
Wilderness or the Protection Area acquired by the United States after 
the date of the enactment of this Act shall be added to the James Peak 
Wilderness or the Protection Area, respectively, and managed 
accordingly.

SEC. 5. JAMES PEAK FALL RIVER TRAILHEAD.

    (a) Services and Facilities.--Following the consultation required 
by subsection (c), the Forest Supervisor of the Arapaho/Roosevelt 
National Forest in the State of Colorado (in this section referred to 
as the ``Forest Supervisor'') shall establish a trailhead and 
corresponding facilities and services to regulate use of National 
Forest System lands in the vicinity of the Fall River basin south of 
the communities of Alice Township and St. Mary's Glacier in the State 
of Colorado. The facilities and services shall include the following:
            (1) Trailhead parking.
            (2) Public restroom accommodations.
            (3) Trailhead and trail maintenance.
    (b) Personnel.--The Forest Supervisor shall assign Forest Service 
personnel to provide appropriate management and oversight of the area 
described in subsection (a).
    (c) Consultation.--The Forest Supervisor shall consult with the 
Clear Creek County commissioners and with residents of Alice Township 
and St. Mary's Glacier regarding--
            (1) the appropriate location of facilities and services in 
        the area described in subsection (a); and
            (2) appropriate measures that may be needed in this area--
                    (A) to provide access by emergency or law 
                enforcement vehicles;
                    (B) for public health; and
                    (C) to address concerns regarding impeded access by 
                local residents.
    (d) Report.--After the consultation required by subsection (c), the 
Forest Supervisor shall submit to the Committee on Resources and the 
Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives and the 
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources and the Committee on 
Appropriations of the Senate a report regarding the amount of any 
additional funding required to implement this section.

SEC. 6. LOOP TRAIL STUDY; AUTHORIZATION.

    (a) Study.--Not later than three years after funds are first made 
available for this purpose, the Secretary, in consultation with 
interested parties, shall complete a study of the suitability and 
feasibility of establishing, consistent with the purpose set forth in 
section 3(a)(2), a loop trail for mechanized and other nonmotorized 
recreation connecting the trail designated as ``Rogers Pass'' and the 
trail designated as ``Rollins Pass Road''.
    (b) Establishment.--If the results of the study required by 
subsection (a) indicate that establishment of such a loop trail would 
be suitable and feasible, consistent with the purpose set forth in 
section 3(a)(2), the Secretary shall establish the loop trail in a 
manner consistent with that purpose.

SEC. 7. OTHER ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS.

    (a) Buffer Zones.--The designation by this Act or by amendments 
made by this Act of wilderness areas and the Protection Area in the 
State of Colorado shall not create or imply the creation of protective 
perimeters or buffer zones around any wilderness area or the Protection 
Area. The fact that nonwilderness activities or uses can be seen or 
heard from within a wilderness area or Protection Area shall not, of 
itself, preclude such activities or uses up to the boundary of the 
wilderness area or the Protection Area.
    (b) Rollins Pass Road.--If requested by one or more of the Colorado 
Counties of Grand, Gilpin, and Boulder, the Secretary shall provide 
technical assistance and otherwise cooperate with respect to repairing 
the Rollins Pass road in those counties sufficiently to allow two-
wheel-drive vehicles to travel between Colorado State Highway 119 and 
U.S. Highway 40. If this road is repaired to such extent, the Secretary 
shall close the motorized roads and trails on Forest Service land 
indicated on the map entitled ``Rollins Pass Road Reopening: Attendant 
Road and Trail Closures'', dated September 2001.

SEC. 8. WILDERNESS POTENTIAL.

    (a) In General.--Nothing in this Act shall preclude or restrict the 
authority of the Secretary to evaluate the suitability of lands in the 
Protection Area for inclusion in the National Wilderness Preservation 
System or to make recommendations to Congress for such inclusion.
    (b) Evaluation of Certain Lands.--In connection with the first 
revision of the land and resources management plan for the Arapaho/
Roosevelt National Forest after the date of the enactment of this Act, 
the Secretary shall evaluate the suitability of the lands managed under 
the management prescription referred to in section 3(d)(1)(F) for 
inclusion in the National Wilderness Preservation System and make 
recommendations to Congress regarding such inclusion.

            Passed the House of Representatives December 11, 2001.

            Attest:

                                                                 Clerk.