[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 96 (Thursday, June 24, 2010)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5444-S5445]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. UDALL of Colorado (for himself, Mr. Bennett, Mr. Bennet, 
        and Mr. Hatch):
  S. 3537. A bill to provide for certain land exchanges in Gunnison 
County, Colorado, and Uintah County, Utah; to the Committee on Energy 
and Natural Resources.
  Mr. UDALL of Colorado. Mr. President, I rise today to speak about 
legislation I am introducing, co-sponsored by Senators Bennett, Hatch, 
and Bennet of Colorado, to effectuate a relatively small land exchange 
involving

[[Page S5445]]

lands in Colorado and Utah. The exchange involves a private ranch, the 
U.S. Bureau of Land Management and the National Park Service.
  In a nutshell, the private Bear Ranch in central/west Colorado is 
completely bisected by a narrow strip of BLM land, mostly 1/4 to 1/2 
mile wide, which is of limited public use due to its narrow 
configuration. The Bear Ranch would like to acquire the BLM strip in 
order to consolidate its ranch holdings for more efficient land, ranch 
and wildlife management, and to improve wildlife enhancement. There is 
also an issue of inadvertent trespass onto the Bear Ranch from the 
neighboring BLM land that would be eliminated by the Bear Ranch's 
acquisition of the BLM land strip.
  In return for the BLM land, the Bear Ranch has purchased or optioned 
two magnificent tracts of land in Colorado and Utah that would be added 
into the National Park System. The first is a 911 acre property near 
the shores of the heavily used Blue Mesa Reservoir in the Curecanti 
National Recreation Area outside of Gunnison, CO. This property has an 
important sage grouse habitat, superb views of both the Blue Mesa 
Reservoir and the spectacular Dillon Pinnacles, and an important elk 
and deer winter range. A portion of it might also be utilized for a 
future park visitor center.
  In Utah, the Bear Ranch has optioned 80 acres located inside Dinosaur 
National Monument. The so-called Orchid Draw property is about 1 mile 
west of the Monument's Quarry Visitor Center and is thought to contain 
rich dinosaur and vertebrate fossil resources. It is also within an 
area of special botanic interest, with nine sensitive plant species. 
The Park Service has been trying to acquire this property for a long 
time.
  There are several other special features of our legislation which 
deserve special mention.
  First, the Bear Ranch will place a permanent conservation status on 
all the land it acquires from the BLM which will limit future use of 
the land to ranching, wildlife conservation, open space and 
recreational purposes only.
  Second, the BLM land will be appraised at its full market value 
before the conservation easement is put in place so that the U.S. 
taxpayers will get full value for the land they convey to the Bear 
Ranch.
  Third, if the land Bear Ranch conveys to the Park Service appraises 
higher than the BLM land, the Bear Ranch will forego any cash 
equalization payment which might otherwise be due from the U.S., and 
will instead donate the excess value to the U.S.
  Fourth, the Bear Ranch has committed to donate up to $250,000 for new 
trail, trailhead and other outdoor recreational improvements in the 
vicinity of the land exchange in order to improve public access and 
enhance recreational opportunities on nearby Forest Service and BLM 
lands. Exactly where, and how, those funds will be used will be 
determined by BLM and Forest Service planning that is currently 
underway.
  Our legislation has received the support of the local county and town 
governments of jurisdiction in both Colorado and Utah, and from 
numerous environmental, conservation, recreation, historic and natural 
preservation organizations. Those include Gunnison County. CO, Uintah 
County, UT, the City of Gunnison, CO, City of Vernal, UT, the Nature 
Conservancy, National Parks & Conservation Association, Thunder 
Mountain Wheelers, Intermountain Natural History Association, and 
several others.
  The bill also effectuates another small land for right of way 
exchange near Marble, CO, in order to facilitate a proposed small 
hydroelectric project and to acquire a new public trailhead to access 
the popular Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness Area. That exchange is 
endorsed by the Aspen Valley Land Trust, Holy Cross Electric 
Association, a rural electric cooperative, the Town of Marble, CO and 
Gunnison County, CO, among others.
  In summary, this legislation represents a true ``win-win'' for both 
the general public and numerous local communities. I thank my 
colleagues, Senators Bennett, Hatch, and Bennet for joining me in 
sponsoring the bill, and for Congressmen John Salazar, Jim Matheson and 
Mike Thompson for introducing an identical bill in the House. I am 
looking forward to the Senate's expeditious consideration and approval 
so that it can become law this year.
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