[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 138 (Thursday, November 13, 2014)]
[House]
[Pages H7950-H7951]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        ARAPAHO NATIONAL FOREST BOUNDARY ADJUSTMENT ACT OF 2014

  Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and 
pass the bill (H.R. 4846) to adjust the boundary of the Arapaho 
National Forest, Colorado, and for other purposes, as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 4846

       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 ``Arapaho National Forest 
     Boundary Adjustment Act of 2014''.

     SEC. 2. ARAPAHO NATIONAL FOREST BOUNDARY ADJUSTMENT.

       (a) In General.--The boundary of the Arapaho National 
     Forest in the State of Colorado is adjusted to incorporate 
     the approximately 92.95 acres of land generally depicted as 
     ``The Wedge'' on the map entitled ``Arapaho National Forest 
     Boundary Adjustment'' and dated November 6, 2013, and 
     described as lots three, four, eight, and nine of section 13, 
     Township 4 North, Range 76 West, Sixth Principal Meridian, 
     Colorado. A lot described in this subsection may be included 
     in the boundary adjustment only after the Secretary of 
     Agriculture obtains written permission for such action from 
     the lot owner or owners.
       (b) Bowen Gulch Protection Area.--The Secretary of 
     Agriculture shall include all Federal land within the 
     boundary described in subsection (a) in the Bowen Gulch 
     Protection Area established under section 6 of the Colorado 
     Wilderness Act of 1993 (16 U.S.C. 539j).
       (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. 460l-9), the boundaries of the Arapaho National 
     Forest, as modified under subsection (a), shall be considered 
     to be the boundaries of the Arapaho National Forest as in 
     existence on January 1, 1965.
       (d) Acquisition.--The Secretary of Agriculture is 
     authorized to acquire only by donation or exchange non-
     Federal lands within the boundary described in subsection 
     (a).
       (e) Public Motorized Use.--Nothing in this Act opens 
     privately-owned lands within the boundary described in 
     subsection (a) to public motorized use.
       (f) Access to Non-Federal Lands.--Notwithstanding the 
     provisions of section 6(f) of the Colorado Wilderness Act of 
     1993 (16 U.S.C. 539j(f)) regarding motorized travel, the 
     owners of any non-Federal lands within the boundary described 
     in subsection (a) who historically have accessed their lands 
     through lands now or hereafter owned by the United States 
     within the boundary described in subsection (a) shall have 
     the continued right of motorized access to their lands across 
     the existing roadway.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Alaska (Mr. Young) and the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Grijalva) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Alaska.


                             General Leave

  Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all 
Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks 
and include extraneous material on the bill under consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Alaska?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  The Arapaho National Forest Boundary Adjustment Act of 2014 would 
adjust the boundary of the Arapaho National Forest in the State of 
Colorado to incorporate 92 additional acres. This land, if it is 
acquired by the Secretary of Agriculture, will become part of the Bowen 
Gulch Protection Area that was established by Congress in 1993.
  At markup, the Natural Resources Committee amended the bill to 
require the written permission of the landowner before a parcel of 
private land could be included within the expanded boundary. The 
amendment also requires that any land acquisition in the added area 
would be achieved only by donation or exchange, and the motorized use 
provision was clarified to ensure that the bill does not open privately 
owned land to trespass. With these added property rights and fiscal 
responsibility provisions, the committee was able to report the bill by 
unanimous consent, and I support this legislation.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. GRIJALVA. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the 
gentleman from Colorado, Representative Jared Polis, the sponsor of the 
legislation. I thank him for his hard work on this boundary adjustment, 
which reflects current management and authorizes the acquisition and 
protection of this pristine land.
  Mr. POLIS. I thank the gentleman from Arizona and the gentleman from 
Alaska.

[[Page H7951]]

  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the legislation that I was proud to 
author, the Arapaho National Forest Boundary Adjustment Act of 2014, 
H.R. 4846.
  This legislation involves a parcel of 10 lots that we call the 
``wedge'' in Grand County, Colorado, in the Second Congressional 
District. The wedge is located just north of the town of Grand Lake and 
west of the famous Rocky Mountain National Park. Come visit. It is 
called the ``wedge'' because it is actually a wedge of land which 
divides the Arapaho National Forest from the Rocky Mountain National 
Park. Although this parcel is integral to the successful management of 
these public lands, the wedge is currently outside of the national 
forest boundary.
  I drafted this bill after receiving a lot of feedback and strong 
local support to incorporate the wedge into the Arapaho National Forest 
to make sure that this undeveloped land is enjoyed by the millions of 
visitors who travel west from the top of Rocky Mountain National Park 
on the Trail Ridge Road scenic byway.
  The U.S. Forest Service already owns seven of the 10 parcels, which 
are already being managed as part of the Arapaho National Forest. There 
is a nonprofit, the Rocky Mountain Nature Association, that owns one 
lot, and two lots are owned by private landowners. We have worked with 
the landowners and the other adjacent landowner, in order to craft this 
legislation, as well as local government. As a result, all interested 
parties have sent in letters of support.
  The bill is simple. It incorporates the wedge into the Arapaho 
National Forest boundary; it adds the lots owned by the Forest Service 
to the adjacent Bowen Gulch Protection Area; and it authorizes the 
Federal Government to purchase land in the designated area from willing 
sellers.
  The bill is important because the development of the wedge parcel has 
an important impact on the scenic beauty of the Rocky Mountain National 
Park. It is also a key driver of our economy in northern Colorado, and 
it could negatively harm the adjoining Colorado River headwaters if we 
don't appropriately deal with the wedge parcel. As such, the 
surrounding communities and landowners all support this idea that 
preserves the scenic qualities that the wedge has for the area.
  The bill is a community-driven effort. I received letters of support 
from the Grand County Board of County Commissioners, the Town of Grand 
Lake, the Headwaters Trails Alliance, Conservation Colorado, all three 
affected landowners, and, of course, many aspects of the tourism 
industry strongly support this bill as well.
  I am very grateful that the House Natural Resources Committee quickly 
considered this legislation and unanimously passed this legislation on 
September 18. I urge my colleagues on the floor to similarly support 
this legislation here today.
  Mr. GRIJALVA. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for 
time, so I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Alaska (Mr. Young) that the House suspend the rules and 
pass the bill, H.R. 4846, as amended.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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