[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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