[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 62 (Tuesday, April 28, 2015)]
[House]
[Pages H2488-H2489]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
ARAPAHO NATIONAL FOREST BOUNDARY ADJUSTMENT ACT OF 2015
Mr. BISHOP of Utah. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass
the bill (H.R. 1324) to adjust the boundary of the Arapaho National
Forest, Colorado, and for other purposes.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 1324
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 2015''.
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 200306(a)(2)(B)(i) of title 54, United States Code,
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) Public Motorized Use.--Nothing in this Act opens
privately owned lands within the boundary described in
subsection (a) to public motorized use.
(e) 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
Utah (Mr. Bishop) and the gentlewoman from Massachusetts (Ms. Tsongas)
each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Utah.
General Leave
Mr. BISHOP of Utah. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all
Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks
and to include extraneous material on the bill under consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Utah?
There was no objection.
Mr. BISHOP of Utah. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
H.R. 1324 would adjust the boundaries of the Arapaho National Forest
in the State of Colorado to incorporate 93 acres. This land may be
acquired only with the written permission of the landowners, and this
bill preserves motorized access for the landowners within the new
boundary.
An identical bill, H.R. 4846, passed this Congress by a voice vote
last year. It is appropriate that it is with us again.
I am here to make sure that everyone mentions the fact that this is
found in Colorado, not Colorado.
With that, I reserve the balance of my time.
Ms. TSONGAS. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the
gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Polis), the sponsor of this legislation.
Mr. POLIS. Mr. Speaker, the name Colorado is a Spanish word. It means
the color red. ``Rado'' is an archaic version of the better known
``rojo.'' So Colorado--of course, the southern two-thirds of our State
having been part of Mexico prior to the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo,
which ceded the southern two-thirds of our State to the United States
after our troops took Mexico City.
{time} 1700
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of legislation I was proud to author,
the Arapaho National Forest Boundary Adjustment Act of 2015.
This legislation involves a parcel of 10 lots in Grand County,
Colorado, nicknamed the ``wedge.''
As indicated by its name, this parcel of land is wedged between the
Arapaho National Forest and the Rocky Mountain National Park,
effectively separating the two. Although the wedge is integral to the
successful management of both of these public spaces, it currently
remains outside of the National Forest boundary. This parcel's beauty
is enjoyed by millions of visitors who come by as they travel west from
the 13,000-foot apex of the Rocky Mountains, along the Trail Ridge
Scenic Byway, and into the destination Town of Grand Lake. The wedge is
currently undeveloped, and 7 of its 10 parcels are already under
management by the U.S. Forest Service.
The owners of each remaining parcel are all strongly in favor of this
bill. Development of the wedge parcel would hurt the health of the
Rocky Mountain National Park and harm the adjoining
[[Page H2489]]
Colorado River headwaters and hurt our economy on both sides of the
park. In recognition of these potential threats to the quality and
character of the area and to protect the enormous number of recreation
industry jobs, again, on both sides of Rocky Mountain National Park--in
Estes Park in Larimer County and in Winter Park in Grand County--there
has been enormous local support for this locally driven bill, including
support from the Grand County Board of Commissioners, the Town of Grand
Lake, the Headwaters Trails Alliance, Conservation Colorado, and the
Rocky Mountain Nature Conservancy.
H.R. 1324 simply responds to the wishes of my constituents,
particularly those living in and around the wedge but also those with
businesses and who operate in the tourism and construction industries
on both sides of the Rocky Mountain National Park, by incorporating it
into the Arapaho National Forest boundary and adding the lots owned by
the Forest Service into the adjacent Bowen Gulch Protection Area.
This is a strong, bipartisan bill that has the express support of my
Colorado colleagues in both Chambers. It was passed through the House
Natural Resources Committee by unanimous consent in the 113th Congress,
and it was voice voted out of the House shortly thereafter. While the
clock ran out on moving this legislation through the Senate in the
113th Congress, I am very confident that we can get that done here in
the 114th. Hopefully, the sooner the better. I am grateful for the
House Natural Resources Committee's quick consideration of this bill,
and I urge my colleagues to vote in favor of its passage.
Ms. TSONGAS. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. BISHOP of Utah. Mr. Speaker, I encourage people's votes for this
great bill from the gentleman from Colorado, and I yield back the
balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Utah (Mr. Bishop) that the House suspend the rules and
pass the bill, H.R. 1324.
The question was taken.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
Mr. BISHOP of Utah. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further
proceedings on this motion will be postponed.
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