[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 20 (Monday, February 6, 2017)]
[House]
[Pages H983-H984]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        ARAPAHO NATIONAL FOREST BOUNDARY ADJUSTMENT ACT OF 2017

  Mr. LAMBORN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 688) 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. 688

       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 2017''.

     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 
Colorado (Mr. Lamborn) and the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Polis) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Lamborn).


                             General Leave

  Mr. LAMBORN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and 
include extraneous materials on the bill under consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Colorado?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. LAMBORN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  H.R. 688, sponsored by Congressman Jared Polis and cosponsored by 
Congressman Tipton and myself, would adjust the boundary of the Arapaho 
National Forest in the State of Colorado to incorporate 93 acres. It 
passed the House under suspension of the rules during the 113th and 
114th Congresses.
  The legislation would incorporate 10 undeveloped parcels of land into 
the Arapaho National Forest. The parcels sit between the Arapaho and 
the Rocky Mountain National Park and will help the Forest Service to 
better manage this land. The bill ensures that private landowners with 
parcels within the national forest will continue to have access through 
these parcels. Additionally, the land purchased by the Forest Service 
must be with the written consent of the landowner.
  I urge adoption of the measure.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. POLIS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I am proud to have introduced the Arapaho National 
Forest Boundary Adjustment Act, also known as the Wedge Act.
  Frankly, Mr. Speaker, I wish all of my bills could come to the floor 
so quickly, within a week of introducing them. But I am very glad, on 
behalf of Grand County, which I am honored to represent, that we could 
move so expeditiously, at least through the House, through this body.
  Once again, I will call upon the Senate, upon passage, to move on 
this bill. Again, this is another bill the House did its work on, we 
did pass last session, and the Senate failed to pass into law.

[[Page H984]]

  It is very important for Grand County. It is a commonsense protection 
of public lands. It was coordinated with local landowners and local 
officials, supported by the county commissioners and Federal land 
agencies.
  The legislation involves a parcel of 10 lots in Grand County, which 
we and locals call the ``wedge.'' As indicated by its name, the parcel 
is wedged between Arapaho National Forest and Rocky Mountain National 
Park, effectively separating the two. Although the wedge is integral 
for the successful management of the public land, it remains outside of 
the National Forest Service boundary.
  Millions of visitors already enjoy the parcel's beauty 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, in my 
district. The area is undeveloped. Seven of the ten parcels are already 
being managed by the U.S. Forest Service. The owners of the remaining 
parcels are all in favor of this bill. It is very important to point 
out that all of the stakeholders are supportive of this effort in 
statute.
  Development of the wedge parcel would significantly affect the health 
of Rocky Mountain National Park and hurt the adjoining Colorado River 
headwaters. Not only would the development harm clean water for 
millions, but it could also harm the economic potential for what is 
truly a jewel of the National Park System, Rocky Mountain National 
Park, supporting millions of visitors in the surrounding communities.
  In recognition of these potential threats to the quality and 
character, as well as the economy and jobs in the area, there has been 
significant support locally for this bill. Supporters include everyone 
from local officials, like the Grand County Commissioners and the town 
of Grand Lake, to conservation and outdoor recreation groups, including 
Headwaters Trails Alliance, Conservation Colorado, and the Rocky 
Mountain Nature Conservancy.
  H.R. 688 simply responds to the wishes of my constituency--including 
the landholders in these areas, particularly those living in and around 
the wedge, as well as the visitors every year--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, just as 
we did when the House passed this exact bill last year.
  This strong, bipartisan bill has the express support of my Colorado 
colleagues in both chambers, including the cosponsorship of Mr. Tipton 
and Mr. Lamborn, and introduction by Senator Bennet and Senator Gardner 
in the Senate.
  It was passed out of the Natural Resources Committee unanimously last 
Congress and passed here on the House floor. Unfortunately, the clock 
ran out before the Senate was able to consider it. I am looking forward 
to, after expeditiously moving it out of this body, allowing the Senate 
to do their work and pass this bill into law.
  I am extremely grateful for the House Natural Resources Committee's 
support of this bill. I urge my colleagues to vote in favor of its 
passage.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. LAMBORN. Mr. Speaker, I would like to just build on what my 
colleague was saying about the rest of his bills.
  On this one, there is strong collaboration and consensus. I look 
forward to working with him to pass it. I will make an offer on the 
rest of his bills. If he lets me help him write them, I bet we could 
get them to the floor sooner.
  In all seriousness, the Rocky Mountain National Park is a crown jewel 
of the National Park System. I believe it is in the top five of all 
parks in the entire country in terms of visitorship. It is very 
popular, and for good reason. It is a spectacular and accessible place 
near Boulder, Colorado, not far from Denver.

  Mr. Speaker, I have no additional speakers.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. POLIS. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to pass this bill.
  Furthermore, I call upon the United States Senate to bring up these 
series of bills that are very important to those of us like Mr. Tipton, 
Mr. Lamborn, and me, who represent areas with substantial public land 
where our constituents in the private sector, our residents, interact 
every day with issues around public land and land management. These 
issues will improve the quality of life in our communities. This bill 
will help improve the quality of the tourism experience, as well as the 
conservation goals of Rocky Mountain National Park.
  I urge a ``yes'' vote.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. LAMBORN. I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Lamborn) that the House suspend the rules 
and pass the bill, H.R. 688.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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