[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6493 Introduced in House (IH)]
111th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 6493
To establish the boundary of the Curecanti National Recreation Area,
and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
December 2, 2010
Mr. Salazar introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Natural Resources
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To establish the boundary of the Curecanti National Recreation Area,
and for other purposes.
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 ``Curecanti National Recreation Area
Boundary Establishment Act of 2010''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds the following:
(1) Since 1965, the National Park Service has been co-
managing the Curecanti National Recreation Area under
agreements with the Bureau of Reclamation.
(2) The Curecanti National Recreation Area has never been
legislatively established.
(3) Public Law 106-76 directed the National Park Service to
conduct a study to assess the natural, cultural, recreational,
and scenic resources within and surrounding Curecanti National
Recreation Area, and to identify and recommend a variety of
alternatives and tools to protect those resource values and the
character of the land.
(4) The Curecanti National Recreation Area includes an
abundance of natural, historic, and archeological features in a
setting of canyons, pinnacles, cliffs, and mesas, offering the
public opportunities for recreation and reflection within its
scenic landscape.
(5) The National Park Service, in cooperation with the
Bureau of Reclamation, completed the Curecanti Resource
Protection Study/EIS, and prepared a Report to Congress,
October 2009, which recommends that Congress pass enabling
legislation for the National Recreation Area.
SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Map.--The term ``map'' means the map entitled ``Map to
Establish Curecanti National Recreation Area'', numbered 616/
100485, and dated March 5, 2010.
(2) National recreation area.--The term ``national
recreation area'' means the Curecanti National Recreation Area,
established in section 4.
(3) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of the Interior.
SEC. 4. CURECANTI NATIONAL RECREATION AREA, COLORADO.
(a) Establishment.--There is established the Curecanti National
Recreation Area in the State of Colorado, as a unit of the National
Park System, consisting of approximately 51,830 acres, as generally
depicted on the map.
(b) Conservation Opportunity Area.--There is established a
conservation opportunity area, consisting of approximately 24,300
acres, as generally depicted on the map.
(c) Availability of Map.--The map shall be on file and available
for public inspection in the appropriate offices of the National Park
Service.
SEC. 5. ADMINISTRATION OF NATIONAL RECREATION AREA.
(a) In General.--The Secretary shall administer the national
recreation area in accordance with this Act, the cooperative agreements
described in this section, and with laws and regulations generally
applicable to units of the National Park System, including the National
Park Service Organic Act (39 Stat. 535, 16 U.S.C. 1).
(b) Dam, Power Plant, and Reservoir Management and Operations.--
Nothing in this Act shall affect or interfere with the authority of the
Secretary under--
(1) the National Reclamation Act (Public Law 57-161; Stat.
388), as amended and supplemented, to operate the Uncompahgre
Valley Reclamation Project; or
(2) Public Law 84-485, as amended and supplemented, to
operate the Wayne N. Aspinall Unit of the Colorado River
Storage Project.
(c) Cooperative Agreements.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary may enter into, or modify
existing, management agreements involving the National Park
Service, the Bureau of Reclamation, the Bureau of Land
Management, or the Forest Service to manage Federal lands
within the boundary of the national recreation area.
(2) State lands.--The Secretary may enter into cooperative
management agreements for any lands administered by the State
of Colorado that are within or adjacent to the national
recreation area, pursuant to the cooperative management
authority found in section 802(a) of the National Parks Omnibus
Management Act of 1998 (Public Law 105-391).
(d) Recreational Activities.--The Secretary shall allow boating,
boating-related activities, hunting, and fishing within the national
recreation area in accordance with applicable Federal and State laws.
The Secretary may designate zones where, and establish periods when, no
boating, hunting, or fishing shall be permitted for reasons of public
safety.
(e) Conservation Opportunity Area.--Within the boundaries of the
conservation opportunity area established under this Act, the Secretary
is authorized to acquire lands, or interests in lands, including
conservation easements from willing sellers, and to provide technical
assistance to landowners in order to conserve resources and values
identified as important to the national recreation area on lands that
are outside but adjacent to the national recreation area.
(f) Withdrawal.--Subject to valid existing rights, all Federal
lands within the national recreation area are withdrawn from all forms
of entry, appropriation, or disposal under the public land laws; from
location, entry, and patent under the mining laws; and from disposition
under all laws relating to mineral and geothermal leasing, and all
amendments thereto.
(g) Grazing.--
(1) State or private lands.--On State or private lands
acquired for the national recreation area on which authorized
grazing is occurring on the date of enactment of this Act, the
Secretary, in consultation with the lessee, may allow the
continuation of grazing on the land by the lessee at the time
of acquisition, subject to applicable law (including
regulations).
(2) Federal land.--Where grazing is allowed on land that is
Federal land on the date of the enactment of this section and
is located within the boundary of the national recreation area,
the Secretary is authorized to allow the continuation of such
grazing unless the Secretary determines that grazing would harm
the resources or values of the national recreation area.
(3) Termination of leases.--Nothing in this section shall
prohibit the Secretary from accepting the voluntary termination
of leases or permits for grazing within the national recreation
area.
SEC. 6. ACQUISITION OF PROPERTY AND BOUNDARY MANAGEMENT.
(a) In General.--The Secretary is authorized to acquire from
willing sellers lands, or interests in lands, within the boundary of
the national recreation area or the conservation opportunity area
necessary for effective management of the national recreation area.
Lands acquired within the conservation opportunity area shall be added
to the national recreation area and the boundary of the national
recreation area shall be adjusted accordingly.
(b) Acquisition.--Lands identified in subsection (a) may be
acquired by donation, purchase with donated or appropriated funds,
transfer from another Federal agency, or exchange. Lands or interests
in lands owned by the State of Colorado, or a political subdivision
thereof, may only be acquired by donation or exchange.
(c) Exchanges.--For purposes of management efficiency and expanded
recreational opportunities, the Secretary is authorized to conduct land
exchanges with the Secretary of Agriculture and between the National
Park Service and the Bureau of Land Management.
(d) Transfer of Administrative Jurisdiction.--The Secretary of
Agriculture and the Bureau of Land Management shall transfer, without
consideration, administrative jurisdiction for lands to be added to the
national recreation area, as shown on the map, to the National Park
Service. The boundary of the Gunnison National Forest shall be modified
to reflect the transfer of administrative jurisdiction from the
Secretary of Agriculture.
SEC. 7. GENERAL MANAGEMENT PLAN.
(a) In General.--Not later than 3 years after the date on which
funds are made available to carry out this Act, the National Park
Service, in consultation with the Bureau of Reclamation, shall prepare
a general management plan for the national recreation area.
(b) Inclusions.--The general management plan shall include, at a
minimum--
(1) measures for the preservation of the resources of the
national recreation area;
(2) requirements for the type and extent of development and
use of the national recreation area;
(3) identification of visitor carrying capacities for the
national recreation area; and
(4) opportunities for involvement by the Bureau of
Reclamation, the Bureau of Land Management, the Forest Service,
the State of Colorado, and other local and national entities in
the formulation of educational and recreational programs for
the national recreation area and for developing and supporting
the national recreation area.
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