16 USC 460zzz-4 - Management of Conservation Area and Wilderness

U.S Code last checked for updates: May 03, 2024

§ 460zzz–4.

Management of Conservation Area and Wilderness

(a)

Withdrawal

Subject to valid existing rights, all Federal land within the Conservation Area and the Wilderness and all land and interests in land acquired by the United States within the Conservation Area or the Wilderness is withdrawn from—

(1)

all forms of entry, appropriation, or disposal under the public land laws;

(2)

location, entry, and patent under the mining laws; and

(3)

operation of the mineral leasing, mineral materials, and geothermal leasing laws.

(b)

Grazing

(1)

Grazing in Conservation Area

(2)

Grazing in Wilderness

The grazing of livestock in the Wilderness, if established as of March 30, 2009, shall be permitted to continue—

(A)

subject to any reasonable regulations, policies, and practices that the Secretary determines to be necessary; and

(B)

in accordance with—

(i)

section 1133(d)(4) of this title; and

(ii)

the guidelines set forth in Appendix A of the report of the Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs of the House of Representatives accompanying H.R. 2570 of the 101st Congress (H. Rept. 101–405).

(c)

No buffer zones

(1)

In general

(2)

Activities outside Conservation Area

(d)

Acquisition of land

(1)

In general

(2)

Management

Land acquired under paragraph (1) shall—

(A)

become part of the Conservation Area and, if applicable, the Wilderness; and

(B)

be managed in accordance with this subchapter and any other applicable laws.

(e)

Fire, insects, and diseases

Subject to such terms and conditions as the Secretary determines to be desirable and appropriate, the Secretary may undertake such measures as are necessary to control fire, insects, and diseases—

(1)

in the Wilderness, in accordance with section 1133(d)(1) of this title; and

(2)

except as provided in paragraph (1), in the Conservation Area in accordance with this subchapter and any other applicable laws.

(f)

Access

(g)

Invasive species and noxious weeds

(h)

Water rights

(1)

Effect

Nothing in this subchapter—

(A)

affects the use or allocation, in existence on March 30, 2009, of any water, water right, or interest in water;

(B)

affects any vested absolute or decreed conditional water right in existence on March 30, 2009, including any water right held by the United States;

(C)

affects any interstate water compact in existence on March 30, 2009;

(D)

authorizes or imposes any new reserved Federal water rights; or

(E)

shall be considered to be a relinquishment or reduction of any water rights reserved or appropriated by the United States in the State on or before March 30, 2009.

(2)

Wilderness water rights

(A)

In general

(B)

State law

(i)

Procedural requirements

(ii)

Establishment of water rights

(I)

In general

(II)

Exception

(C)

Deadline

(D)

Required determination

(E)

Cooperative enforcement

(i)

In general

The Secretary shall not pursue adjudication of any Federal instream flow water rights established under this paragraph if—

(I)

the Secretary determines, upon adjudication of the water rights by the Colorado Water Conservation Board, that the Board holds water rights sufficient in priority, amount, and timing to fulfill the purposes of the Wilderness; and

(II)

the Secretary has entered into a perpetual agreement with the Colorado Water Conservation Board to ensure the full exercise, protection, and enforcement of the State water rights within the Wilderness to reliably fulfill the purposes of the Wilderness.

(ii)

Adjudication

(F)

Insufficient water rights

(G)

Failure to comply

The Secretary shall promptly act to exercise and enforce the water rights described in subparagraph (E) if the Secretary determines that—

(i)

the State is not exercising its water rights consistent with subparagraph (E)(i)(I); or

(ii)

the agreement described in subparagraph (E)(i)(II) is not fulfilled or complied with sufficiently to fulfill the purposes of the Wilderness.

(3)

Water resource facility

(A)

In general

(B)

Exception

Notwithstanding subparagraph (A), the Secretary may allow construction of new livestock watering facilities within the Wilderness in accordance with—

(i)

section 1133(d)(4) of this title; and

(ii)

(4)

Conservation area water rights

With respect to water within the Conservation Area, nothing in this subchapter—

(A)

authorizes any Federal agency to appropriate or otherwise acquire any water right on the mainstem of the Gunnison River; or

(B)

prevents the State from appropriating or acquiring, or requires the State to appropriate or acquire, an instream flow water right on the mainstem of the Gunnison River.

(5)

Wilderness boundaries along Gunnison River

(A)

In general

In areas in which the Gunnison River is used as a reference for defining the boundary of the Wilderness, the boundary shall—

(i)

be located at the edge of the river; and

(ii)

change according to the river level.

(B)

Exclusion from Wilderness

(i)

Effect

Nothing in this subchapter—

(1)

diminishes the jurisdiction of the State with respect to fish and wildlife in the State; or

(2)

imposes any Federal water quality standard upstream of the Conservation Area or within the mainstem of the Gunnison River that is more restrictive than would be applicable had the Conservation Area not been established.

(j)

Valid existing rights

(Pub. L. 111–11, title II, § 2405, Mar. 30, 2009, 123 Stat. 1104.)

cite as: 16 USC 460zzz-4