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II
116TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
S. 3056
To designate as wilderness certain Federal portions of the red rock canyons
of the Colorado Plateau and the Great Basin Deserts in the State
of Utah for the benefit of present and future generations of people
in the United States.
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
DECEMBER 16, 2019
Mr. DURBIN (for himself, Mr. BLUMENTHAL, Mr. REED, Mr. SANDERS, Mr.
MERKLEY, Ms. STABENOW, Mr. HEINRICH, Ms. KLOBUCHAR, and Ms.
BALDWIN) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and re-
ferred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources
A BILL
To designate as wilderness certain Federal portions of the
red rock canyons of the Colorado Plateau and the Great
Basin Deserts in the State of Utah for the benefit of
present and future generations of people in the United
States.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
1
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
2
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS.
3
(a) SHORT TITLE.—This Act may be cited as the
4
‘‘America’s Red Rock Wilderness Act’’.
5
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•S 3056 IS
(b) TABLE OF CONTENTS.—The table of contents of
1
this Act is as follows:
2
Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
Sec. 2. Definitions.
TITLE I—DESIGNATION OF WILDERNESS AREAS
Sec. 101. Great Basin Wilderness Areas.
Sec. 102. Grand Staircase-Escalante Wilderness Areas.
Sec. 103. Moab-La Sal Canyons Wilderness Areas.
Sec. 104. Henry Mountains Wilderness Areas.
Sec. 105. Glen Canyon Wilderness Areas.
Sec. 106. San Juan-Anasazi Wilderness Areas.
Sec. 107. Canyonlands Basin Wilderness Areas.
Sec. 108. San Rafael Swell Wilderness Areas.
Sec. 109. Book Cliffs and Uinta Basin Wilderness Areas.
TITLE II—ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS
Sec. 201. General provisions.
Sec. 202. Administration.
Sec. 203. State school trust land within wilderness areas.
Sec. 204. Water.
Sec. 205. Roads.
Sec. 206. Livestock.
Sec. 207. Fish and wildlife.
Sec. 208. Management of newly acquired land.
Sec. 209. Withdrawal.
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.
3
In this Act:
4
(1) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means
5
the Secretary of the Interior, acting through the Bu-
6
reau of Land Management.
7
(2) STATE.—The term ‘‘State’’ means the State
8
of Utah.
9
TITLE I—DESIGNATION OF
10
WILDERNESS AREAS
11
SEC. 101. GREAT BASIN WILDERNESS AREAS.
12
(a) FINDINGS.—Congress finds that—
13
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•S 3056 IS
(1) the Great Basin region of western Utah is
1
comprised of starkly beautiful mountain ranges that
2
rise as islands from the desert floor;
3
(2) the Wah Wah Mountains in the Great
4
Basin region are arid and austere, with massive cliff
5
faces and leathery slopes speckled with pin˜on and ju-
6
niper;
7
(3) the Pilot Range and Stansbury Mountains
8
in the Great Basin region are high enough to draw
9
moisture from passing clouds and support eco-
10
systems found nowhere else on earth;
11
(4) from bristlecone pine, the world’s oldest liv-
12
ing organism, to newly flowered mountain meadows,
13
mountains of the Great Basin region are islands of
14
nature that—
15
(A) support remarkable biological diversity;
16
and
17
(B) provide opportunities to experience the
18
colossal silence of the Great Basin; and
19
(5) the Great Basin region of western Utah
20
should be protected and managed to ensure the pres-
21
ervation of the natural conditions of the region.
22
(b) DESIGNATION.—In accordance with the Wilder-
23
ness Act (16 U.S.C. 1131 et seq.), the following areas in
24
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•S 3056 IS
the State are designated as wilderness areas and as com-
1
ponents of the National Wilderness Preservation System:
2
(1) Antelope Range (approximately 17,000
3
acres).
4
(2) Barn Hills (approximately 21,000 acres).
5
(3) Black Hills (approximately 8,700 acres).
6
(4) Bullgrass Knoll (approximately 16,000
7
acres).
8
(5) Burbank Hills/Tunnel Spring (approxi-
9
mately 94,000 acres).
10
(6) Conger Mountain (approximately 31,000
11
acres).
12
(7) Crater and Silver Island Mountains (ap-
13
proximately 121,000 acres).
14
(8) Crater Bench (approximately 35,000 acres).
15
(9) Cricket Mountains (approximately 56,000
16
acres).
17
(10) Deep Creek Mountains (approximately
18
128,000 acres).
19
(11) Drum Mountains (approximately 40,500
20
acres).
21
(12) Dugway Mountains (approximately 24,500
22
acres).
23
(13)
Fish
Springs
Range
(approximately
24
64,500 acres).
25
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(14) Granite Peak (approximately 19,500
1
acres).
2
(15) Grassy Mountains (approximately 24,000
3
acres).
4
(16) Grouse Creek Mountains (approximately
5
15,000 acres).
6
(17) House Range (approximately 202,000
7
acres).
8
(18) Keg Mountain (approximately 38,500
9
acres).
10
(19) Kern Mountains (approximately 15,000
11
acres).
12
(20) King Top (approximately 111,000 acres).
13
(21) Little Goose Creek (approximately 1,300
14
acres).
15
(22) Middle/Granite Mountain (approximately
16
81,000 acres).
17
(23) Mount Escalante (approximately 17,500
18
acres).
19
(24) Mountain Home Range (approximately
20
90,000 acres).
21
(25) Newfoundland Mountains (approximately
22
23,000 acres).
23
(26) Ochre Mountain (approximately 13,500
24
acres).
25
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(27) Oquirrh Mountains (approximately 8,900
1
acres).
2
(28) Painted Rock (approximately 26,500
3
acres).
4
(29) Paradise/Steamboat Mountains (approxi-
5
mately 136,000 acres).
6
(30) Pilot Range (approximately 44,000 acres).
7
(31) Red Tops (approximately 28,000 acres).
8
(32) Rockwell-Little Sahara (approximately
9
19,000 acres).
10
(33) San Francisco Mountains (approximately
11
40,000 acres).
12
(34) Sand Ridge (approximately 73,000 acres).
13
(35) Sevier Plateau (approximately 30,000
14
acres).
15
(36) Simpson Mountains (approximately 43,000
16
acres).
17
(37) Snake Valley (approximately 103,000
18
acres).
19
(38) Spring Creek Canyon (approximately
20
5,200 acres).
21
(39) Stansbury Island (approximately 9,900
22
acres).
23
(40)
Stansbury
Mountains
(approximately
24
25,000 acres).
25
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(41) Thomas Range (approximately 41,000
1
acres).
2
(42)
Tule
Valley
(approximately
159,000
3
acres).
4
(43) Wah Wah Mountains (approximately
5
177,000 acres).
6
(44) White Rock Range (approximately 5,500
7
acres).
8
SEC. 102. GRAND STAIRCASE-ESCALANTE WILDERNESS
9
AREAS.
10
(a) GRAND STAIRCASE AREA.—
11
(1) FINDINGS.—Congress finds that—
12
(A) the area known as the Grand Staircase
13
rises more than 6,000 feet in a series of great
14
cliffs and plateaus from the depths of the
15
Grand Canyon to the forested rim of Bryce
16
Canyon;
17
(B) the Grand Staircase—
18
(i) spans 6 major life zones, from the
19
lower Sonoran Desert to the alpine forest;
20
and
21
(ii) encompasses geologic formations
22
that
display
3,000,000,000
years
of
23
Earth’s history;
24
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(C) land managed by the Secretary lines
1
the intricate canyon system of the Paria River
2
and forms a vital natural corridor connection to
3
the deserts and forests of those national parks;
4
(D) land described in paragraph (2) (other
5
than East of Bryce, the majority of Upper
6
Kanab Creek, Moquith Mountain, Bunting
7
Point, Canaan Mountain, Orderville Canyon,
8
Parunuweap Canyon, and Vermillion Cliffs) is
9
located within the Grand Staircase-Escalante
10
National Monument, as established in 1996;
11
and
12
(E) the Grand Staircase in Utah should be
13
protected and managed as a wilderness area.
14
(2) DESIGNATION.—In accordance with the
15
Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. 1131 et seq.), the fol-
16
lowing areas in the State are designated as wilder-
17
ness areas and as components of the National Wil-
18
derness Preservation System:
19
(A) Bryce Boot (approximately 2,800
20
acres).
21
(B) Bryce View (approximately 850 acres).
22
(C) Bunting Point (approximately 11,000
23
acres).
24
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•S 3056 IS
(D)
Canaan
Mountain
(approximately
1
15,000 acres).
2
(E) East of Bryce (approximately 850
3
acres).
4
(F) Glass Eye Canyon (approximately
5
25,000 acres).
6
(G) Ladder Canyon (approximately 14,000
7
acres).
8
(H) Moquith Mountain (approximately
9
15,500 acres).
10
(I) Nephi Point (approximately 15,000
11
acres).
12
(J)
Orderville
Canyon
(approximately
13
8,100 acres).
14
(K)
Paria-Hackberry
(approximately
15
196,000 acres).
16
(L) Paria Wilderness Expansion (approxi-
17
mately 4,000 acres).
18
(M) Parunuweap Canyon (approximately
19
44,500 acres).
20
(N) Pine Hollow (approximately 11,000
21
acres).
22
(O) Slopes of Bryce (approximately 3,700
23
acres).
24
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(P)
Timber
Mountain
(approximately
1
52,500 acres).
2
(Q) Upper Kanab Creek (approximately
3
51,000 acres).
4
(R)
Vermillion
Cliffs
(approximately
5
26,000 acres).
6
(S) Willis Creek (approximately 21,000
7
acres).
8
(b) KAIPAROWITS PLATEAU.—
9
(1) FINDINGS.—Congress finds that—
10
(A) the Kaiparowits Plateau east of the
11
Paria River is one of the most rugged and iso-
12
lated wilderness regions in the United States;
13
(B) the Kaiparowits Plateau, a windswept
14
land of harsh beauty, contains distant vistas
15
and a remarkable variety of plant and animal
16
species;
17
(C) ancient forests, an abundance of big
18
game animals, and 22 species of raptors thrive
19
undisturbed on the grassland mesa tops of the
20
Kaiparowits Plateau;
21
(D) each of the areas described in para-
22
graph (2) (other than Heaps Canyon, Little
23
Valley, and Wide Hollow) is located within the
24
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•S 3056 IS
Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument,
1
as established in 1996; and
2
(E) the Kaiparowits Plateau should be pro-
3
tected and managed as a wilderness area.
4
(2) DESIGNATION.—In accordance with the
5
Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. 1131 et seq.), the fol-
6
lowing areas in the State are designated as wilder-
7
ness areas and as components of the National Wil-
8
derness Preservation System:
9
(A) Andalex Not (approximately 18,000
10
acres).
11
(B) Box Canyon (approximately 3,000
12
acres).
13
(C) Burning Hills (approximately 81,000
14
acres).
15
(D) Canaan Peak Slopes (approximately
16
2,500 acres).
17
(E)
Carcass
Canyon
(approximately
18
85,000 acres).
19
(F)
Fiftymile
Bench
(approximately
20
13,000 acres).
21
(G) Fiftymile Mountain (approximately
22
207,000 acres).
23
(H) Heaps Canyon (approximately 4,000
24
acres).
25
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•S 3056 IS
(I) Horse Spring Canyon (approximately
1
32,000 acres).
2
(J) Kodachrome Headlands (approximately
3
8,500 acres).
4
(K) Little Valley Canyon (approximately
5
4,000 acres).
6
(L) Mud Spring Canyon (approximately
7
66,000 acres).
8
(M) Nipple Bench (approximately 32,000
9
acres).
10
(N) Paradise Canyon-Wahweap (approxi-
11
mately 266,000 acres).
12
(O) Rock Cove (approximately 17,000
13
acres).
14
(P) The Blues (approximately 22,000
15
acres).
16
(Q) The Cockscomb (approximately 12,000
17
acres).
18
(R) Warm Creek (approximately 24,000
19
acres).
20
(S) Wide Hollow (approximately 7,700
21
acres).
22
(c) ESCALANTE CANYONS.—
23
(1) FINDINGS.—Congress finds that—
24
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(A) glens and coves carved in massive
1
sandstone cliffs, spring-watered hanging gar-
2
dens, and the silence of ancient Anasazi ruins
3
are examples of the unique features that entice
4
hikers, campers, and sightseers from around
5
the world to Escalante Canyon;
6
(B) Escalante Canyon links the spruce fir
7
forests of the 11,000-foot Aquarius Plateau
8
with winding slickrock canyons that flow into
9
Glen Canyon;
10
(C) Escalante Canyon, one of Utah’s most
11
popular natural areas, contains critical habitat
12
for deer, elk, and wild bighorn sheep that also
13
enhances the scenic integrity of the area;
14
(D) each of the areas described in para-
15
graph (2) is located within the Grand Staircase-
16
Escalante National Monument, as established
17
in 1996; and
18
(E) Escalante Canyon should be protected
19
and managed as a wilderness area.
20
(2) DESIGNATION.—In accordance with the
21
Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. 1131 et seq.), the fol-
22
lowing areas in the State are designated as wilder-
23
ness areas and as components of the National Wil-
24
derness Preservation System:
25
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(A) Colt Mesa (approximately 28,000
1
acres).
2
(B) Death Hollow (approximately 50,000
3
acres).
4
(C) Forty Mile Gulch (approximately 7,600
5
acres).
6
(D) Lampstand (approximately 11,500
7
acres).
8
(E) Muley Twist Flank (approximately
9
3,700 acres).
10
(F) North Escalante Canyons (approxi-
11
mately 182,000 acres).
12
(G) Pioneer Mesa (approximately 11,000
13
acres).
14
(H)
Scorpion
(approximately
61,000
15
acres).
16
(I) Sooner Bench (approximately 500
17
acres).
18
(J) Steep Creek (approximately 36,000
19
acres).
20
(K)
Studhorse
Peaks
(approximately
21
24,000 acres).
22
SEC. 103. MOAB-LA SAL CANYONS WILDERNESS AREAS.
23
(a) FINDINGS.—Congress finds that—
24
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