America's Red Rock Wilderness Act

II 118TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION S. 1310 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 APRIL 26, 2023 Mr. DURBIN (for himself, Ms. SMITH, Ms. DUCKWORTH, Mr. HEINRICH, Mr. MURPHY, Mr. WYDEN, Mr. BLUMENTHAL, Ms. ROSEN, Mr. LUJA´N, Mr. CASEY, Ms. STABENOW, Ms. BALDWIN, Ms. KLOBUCHAR, Mr. MERKLEY, Mr. BOOKER, Mrs. MURRAY, Mr. MENENDEZ, Mr. SANDERS, Ms. CANT- WELL, Mr. MARKEY, and Ms. WARREN) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Nat- ural 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 VerDate Sep 11 2014 01:38 May 06, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S1310.IS S1310 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB 2 •S 1310 IS (b) TABLE OF CONTENTS.—The table of contents of 1 this Act is as follows: 2 Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents. Sec. 2. Definitions. Sec. 3. Findings. Sec. 4. Purposes. TITLE I—DESIGNATION OF WILDERNESS AREAS Sec. 101. Great Basin Wilderness Areas. Sec. 102. Grand Staircase-Escalante Wilderness Areas. Sec. 103. Moab-La Sal Canyons Wilderness Areas. Sec. 104. Henry Mountains Wilderness Areas. Sec. 105. Glen Canyon Wilderness Areas. Sec. 106. San Juan Wilderness Areas. Sec. 107. Canyonlands Basin Wilderness Areas. Sec. 108. San Rafael Swell Wilderness Areas. Sec. 109. Book Cliffs–Greater Dinosaur Wilderness Areas. TITLE II—ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS Sec. 201. General provisions. Sec. 202. Administration. Sec. 203. State school trust land within wilderness areas. Sec. 204. Water. Sec. 205. Roads. Sec. 206. Livestock. Sec. 207. Fish and wildlife. Sec. 208. Protection of Tribal rights. Sec. 209. Management of newly acquired land. Sec. 210. Withdrawal. SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 3 In this Act: 4 (1) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 5 the Secretary of the Interior, acting through the Bu- 6 reau of Land Management. 7 (2) STATE.—The term ‘‘State’’ means the State 8 of Utah. 9 SEC. 3. FINDINGS. 10 Congress finds that— 11 VerDate Sep 11 2014 01:38 May 06, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S1310.IS S1310 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB 3 •S 1310 IS (1) the land designated as wilderness by this 1 Act is one of the largest remaining expanses of un- 2 protected, wild public land in the continental United 3 States; 4 (2) the designation of wilderness by this Act 5 would— 6 (A) increase landscape connectivity in the 7 Colorado Plateau; and 8 (B) help to mitigate the impacts of climate 9 change by— 10 (i) providing critical refugia; 11 (ii) reducing surface disturbances that 12 exacerbate the impacts of climate change; 13 (iii) reducing greenhouse gas emis- 14 sions related to the extraction and use of 15 fossil fuels; and 16 (iv) contributing to the goal of pro- 17 tecting 30 percent of global land and 18 waters by 2030; 19 (3) the land designated as wilderness by this 20 Act is— 21 (A) a living cultural landscape; 22 (B) a place of refuge for wild nature; and 23 (C) an important part of Indigenous and 24 non-Indigenous community values; 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 01:38 May 06, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S1310.IS S1310 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB 4 •S 1310 IS (4) Indian Tribes have been present on the land 1 designated as wilderness by this Act since time im- 2 memorial, using the plant, animal, landform, and 3 spiritual values for sustenance and cultural, medic- 4 inal, and ceremonial activities, purposes for which 5 Indigenous people continue to use the land; and 6 (5) the designation of wilderness by this Act— 7 (A) is vital to the continuation and revital- 8 ization of Indigenous cultures; and 9 (B) serves to protect places of Indigenous 10 use and sanctuary. 11 SEC. 4. PURPOSES. 12 The purposes of this Act are— 13 (1) to designate as wilderness certain Federal 14 portions of the red rock canyons of the Colorado 15 Plateau and the Great Basin Deserts in the State of 16 Utah for the benefit of present and future genera- 17 tions of people in the United States; 18 (2) to protect the cultural, ecological, and sce- 19 nic values of land designated as wilderness by this 20 Act for the benefit, use, and enjoyment of present 21 and future generations of people in the United 22 States; and 23 (3) to protect the ability of Indigenous and non- 24 Indigenous people to use the land designated as wil- 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 01:38 May 06, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S1310.IS S1310 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB 5 •S 1310 IS derness by this Act for traditional activities, includ- 1 ing hunting, fishing, hiking, horsepacking, camping, 2 and spirituality as people have used the land for 3 generations. 4 TITLE I—DESIGNATION OF 5 WILDERNESS AREAS 6 SEC. 101. GREAT BASIN WILDERNESS AREAS. 7 (a) FINDINGS.—Congress finds that— 8 (1) the Great Basin region of western Utah is 9 comprised of starkly beautiful mountain ranges that 10 rise as islands from the desert floor; 11 (2) the Wah Wah Mountains in the Great 12 Basin region are arid and austere, with massive cliff 13 faces and leathery slopes speckled with pin˜on and ju- 14 niper; 15 (3) the Pilot Range and Stansbury Mountains 16 in the Great Basin region are high enough to draw 17 moisture from passing clouds and support eco- 18 systems found nowhere else on earth; 19 (4) from bristlecone pine, the world’s oldest liv- 20 ing organism, to newly flowered mountain meadows, 21 mountains of the Great Basin region are islands of 22 nature that— 23 (A) support remarkable biological diversity; 24 and 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 01:38 May 06, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S1310.IS S1310 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB 6 •S 1310 IS (B) provide opportunities to experience the 1 colossal silence of the Great Basin; and 2 (5) the Great Basin region of western Utah 3 should be protected and managed to ensure the pres- 4 ervation of the natural conditions of the region. 5 (b) DESIGNATION.—In accordance with the Wilder- 6 ness Act (16 U.S.C. 1131 et seq.), the following areas in 7 the State are designated as wilderness areas and as com- 8 ponents of the National Wilderness Preservation System: 9 (1) Bald Eagle Mountain (approximately 9,000 10 acres). 11 (2) Barn Hills (approximately 21,000 acres). 12 (3) Big Hollow (approximately 4,100 acres). 13 (4) Black Hills (approximately 8,750 acres). 14 (5) Broken Ridge (approximately 9,250 acres). 15 (6) Bullgrass Knoll (approximately 15,750 16 acres). 17 (7) Burbank Hills (approximately 17,000 18 acres). 19 (8) Burbank Pass (approximately 30,000 20 acres). 21 (9) Chalk Knolls (approximately 16,500 acres). 22 (10) Cobb Peak (approximately 8,500 acres). 23 (11) Conger Mountain (approximately 21,750 24 acres). 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 01:38 May 06, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00006 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S1310.IS S1310 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB 7 •S 1310 IS (12) Crater Bench (approximately 35,000 1 acres). 2 (13) Crater Island East (approximately 53,000 3 acres). 4 (14) Crater Island West (approximately 30,000 5 acres). 6 (15) Cricket Mountain (approximately 16,500 7 acres). 8 (16) Crook Creek (approximately 20,000 acres). 9 (17) Deep Creek Mountains (approximately 10 127,000 acres). 11 (18) Disappointment Hills (approximately 12 24,000 acres). 13 (19) Drum Mountains (approximately 14,500 14 acres). 15 (20) Dugway Mountains (approximately 24,500 16 acres). 17 (21) Fish Springs Range (approximately 18 65,000 acres). 19 (22) Granite Mountain (approximately 19,250 20 acres). 21 (23) Granite Peak (approximately 19,500 22 acres). 23 (24) Grassy Mountains North (approximately 24 8,500 acres). 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 01:38 May 06, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00007 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S1310.IS S1310 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB 8 •S 1310 IS (25) Grassy Mountains South (approximately 1 16,500 acres). 2 (26) Hamlin (approximately 13,750 acres). 3 (27) Headlight Mountain (approximately 6,000 4 acres). 5 (28) Howell Peak (approximately 28,750 acres). 6 (29) Indian Peaks (approximately 15,750 7 acres). 8 (30) Jackson Wash (approximately 18,500 9 acres). 10 (31) Juniper (approximately 17,500 acres). 11 (32) Keg Mountains East (approximately 12 19,500 acres). 13 (33) Keg Mountains West (approximately 14 19,250 acres). 15 (34) Kern Mountains (approximately 15,000 16 acres). 17 (35) King Top (approximately 111,500 acres). 18 (36) Ledger Canyon (approximately 8,900 19 acres). 20 (37) Lion Peak (approximately 27,500 acres). 21 (38) Little Drum Mountains North (approxi- 22 mately 14,000 acres). 23 (39) Little Drum Mountains South (approxi- 24 mately 10,000 acres). 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 01:38 May 06, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00008 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S1310.IS S1310 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB 9 •S 1310 IS (40) Mahogany Peak (approximately 750 1 acres). 2 (41) Middle Burbank Hills (approximately 3 6,750 acres). 4 (42) Middle Mountains (approximately 39,750 5 acres). 6 (43) Mount Escalante (approximately 17,500 7 acres). 8 (44) Mountain Home Range North (approxi- 9 mately 21,500 acres). 10 (45) Mountain Home Range South (approxi- 11 mately 32,750 acres). 12 (46) Needle Mountains (approximately 12,000 13 acres). 14 (47) Newfoundland Mountains (approximately 15 24,500 acres). 16 (48) North Peaks (approximately 9,400 acres). 17 (49) North Stansbury Mountains (approxi- 18 mately 20,500 acres). 19 (50) Notch Peak (approximately 72,000 acres). 20 (51) Notch View (approximately 8,000 acres). 21 (52) Ochre Mountain (approximately 13,500 22 acres). 23 (53) Oquirrh Mountains (approximately 8,900 24 acres). 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 01:38 May 06, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00009 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S1310.IS S1310 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB 10 •S 1310 IS (54) Orr Ridge (approximately 11,000 acres). 1 (55) Painted Rock (approximately 26,500 2 acres). 3 (56) Paradise Mountain (approximately 40,000 4 acres). 5 (57) Pilot Mountains Central (approximately 6 8,000 acres). 7 (58) Pilot Peak (approximately 30,250 acres). 8 (59) Red Canyon (approximately 15,500 acres). 9 (60) Red Tops (approximately 28,000 acres). 10 (61) San Francisco Mountains (approximately 11 39,750 acres). 12 (62) Silver Island Mountains (approximately 13 37,500 acres). 14 (63) Snake Valley (approximately 66,250 15 acres). 16 (64) Spring Creek Canyon (approximately 17 5,250 acres). 18 (65) Stansbury Island (approximately 10,000 19 acres). 20 (66) Steamboat Mountain (approximately 21 40,250 acres). 22 (67) Swasey Peak (approximately 91,000 23 acres). 24 (68) The Toad (approximately 11,250 acres). 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 01:38 May 06, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00010 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S1310.IS S1310 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB 11 •S 1310 IS (69) Thomas Range (approximately 41,000 1 acres). 2 (70) Tule Valley (approximately 102,000 3 acres). 4 (71) Tule Valley South (approximately 19,000 5 acres). 6 (72) Tunnel Springs (approximately 23,000 7 acres). 8 (73) Wah Wah Mountains Central (approxi- 9 mately 61,000 acres). 10 (74) Wah Wah Mountains North (approxi- 11 mately 93,500 acres). 12 (75) Wah Wah Mountains South (approxi- 13 mately 18,000 acres). 14 (76) White Rock Range (approximately 5,000 15 acres). 16 (77) Wild Horse Pass (approximately 35,750 17 acres). 18 SEC. 102. GRAND STAIRCASE-ESCALANTE WILDERNESS 19 AREAS. 20 (a) GRAND STAIRCASE AREA.— 21 (1) FINDINGS.—Congress finds that— 22 (A) the area known as the Grand Staircase 23 rises more than 6,000 feet in a series of great 24 cliffs and plateaus from the depths of the 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 01:38 May 06, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00011 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S1310.IS S1310 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB 12 •S 1310 IS Grand Canyon to the forested rim of Bryce 1 Canyon; 2 (B) the Grand Staircase— 3 (i) spans 6 major life zones, from the 4 lower Sonoran Desert to the alpine forest; 5 and 6 (ii) encompasses geologic formations 7 that display 3,000,000,000 years of 8 Earth’s history; 9 (C) land managed by the Secretary forms 10 a vital natural corridor connecting the deserts 11 and forests of the surrounding landscape, which 12 includes Grand Canyon National Park and 13 Bryce Canyon National Park; 14 (D) each of the areas described in para- 15 graph (2) (other than East of Bryce, Moquith 16 Mountain, Bunting Point, Canaan Mountain, 17 Orderville Canyon, Parunuweap Canyon, 18 Vermillion Cliffs, and the majority of Upper 19 Kanab Creek) is located within the Grand 20 Staircase-Escalante National Monument, as es- 21 tablished in 1996; and 22 (E) the Grand Staircase in Utah should be 23 protected and managed as a wilderness area. 24 VerDate Sep 11 2014 01:38 May 06, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00012 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S1310.IS S1310 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB 13 •S 1310 IS (2) DESIGNATION.—In accordance with the 1 Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. 1131 et seq.), the fol- 2 lowing areas in the State are designated as wilder- 3 ness areas and as components of the National Wil- 4 derness Preservation System: 5 (A) Bryce Boot (approximately 2,800 6 acres). 7 (B) Bryce View (approximately 4,500 8 acres). 9 (C) Bunting Point (approximately 11,500 10 acres). 11 (D) Canaan Mountain (approximately 12 15,250 acres). 13 (E) East of Bryce (approximately 850 14 acres). 15 (F) Glass Eye Canyon (approximately 16 25,500 acres). 17 (G) Ladder Canyon (approximately 14,500 18 acres). 19 (H) Moquith Mountain (approximately 20 15,750 acres). 21 (I) Nephi Point (approximately 14,750 22 acres). 23 (J) Orderville Canyon (approximately 24 8,000 acres). 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 01:38 May 06, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00013 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S1310.IS S1310 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB 14 •S 1310 IS (K) Paria-Hackberry (approximately 1 196,000 acres). 2 (L) Paria Wilderness Expansion (approxi- 3 mately 4,000 acres). 4 (M) Parunuweap Canyon (approximately 5 44,500 acres). 6 (N) Pine Hollow (approximately 11,000 7 acres). 8 (O) Ti [Text truncated for display. Full text available on Congress.gov.]