Federal
Wyoming Public Lands Initiative Act of 2023
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118TH CONGRESS
2D SESSION
S. 1348
AN ACT
To redesignate land within certain wilderness study areas
in the State of Wyoming, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
1
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
2
2
† S 1348 ES
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
1
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Wyoming Public Lands
2
Initiative Act of 2023’’.
3
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.
4
In this Act:
5
(1) BUREAU.—The term ‘‘Bureau’’ means the
6
Bureau of Land Management.
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(2) RANGE IMPROVEMENT.—The term ‘‘range
8
improvement’’ has the meaning given the term in
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section 3 of the Public Rangelands Improvement Act
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of 1978 (43 U.S.C. 1902).
11
(3) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means
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the Secretary of the Interior.
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(4) STATE.—The term ‘‘State’’ means the State
14
of Wyoming.
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(5) WILDERNESS AREA.—The term ‘‘wilderness
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area’’ means a wilderness area designated by section
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3.
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SEC. 3. DESIGNATION OF WILDERNESS AREAS.
19
In accordance with the Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C.
20
1131 et seq.), the following areas in the State are des-
21
ignated as wilderness and as components of the National
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Wilderness Preservation System:
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(1) ENCAMPMENT
RIVER
CANYON
WILDER-
24
NESS.—
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† S 1348 ES
(A) IN
GENERAL.—Certain Federal land
1
administered by the Bureau in the State, com-
2
prising approximately 4,523.84 acres, as gen-
3
erally depicted on the map entitled ‘‘Proposed
4
Encampment River Wilderness’’ and dated De-
5
cember 5, 2023, which shall be known as the
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‘‘Encampment River Canyon Wilderness’’.
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(B) EXCLUDED LAND.—The following land
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is not included in the Encampment River Can-
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yon Wilderness:
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(i) Any land in the NW1⁄4NW1⁄4NW1⁄4
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sec. 24, T. 14 N., R. 84 W.
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(ii) Any land within 100 feet of the
13
centerline of—
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(I) County Road 353; or
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(II) Water Valley Road.
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(2) PROSPECT MOUNTAIN WILDERNESS.—
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(A) IN
GENERAL.—Certain Federal land
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administered by the Bureau in the State, com-
19
prising approximately 1,099.76 acres, as gen-
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erally depicted on the map entitled ‘‘Proposed
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Prospect Mountain Wilderness’’ and dated De-
22
cember 8, 2023, which shall be known as the
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‘‘Prospect Mountain Wilderness’’.
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† S 1348 ES
(B) EXCLUDED LAND.—Any land within
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100 feet of the centerline of Prospect Road is
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not included in the Prospect Mountain Wilder-
3
ness.
4
(3) UPPER
SWEETWATER
CANYON
WILDER-
5
NESS.—
6
(A) IN
GENERAL.—Certain Federal land
7
administered by the Bureau in the State, com-
8
prising approximately 2,877.35 acres, as gen-
9
erally depicted on the map entitled ‘‘Proposed
10
Upper Sweetwater Canyon Wilderness’’ and
11
dated December 6, 2023, which shall be known
12
as the ‘‘Upper Sweetwater Canyon Wilderness’’.
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(B) BOUNDARY.—
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(i) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided
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in clause (ii), the boundary of the Upper
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Sweetwater Canyon Wilderness shall con-
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form to the boundary of the Sweetwater
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Canyon Wilderness Study Area.
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(ii) EASTERN BOUNDARY.—The east-
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ern boundary of the Upper Sweetwater
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Canyon Wilderness shall be 100 feet from
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the western edge of the north-south road
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bisecting the Upper Sweetwater Canyon
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Wilderness and the Lower Sweetwater
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† S 1348 ES
Canyon Wilderness, known as ‘‘Strawberry
1
Creek Road’’.
2
(iii)
EXCLUSION
OF
EXISTING
3
ROADS.—Any established legal route with
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authorized motorized use in existence on
5
the date of enactment of this Act that en-
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ters the Upper Sweetwater Canyon Wilder-
7
ness in T. 28 N., R. 98 W., sec. 4, or the
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Lower Sweetwater Canyon Wilderness in
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T. 29 N., R. 97 W., sec. 33, is not in-
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cluded in the Upper Sweetwater Canyon
11
Wilderness.
12
(4) LOWER
SWEETWATER
CANYON
WILDER-
13
NESS.—
14
(A) IN
GENERAL.—Certain Federal land
15
administered by the Bureau in the State, com-
16
prising approximately 5,665.19 acres, as gen-
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erally depicted on the map entitled ‘‘Lower
18
Sweetwater Canyon Wilderness’’ and dated De-
19
cember 5, 2023, which shall be known as the
20
‘‘Lower Sweetwater Canyon Wilderness’’.
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(B) BOUNDARY.—
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(i) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided
23
in clause (ii), the boundary of the Lower
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Sweetwater Canyon Wilderness shall con-
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6
† S 1348 ES
form to the boundary of the Sweetwater
1
Canyon Wilderness Study Area.
2
(ii) WESTERN BOUNDARY.—The west-
3
ern boundary of the Lower Sweetwater
4
Canyon Wilderness shall be 100 feet from
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the eastern edge of the north-south road
6
bisecting the Upper Sweetwater Canyon
7
Wilderness and the Lower Sweetwater
8
Canyon Wilderness, known as ‘‘Strawberry
9
Creek Road’’.
10
(iii)
EXCLUSION
OF
EXISTING
11
ROADS.—Any established legal route with
12
authorized motorized use in existence on
13
the date of enactment of this Act that en-
14
ters the Upper Sweetwater Canyon Wilder-
15
ness in T. 29 N., R. 98 W., sec. 4, or the
16
Lower Sweetwater Canyon Wilderness in
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T. 29 N., R. 97 W., sec. 33, is not in-
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cluded in the Lower Sweetwater Canyon
19
Wilderness.
20
(5) BOBCAT DRAW WILDERNESS.—Certain Fed-
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eral land administered by the Bureau in the State,
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comprising approximately 6,246.84 acres, as gen-
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erally depicted on the map entitled ‘‘Proposed Bob-
24
cat Draw Wilderness’’ and dated December 8, 2023,
25
7
† S 1348 ES
which shall be known as the ‘‘Bobcat Draw Wilder-
1
ness’’.
2
SEC. 4. ADMINISTRATION OF WILDERNESS AREAS.
3
(a) IN GENERAL.—Subject to valid existing rights,
4
the Secretary shall administer the wilderness areas in ac-
5
cordance with this section and the Wilderness Act (16
6
U.S.C. 1131 et seq.), except that—
7
(1) any reference in that Act to the effective
8
date of that Act shall be considered to be a reference
9
to the date of enactment of this Act; and
10
(2) any reference in that Act to the Secretary
11
of Agriculture shall be considered to be a reference
12
to the Secretary.
13
(b) FIRE MANAGEMENT
AND RELATED ACTIVI-
14
TIES.—
15
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary may carry out
16
any activities in a wilderness area as are necessary
17
for the control of fire, insects, or disease in accord-
18
ance with section 4(d)(1) of the Wilderness Act (16
19
U.S.C. 1133(d)(1)).
20
(2) COORDINATION.—In carrying out para-
21
graph (1), the Secretary shall coordinate with—
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(A) the Wyoming Forestry Division; and
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(B) the applicable county in the State in
24
which the wilderness area is located.
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8
† S 1348 ES
(3) FIRE MANAGEMENT PLAN.—Not later than
1
180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the
2
Secretary shall establish a fire management plan for
3
the wilderness areas—
4
(A) to ensure the timely and efficient con-
5
trol of fires, diseases, and insects in the wilder-
6
ness areas, in accordance with section 4(d)(1)
7
of the Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. 1133(d)(1));
8
and
9
(B) to provide, to the maximum extent
10
practicable, adequate protection from forest
11
fires, disease outbreaks, and insect infestations
12
to any Federal, State, or private land adjacent
13
to the wilderness areas.
14
(c) GRAZING.—The grazing of livestock in a wilder-
15
ness area, if established before the date of enactment of
16
this Act, shall be administered in accordance with—
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(1) section 4(d)(4) of the Wilderness Act (16
18
U.S.C. 1133(d)(4)); and
19
(2) the guidelines set forth in Appendix A of
20
House Report 101–405, accompanying H.R. 2570 of
21
the 101st Congress, for land under the jurisdiction
22
of the Secretary of the Interior.
23
(d) BUFFER ZONES.—
24
9
† S 1348 ES
(1) IN GENERAL.—Nothing in this section es-
1
tablishes a protective perimeter or buffer zone
2
around a wilderness area.
3
(2) OUTSIDE ACTIVITIES OR USES.—The fact
4
that a nonwilderness activity or use can be seen or
5
heard from within a wilderness area shall not pre-
6
clude the activity or use outside the boundary of the
7
wilderness area.
8
SEC. 5. RELEASE OF WILDERNESS STUDY AREAS.
9
(a) FINDING.—Congress finds that, for purposes of
10
section 603(c) of the Federal Land Policy and Manage-
11
ment Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1782(c)), any portion of a
12
wilderness study area described in subsection (b) that is
13
not designated as a wilderness area by section 3 has been
14
adequately studied for wilderness designation.
15
(b) DESCRIPTION OF LAND.—The wilderness study
16
areas referred to in subsections (a) and (c) are the fol-
17
lowing:
18
(1) The Encampment River Canyon Wilderness
19
Study Area.
20
(2) The Prospect Mountain Wilderness Study
21
Area.
22
(3) The Bennett Mountains Wilderness Study
23
Area.
24
10
† S 1348 ES
(4) The Sweetwater Canyon Wilderness Study
1
Area.
2
(5) The Lankin Dome Wilderness Study Area.
3
(6) The Split Rock Wilderness Study Area.
4
(7) The Savage Peak Wilderness Study Area.
5
(8) The Miller Springs Wilderness Study Area.
6
(9) The Dubois Badlands Wilderness Study
7
Area.
8
(10) The Copper Mountain Wilderness Study
9
Area.
10
(11) The Whiskey Mountain Wilderness Study
11
Area.
12
(12) The Fortification Creek Wilderness Study
13
Area.
14
(13) The Gardner Mountain Wilderness Study
15
Area.
16
(14) The North Fork Wilderness Study Area.
17
(15) The portion of the Bobcat Draw Wilder-
18
ness Study Area located in Washakie County, Wyo-
19
ming.
20
(16) The Cedar Mountain Wilderness Study
21
Area.
22
(17) The Honeycombs Wilderness Study Area.
23
(c) RELEASE.—Any portion of a wilderness study
24
area described in subsection (b) that is not designated as
25
11
† S 1348 ES
a wilderness area by section 3 is no longer subject to sec-
1
tion 603(c) of the Federal Land Policy and Management
2
Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1782(c)).
3
(d) MANAGEMENT OF RELEASED LAND.—
4
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall manage
5
the portions of the wilderness study areas released
6
under subsection (c) in accordance with—
7
(A) the Federal Land Policy and Manage-
8
ment Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.);
9
(B) applicable land management plans;
10
(C)
applicable
management
provisions
11
under paragraph (2); and
12
(D) any other applicable law.
13
(2) SPECIFIC MANAGEMENT PROVISIONS.—
14
(A) BENNETT
MOUNTAINS
WILDERNESS
15
STUDY AREA.—The Secretary shall manage the
16
portion of the Bennett Mountains Wilderness
17
Study Area released under subsection (c) in ac-
18
cordance with section 8(a).
19
(B)
DUBOIS
BADLANDS
WILDERNESS
20
STUDY AREA.—
21
(i) DIVISION.—The Secretary shall di-
22
vide the land within the Dubois Badlands
23
Wilderness Study Area by authorizing the
24
installation of a fence or the repair or relo-
25
12
† S 1348 ES
cation of an existing fence in T. 41 N., R.
1
106 W., sec. 5, that—
2
(I) follows existing infrastructure
3
and natural barriers;
4
(II) begins at an intersection
5
with North Mountain View Road in
6
the NE1⁄4NW1⁄4 sec. 5, T. 41 N., R.
7
106 W.;
8
(III) from the point described in
9
subclause (II), proceeds southeast to a
10
point near the midpoint of the NE1⁄4
11
sec. 5, T. 41 N., R. 106 W.; and
12
(IV) from the point described in
13
subclause (III), proceeds southwest to
14
a point in the SW1⁄4NE1⁄4 sec. 5, T.
15
41 N., R. 106 W., that intersects with
16
the boundary of the Dubois Badlands
17
Wilderness Study Area.
18
(ii) MANAGEMENT.—The Secretary
19
shall manage the portion of the Dubois
20
Badlands Wilderness Study Area released
21
under subsection (c) in accordance with—
22
(I) paragraph (1); and
23
(II) sections 6 and 7.
24
13
† S 1348 ES
(C)
COPPER
MOUNTAIN
WILDERNESS
1
STUDY AREA.—
2
(i) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall
3
manage the portion of the Copper Moun-
4
tain Wilderness Study Area released under
5
subsection (c) in accordance with para-
6
graph (1).
7
(ii) MINERAL LEASING.—
8
(I) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary
9
may lease oil and gas resources within
10
the land released from the Copper
11
Mountain
Wilderness
Study
Area
12
under subsection (c) if—
13
(aa) the lease may only be
14
accessed by directional drilling
15
from a lease that is outside of
16
the land released from the Cop-
17
per Mountain Wilderness Study
18
Area; and
19
(bb) the lease prohibits,
20
without exception or waiver, sur-
21
face occupancy and surface dis-
22
turbance on the land released
23
from the Copper Mountain Wil-
24
derness Study Area for any ac-
25
14
† S 1348 ES
tivities, including activities relat-
1
ing to exploration, development,
2
or production.
3
(II) UNDERGROUND
RIGHTS-OF-
4
WAY.—The Secretary may grant un-
5
derground rights-of-way for any min-
6
eral lease entered into under sub-
7
clause (I).
8
(III) PROHIBITION
OF
CERTAIN
9
LEASES.—Subject to valid rights in
10
existence on the date of enactment of
11
this Act, the Secretary shall not issue
12
a new lease for a wind or solar
13
project, an overhead transmission line,
14
or a communication tower on the land
15
released from the Copper Mountain
16
Wilderness Study Area under sub-
17
section (c).
18
(IV) AUTHORITY TO EXCHANGE
19
LAND.—In carrying out any land ex-
20
change involving any of the land re-
21
leased from the Copper Mountain Wil-
22
derness Study Area under subsection
23
(c), the Secretary shall ensure that
24
15
† S 1348 ES
the exchange does not result in a net
1
loss of Federal land.
2
(D) WHISKEY
MOUNTAIN
WILDERNESS
3
STUDY AREA.—The Secretary shall manage the
4
portion of the Whiskey Mountain Wilderness
5
Study Area released under subsection (c) in ac-
6
cordance with—
7
(i) paragraph (1); and
8
(ii) the Whiskey Mountain Coopera-
9
tive Agreement between the Wyoming
10
Game and Fish Commission, the Forest
11
Service, and the Bureau, including any
12
amendment to that agreement relating to
13
the management of bighorn sheep.
14
(E) BOBCAT
DRAW
WILDERNESS
STUDY
15
AREA.—
16
(i) TRAVEL MANAGEMENT PLAN.—
17
(I) IN GENERAL.—Not later than
18
2 years after the date of enactment of
19
this Act, the Secretary shall develop a
20
travel management plan for the land
21
released from the Bobcat Draw Wil-
22
derness Study Area under subsection
23
(c).
24
16
† S 1348 ES
(II) REQUIREMENTS.—The travel
1
management plan under subclause (I)
2
shall—
3
(aa) identify all existing
4
roads and trails on the land re-
5
leased from the Bobcat Draw
6
Wilderness Study Area under
7
subsection (c);
8
(bb) designate each road or
9
trail available for—
10
(AA)
motorized
or
11
mechanized recreation; or
12
(BB) agriculture prac-
13
tices;
14
(cc) prohibit the construc-
15
tion of any new road or trail for
16
motorized or mechanized recre-
17
ation use; and
18
(dd) permit the continued
19
use of nonmotorized trails.
20
(ii) WITHDRAWAL.—
21
(I) IN GENERAL.—Except as pro-
22
vided in subclause (II), subject to
23
valid rights in existence on the date of
24
enactment of this Act, the land re-
25
17
† S 1348 ES
leased from the Bobcat Draw Wilder-
1
ness Study Area under subsection (c)
2
is withdrawn from—
3
(aa) all forms of appropria-
4
tion or disposal und
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