America's Red Rock Wilderness Act

I 118TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION H. R. 3031 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 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES APRIL 28, 2023 Ms. STANSBURY (for herself, Mr. RASKIN, Mr. TRONE, Ms. BUSH, Ms. TLAIB, Mr. ESPAILLAT, Mr. LYNCH, Ms. DEGETTE, Mr. CONNOLLY, Mr. SCHIFF, Mr. BLUMENAUER, Mr. TAKANO, Mr. MCGOVERN, Ms. JAYAPAL, Mrs. NAPOLITANO, Mr. BOYLE of Pennsylvania, Mr. POCAN, Ms. STEVENS, Ms. BONAMICI, Ms. NORTON, Ms. MENG, Mr. DOGGETT, Ms. MCCOLLUM, Mr. CLEAVER, Mr. KRISHNAMOORTHI, Mr. NADLER, Mr. SCHNEIDER, Ms. OCASIO-CORTEZ, Ms. CRAIG, Ms. PORTER, Mr. PASCRELL, Mr. MEEKS, Ms. DELBENE, Ms. BUDZINSKI, Ms. CHU, Mr. PHILLIPS, Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN, Ms. OMAR, Mr. THOMPSON of Cali- fornia, Mr. KHANNA, Mr. MOULTON, Mr. COHEN, Ms. PINGREE, and Mr. KILMER) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com- mittee on 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 VerDate Sep 11 2014 01:37 May 06, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H3031.IH H3031 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB 2 •HR 3031 IH SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS. 1 (a) SHORT TITLE.—This Act may be cited as the 2 ‘‘America’s Red Rock Wilderness Act’’. 3 (b) TABLE OF CONTENTS.—The table of contents of 4 this Act is as follows: 5 Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents. Sec. 2. Definitions. Sec. 3. Findings. Sec. 4. Purposes. TITLE I—DESIGNATION OF WILDERNESS AREAS Sec. 101. Great Basin Wilderness Areas. Sec. 102. Grand Staircase-Escalante Wilderness Areas. Sec. 103. Moab-La Sal Canyons Wilderness Areas. Sec. 104. Henry Mountains Wilderness Areas. Sec. 105. Glen Canyon Wilderness Areas. Sec. 106. San Juan Wilderness Areas. Sec. 107. Canyonlands Basin Wilderness Areas. Sec. 108. San Rafael Swell Wilderness Areas. Sec. 109. Book Cliffs–Greater Dinosaur Wilderness Areas. TITLE II—ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS Sec. 201. General provisions. Sec. 202. Administration. Sec. 203. State school trust land within wilderness areas. Sec. 204. Water. Sec. 205. Roads. Sec. 206. Livestock. Sec. 207. Fish and wildlife. Sec. 208. Protection of Tribal rights. Sec. 209. Management of newly acquired land. Sec. 210. Withdrawal. SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 6 In this Act: 7 (1) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 8 the Secretary of the Interior, acting through the Bu- 9 reau of Land Management. 10 (2) STATE.—The term ‘‘State’’ means the State 11 of Utah. 12 VerDate Sep 11 2014 01:37 May 06, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H3031.IH H3031 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB 3 •HR 3031 IH SEC. 3. FINDINGS. 1 Congress finds that— 2 (1) the land designated as wilderness by this 3 Act is one of the largest remaining expanses of un- 4 protected, wild public land in the continental United 5 States; 6 (2) the designation of wilderness by this Act 7 would— 8 (A) increase landscape connectivity in the 9 Colorado Plateau; and 10 (B) help to mitigate the impacts of climate 11 change by— 12 (i) providing critical refugia; 13 (ii) reducing surface disturbances that 14 exacerbate the impacts of climate change; 15 (iii) reducing greenhouse gas emis- 16 sions related to the extraction and use of 17 fossil fuels; and 18 (iv) contributing to the goal of pro- 19 tecting 30 percent of global land and 20 waters by 2030; 21 (3) the land designated as wilderness by this 22 Act is— 23 (A) a living cultural landscape; 24 (B) a place of refuge for wild nature; and 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 01:37 May 06, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H3031.IH H3031 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB 4 •HR 3031 IH (C) an important part of Indigenous and 1 non-Indigenous community values; 2 (4) Indian Tribes have been present on the land 3 designated as wilderness by this Act since time im- 4 memorial, using the plant, animal, landform, and 5 spiritual values for sustenance and cultural, medic- 6 inal, and ceremonial activities, purposes for which 7 Indigenous people continue to use the land; and 8 (5) the designation of wilderness by this Act— 9 (A) is vital to the continuation and revital- 10 ization of Indigenous cultures; and 11 (B) serves to protect places of Indigenous 12 use and sanctuary. 13 SEC. 4. PURPOSES. 14 The purposes of this Act are— 15 (1) to designate as wilderness certain Federal 16 portions of the red rock canyons of the Colorado 17 Plateau and the Great Basin Deserts in the State of 18 Utah for the benefit of present and future genera- 19 tions of people in the United States; 20 (2) to protect the cultural, ecological, and sce- 21 nic values of land designated as wilderness by this 22 Act for the benefit, use, and enjoyment of present 23 and future generations of people in the United 24 States; and 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 01:37 May 06, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H3031.IH H3031 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB 5 •HR 3031 IH (3) to protect the ability of Indigenous and non- 1 Indigenous people to use the land designated as wil- 2 derness by this Act for traditional activities, includ- 3 ing hunting, fishing, hiking, horsepacking, camping, 4 and spirituality as people have used the land for 5 generations. 6 TITLE I—DESIGNATION OF 7 WILDERNESS AREAS 8 SEC. 101. GREAT BASIN WILDERNESS AREAS. 9 (a) FINDINGS.—Congress finds that— 10 (1) the Great Basin region of western Utah is 11 comprised of starkly beautiful mountain ranges that 12 rise as islands from the desert floor; 13 (2) the Wah Wah Mountains in the Great 14 Basin region are arid and austere, with massive cliff 15 faces and leathery slopes speckled with pin˜on and ju- 16 niper; 17 (3) the Pilot Range and Stansbury Mountains 18 in the Great Basin region are high enough to draw 19 moisture from passing clouds and support eco- 20 systems found nowhere else on earth; 21 (4) from bristlecone pine, the world’s oldest liv- 22 ing organism, to newly flowered mountain meadows, 23 mountains of the Great Basin region are islands of 24 nature that— 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 01:37 May 06, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H3031.IH H3031 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB 6 •HR 3031 IH (A) support remarkable biological diversity; 1 and 2 (B) provide opportunities to experience the 3 colossal silence of the Great Basin; and 4 (5) the Great Basin region of western Utah 5 should be protected and managed to ensure the pres- 6 ervation of the natural conditions of the region. 7 (b) DESIGNATION.—In accordance with the Wilder- 8 ness Act (16 U.S.C. 1131 et seq.), the following areas in 9 the State are designated as wilderness areas and as com- 10 ponents of the National Wilderness Preservation System: 11 (1) Bald Eagle Mountain (approximately 9,000 12 acres). 13 (2) Barn Hills (approximately 21,000 acres). 14 (3) Big Hollow (approximately 4,100 acres). 15 (4) Black Hills (approximately 8,750 acres). 16 (5) Broken Ridge (approximately 9,250 acres). 17 (6) Bullgrass Knoll (approximately 15,750 18 acres). 19 (7) Burbank Hills (approximately 17,000 20 acres). 21 (8) Burbank Pass (approximately 30,000 22 acres). 23 (9) Chalk Knolls (approximately 16,500 acres). 24 (10) Cobb Peak (approximately 8,500 acres). 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 01:37 May 06, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00006 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H3031.IH H3031 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB 7 •HR 3031 IH (11) Conger Mountain (approximately 21,750 1 acres). 2 (12) Crater Bench (approximately 35,000 3 acres). 4 (13) Crater Island East (approximately 53,000 5 acres). 6 (14) Crater Island West (approximately 30,000 7 acres). 8 (15) Cricket Mountain (approximately 16,500 9 acres). 10 (16) Crook Creek (approximately 20,000 acres). 11 (17) Deep Creek Mountains (approximately 12 127,000 acres). 13 (18) Disappointment Hills (approximately 14 24,000 acres). 15 (19) Drum Mountains (approximately 14,500 16 acres). 17 (20) Dugway Mountains (approximately 24,500 18 acres). 19 (21) Fish Springs Range (approximately 20 65,000 acres). 21 (22) Granite Mountain (approximately 19,250 22 acres). 23 (23) Granite Peak (approximately 19,500 24 acres). 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 01:37 May 06, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00007 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H3031.IH H3031 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB 8 •HR 3031 IH (24) Grassy Mountains North (approximately 1 8,500 acres). 2 (25) Grassy Mountains South (approximately 3 16,500 acres). 4 (26) Hamlin (approximately 13,750 acres). 5 (27) Headlight Mountain (approximately 6,000 6 acres). 7 (28) Howell Peak (approximately 28,750 acres). 8 (29) Indian Peaks (approximately 15,750 9 acres). 10 (30) Jackson Wash (approximately 18,500 11 acres). 12 (31) Juniper (approximately 17,500 acres). 13 (32) Keg Mountains East (approximately 14 19,500 acres). 15 (33) Keg Mountains West (approximately 16 19,250 acres). 17 (34) Kern Mountains (approximately 15,000 18 acres). 19 (35) King Top (approximately 111,500 acres). 20 (36) Ledger Canyon (approximately 8,900 21 acres). 22 (37) Lion Peak (approximately 27,500 acres). 23 (38) Little Drum Mountains North (approxi- 24 mately 14,000 acres). 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 01:37 May 06, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00008 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H3031.IH H3031 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB 9 •HR 3031 IH (39) Little Drum Mountains South (approxi- 1 mately 10,000 acres). 2 (40) Mahogany Peak (approximately 750 3 acres). 4 (41) Middle Burbank Hills (approximately 5 6,750 acres). 6 (42) Middle Mountains (approximately 39,750 7 acres). 8 (43) Mount Escalante (approximately 17,500 9 acres). 10 (44) Mountain Home Range North (approxi- 11 mately 21,500 acres). 12 (45) Mountain Home Range South (approxi- 13 mately 32,750 acres). 14 (46) Needle Mountains (approximately 12,000 15 acres). 16 (47) Newfoundland Mountains (approximately 17 24,500 acres). 18 (48) North Peaks (approximately 9,400 acres). 19 (49) North Stansbury Mountains (approxi- 20 mately 20,500 acres). 21 (50) Notch Peak (approximately 72,000 acres). 22 (51) Notch View (approximately 8,000 acres). 23 (52) Ochre Mountain (approximately 13,500 24 acres). 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 01:37 May 06, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00009 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H3031.IH H3031 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB 10 •HR 3031 IH (53) Oquirrh Mountains (approximately 8,900 1 acres). 2 (54) Orr Ridge (approximately 11,000 acres). 3 (55) Painted Rock (approximately 26,500 4 acres). 5 (56) Paradise Mountain (approximately 40,000 6 acres). 7 (57) Pilot Mountains Central (approximately 8 8,000 acres). 9 (58) Pilot Peak (approximately 30,250 acres). 10 (59) Red Canyon (approximately 15,500 acres). 11 (60) Red Tops (approximately 28,000 acres). 12 (61) San Francisco Mountains (approximately 13 39,750 acres). 14 (62) Silver Island Mountains (approximately 15 37,500 acres). 16 (63) Snake Valley (approximately 66,250 17 acres). 18 (64) Spring Creek Canyon (approximately 19 5,250 acres). 20 (65) Stansbury Island (approximately 10,000 21 acres). 22 (66) Steamboat Mountain (approximately 23 40,250 acres). 24 VerDate Sep 11 2014 01:37 May 06, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00010 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H3031.IH H3031 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB 11 •HR 3031 IH (67) Swasey Peak (approximately 91,000 1 acres). 2 (68) The Toad (approximately 11,250 acres). 3 (69) Thomas Range (approximately 41,000 4 acres). 5 (70) Tule Valley (approximately 102,000 6 acres). 7 (71) Tule Valley South (approximately 19,000 8 acres). 9 (72) Tunnel Springs (approximately 23,000 10 acres). 11 (73) Wah Wah Mountains Central (approxi- 12 mately 61,000 acres). 13 (74) Wah Wah Mountains North (approxi- 14 mately 93,500 acres). 15 (75) Wah Wah Mountains South (approxi- 16 mately 18,000 acres). 17 (76) White Rock Range (approximately 5,000 18 acres). 19 (77) Wild Horse Pass (approximately 35,750 20 acres). 21 SEC. 102. GRAND STAIRCASE-ESCALANTE WILDERNESS 22 AREAS. 23 (a) GRAND STAIRCASE AREA.— 24 (1) FINDINGS.—Congress finds that— 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 01:37 May 06, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00011 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H3031.IH H3031 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB 12 •HR 3031 IH (A) the area known as the Grand Staircase 1 rises more than 6,000 feet in a series of great 2 cliffs and plateaus from the depths of the 3 Grand Canyon to the forested rim of Bryce 4 Canyon; 5 (B) the Grand Staircase— 6 (i) spans 6 major life zones, from the 7 lower Sonoran Desert to the alpine forest; 8 and 9 (ii) encompasses geologic formations 10 that display 3,000,000,000 years of 11 Earth’s history; 12 (C) land managed by the Secretary forms 13 a vital natural corridor connecting the deserts 14 and forests of the surrounding landscape, which 15 includes Grand Canyon National Park and 16 Bryce Canyon National Park; 17 (D) each of the areas described in para- 18 graph (2) (other than East of Bryce, Moquith 19 Mountain, Bunting Point, Canaan Mountain, 20 Orderville Canyon, Parunuweap Canyon, 21 Vermillion Cliffs, and the majority of Upper 22 Kanab Creek) is located within the Grand 23 Staircase-Escalante National Monument, as es- 24 tablished in 1996; and 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 01:37 May 06, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00012 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H3031.IH H3031 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB 13 •HR 3031 IH (E) the Grand Staircase in Utah should be 1 protected and managed as a wilderness area. 2 (2) DESIGNATION.—In accordance with the 3 Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. 1131 et seq.), the fol- 4 lowing areas in the State are designated as wilder- 5 ness areas and as components of the National Wil- 6 derness Preservation System: 7 (A) Bryce Boot (approximately 2,800 8 acres). 9 (B) Bryce View (approximately 4,500 10 acres). 11 (C) Bunting Point (approximately 11,500 12 acres). 13 (D) Canaan Mountain (approximately 14 15,250 acres). 15 (E) East of Bryce (approximately 850 16 acres). 17 (F) Glass Eye Canyon (approximately 18 25,500 acres). 19 (G) Ladder Canyon (approximately 14,500 20 acres). 21 (H) Moquith Mountain (approximately 22 15,750 acres). 23 (I) Nephi Point (approximately 14,750 24 acres). 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 01:37 May 06, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00013 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H3031.IH H3031 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD wi [Text truncated for display. 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