Summary

Designates and protects two adjacent public-land units along the Dolores River in Colorado—a roughly 52,872-acre Bureau of Land Management National Conservation Area and a roughly 15,452-acre Special Management Area in the San Juan National Forest—by setting management goals, restricting new road building and most motorized travel, withdrawing the areas from most mining and leasing laws, and requiring coordinated management plans developed with state, local, tribal, and public input. The measure preserves existing valid rights (including treaty and Colorado Ute Settlement water rights and Dolores Project operations), limits land acquisition to willing sellers, and removes the designated areas from further consideration under the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act study/listing process.

• Designates ~52,872 acres as a Dolores River National Conservation Area (BLM) and ~15,452 acres as a Dolores River Special Management Area (Forest Service).
• Requires management plans within 3 years, developed with state, local, tribal, Council, and public input and coordination between Interior and Agriculture.
• Withdraws covered land from most mining-location laws and mineral/leasing laws (subject to valid existing rights) and restricts road construction.
• Limits motorized travel to designated routes (except administrative/emergency use) and allows only uses that further conservation and recreation purposes.
• Preserves Indian treaty rights, Colorado Ute Settlement water rights, Dolores Project operations, and valid existing rights.
• Limits land acquisition to willing sellers, donations, or exchanges and allows easements or access agreements from willing private parties.
• Removes the designated areas from further study or potential addition under the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act.
• Authorizes wildfire, insect, and disease control; preserves certain utility corridors; and establishes wilderness-character protections in mapped gorge areas.