Sponsors (2)
The bill permanently protects ~6,817 acres as wilderness—safeguarding recreation, habitat, water quality, and tribal uses while giving managers authority to reduce ecological risks—at the cost of limiting certain local economic activities, imposing federal management costs, and leaving some tribal access subject to administrative conditions.
Residents, visitors, and nearby communities gain permanent wilderness protection for ~6,817 acres in Routt National Forest, preserving recreation, scenic values, wildlife habitat, and water quality.
The Secretary is authorized to manage wildfire, insect, and disease risks in the addition, helping protect nearby communities, tribal lands, and natural resources from catastrophic events.
Indigenous tribal communities retain treaty rights and may access the addition for traditional, religious, and cultural practices, preserving important tribal uses.
Local businesses, landowners, and energy/utilities could face new restrictions on motorized access, logging, mining, and infrastructure on the designated land, limiting local economic and development opportunities and potential revenue.
Federal agencies (Forest Service) will incur ongoing management and enforcement costs to administer the wilderness addition, with those costs ultimately borne by taxpayers.
Although treaty rights are preserved on paper, tribal access is subject to “applicable law” and Secretary-determined terms, which could limit, condition, or delay tribal uses in practice.
Based on analysis of 4 sections of legislative text.
Adds about 6,817 acres in Routt National Forest to the Sarvis Creek Wilderness, applies Wilderness Act rules, and authorizes tribal access plus limited fire and pest control activities.
Introduced April 8, 2025 by John Wright Hickenlooper · Last progress April 8, 2025
Adds about 6,817 acres of Routt National Forest to the Sarvis Creek Wilderness and makes that land subject to the Wilderness Act. It affirms that tribal treaty rights are unaffected, authorizes tribal access for traditional, religious, and cultural uses consistent with law, and allows the Secretary to carry out limited management for fire, insects, and disease under Wilderness Act authority.