((a)) ** Definitions** In this section:
((1)) ** City** The term “City” means the city of Durango, Colorado.
((2)) ** County** The term “County” means La Plata County, Colorado.
((3)) ** Secretary** The term “Secretary” means the Secretary of Agriculture.
((4)) ** Special Management Area** The term “Special Management Area” means the Hermosa Creek Special Management Area designated by subsection (b)(1).
((5)) ** State** The term “State” means the State of Colorado.
((b)) ** Designation of Hermosa Creek Special Management Area**
((1)) ** Designation** Subject to valid existing rights, certain Federal land in the San Juan National Forest comprising approximately 70,650 acres, as generally depicted on the map entitled “Proposed Hermosa Creek Special Management Area and Proposed Hermosa Creek Wilderness Area” and dated , is designated as the “Hermosa Creek Special Management Area”.November 12, 20142014-11-12
((2)) ** Purpose** The purpose of the Special Management Area is to conserve and protect for the benefit of present and future generations the watershed, geological, cultural, natural, scientific, recreational, wildlife, riparian, historical, educational, and scenic resources of the Special Management Area.
((3)) ** Administration**
((A)) ** In general** The Secretary shall administer the Special Management Area—
((i)) in a manner that conserves, protects, and manages the resources of the Special Management Area described in paragraph (2); and
((ii)) in accordance with—
((I)) the National Forest Management Act of 1976 ( et seq.);
((II)) this Act; and
((III)) any other applicable laws.
((B)) ** Uses**
((i)) ** In general** The Secretary shall allow only such uses of the Special Management Area as the Secretary determines would further the purposes described in paragraph (2).1
((ii)) ** Motorized and mechanized vehicles**
((I)) ** In general** Except as provided in subclause (II) and as needed for administrative purposes or to respond to an emergency, the use of motorized or mechanized vehicles in the Special Management Area shall be permitted only on roads and trails designated by the Secretary for use by those vehicles.
((II)) ** Oversnow vehicles** The Secretary shall authorize the use of snowmobiles and other oversnow vehicles within the Special Management Area—
((aa)) when there exists adequate snow coverage; and
((bb)) subject to such terms and conditions as the Secretary may require.
((iii)) ** Grazing** The Secretary shall permit grazing within the Special Management Area, if established before , subject to all applicable laws (including regulations) and Executive orders.December 19, 20142014-12-19
((iv)) ** Prohibited activities** Within the area of the Special Management Area identified as “East Hermosa Area” on the map entitled “Proposed Hermosa Creek Special Management Area and Proposed Hermosa Creek Wilderness Area” and dated , the following activities shall be prohibited:
((I)) New permanent or temporary road construction or the renovation of existing nonsystem roads, except as allowed under the final rule entitled “Special Areas; Roadless Area Conservation; Applicability to the National Forests in Colorado” (77 Fed. Reg. 39576 ()).
((II)) Projects undertaken for the purpose of harvesting commercial timber (other than activities relating to the harvest of merchantable products that are byproducts of activities conducted for ecological restoration or to further the purposes described in this section).
((4)) ** State and Federal water management** Nothing in this subsection affects the potential for development, operation, or maintenance of a water storage reservoir at the site in the Special Management Area that is identified in—
((A)) pages 17 through 20 of the Statewide Water Supply Initiative studies prepared by the Colorado Water Conservation Board and issued by the State in November 2004; and
((B)) page 27 of the Colorado Dam Site Inventory prepared by the Colorado Water Conservation Board and dated August 1996.
((5)) ** Withdrawal**
((A)) ** In general** Subject to valid rights in existence on , and except as provided in subparagraph (B), the Federal land within the Special Management Area is withdrawn from—
((i)) all forms of entry, appropriation, and disposal under the public land laws;
((ii)) location, entry, and patent under the mining laws; and
((iii)) operation of the mineral leasing, mineral materials, and geothermal leasing laws.
((B)) ** Exception** The withdrawal under subparagraph (A) shall not apply to the areas identified as parcels A and B on the map entitled “Proposed Hermosa Creek Special Management Area and Proposed Hermosa Creek Wilderness Area” and dated .November 12, 20142014-11-12
((6)) ** Winter skiing and related winter activities** Nothing in this subsection alters or limits—
((A)) a permit held by a ski area;
((B)) the implementation of the activities governed by a ski area permit; or
((C)) the authority of the Secretary to modify or expand an existing ski area permit.
((7)) ** Vegetation management** Nothing in this subsection prevents the Secretary from conducting vegetation management projects within the Special Management Area—
((A)) subject to—
((i)) such reasonable regulations, policies, and practices as the Secretary determines to be appropriate; and
((ii)) all applicable laws (including regulations); and
((B)) in a manner consistent with—
((i)) the purposes described in paragraph (2); and
((ii)) this subsection.
((8)) ** Wildfire, insect, and disease management** In accordance with this subsection, the Secretary may—
((A)) carry out any measures that the Secretary determines to be necessary to manage wildland fire and treat hazardous fuels, insects, and diseases in the Special Management Area; and
((B)) coordinate those measures with the appropriate State or local agency, as the Secretary determines to be necessary.
((9)) ** Management plan** Not later than 3 years after , the Secretary shall develop a management plan for the long-term protection and management of the Special Management Area that—
((A)) takes into account public input; and
((B)) provides for recreational opportunities to occur within the Special Management Area, including skiing, biking, hiking, fishing, hunting, horseback riding, snowmobiling, motorcycle riding, off-highway vehicle use, snowshoeing, and camping.
((10)) ** Trail and open area snowmobile usage** Nothing in this subsection affects the use or status of trails authorized for motorized or mechanized vehicle or open area snowmobile use on .December 19, 20142014-12-19
((11)) ** State water rights** Nothing in this subsection affects access to, use of, or allocation of any absolute or conditional water right that is—
((A)) decreed under the laws of the State; and
((B)) in existence on .
((c)) ** Hermosa Creek Wilderness**
((1)) ** Omitted**
((2)) ** Effective date** Any reference contained in the Wilderness Act ( et seq.) to the effective date of that Act shall be considered to be a reference to , for purposes of administering the wilderness area designated by section 2(a)(22) of the Colorado Wilderness Act of 1993 ( note; ; ; ) (as added by paragraph (1)).16 U.S.C. 113116 U.S.C. 1132107 Stat. 756114 Stat. 1955116 Stat. 10552December 19, 20142014-12-19
((3)) ** Fire, insects, and diseases** In accordance with section 4(d)(1) of the Wilderness Act (), within the wilderness areas designated by section 2(a)(22) of the Colorado Wilderness Act of 1993 ( note; ; ; ) (as added by paragraph (1)), the Secretary may carry out any measure that the Secretary determines to be necessary to control fire, insects, and diseases, subject to such terms and conditions as the Secretary determines to be appropriate.16 U.S.C. 1133(d)(1)16 U.S.C. 1132107 Stat. 756114 Stat. 1955116 Stat. 10552
((d)) ** Durango Area mineral withdrawal**
((1)) ** Withdrawal** Subject to valid existing rights, the land and mineral interests described in paragraph (2) are withdrawn from all forms of—
((A)) entry, appropriation, and disposal under the public land laws;
((B)) location, entry, and patent under the mining laws; and
((C)) disposition under all laws relating to mineral leasing, geothermal leasing, or mineral materials.
((2)) ** Description of land and mineral interests** The land and mineral interests referred to in paragraph (1) are the Federal land and mineral interests generally depicted within the areas designated as “Withdrawal Areas” on the map entitled “Perins Peak & Animas City Mountain, Horse Gulch and Lake Nighthorse Mineral Withdrawal” and dated .April 5, 20132013-04-05
((3)) ** Public purpose conveyance** Notwithstanding paragraph (1), the Secretary of the Interior may convey any portion of the land described in paragraph (2) that is administered by the Bureau of Land Management to the City, the County, or the State—
((A)) pursuant to the Act of (commonly known as the “Recreation and Public Purposes Act”) ( et seq.); or
((B)) by exchange in accordance with applicable laws (including regulations).
((e)) ** Conveyance of Bureau of Land Management land to County**
((1)) ** In general** On the expiration of the permit numbered COC 64651 (09) and dated , on request and agreement of the County, the Secretary of the Interior shall convey to the County, without consideration and subject to valid existing rights, all right, title, and interest of the United States in and to the land described in paragraph (2), subject to—
((A)) paragraph (3);
((B)) the condition that the County shall pay all administrative and other costs associated with the conveyance; and
((C)) such other terms and conditions as the Secretary of the Interior determines to be necessary.
((2)) ** Description of land** The land referred to in paragraph (1) consists of approximately 82 acres of land managed by the Bureau of Land Management, Tres Rios District, Colorado, as generally depicted on the map entitled “La Plata County Grandview Conveyance” and dated .May 5, 20142014-05-05
((3)) ** Use of conveyed land** The Federal land conveyed pursuant to this subsection may be used by the County for any public purpose, in accordance with the Act of (commonly known as the “Recreation and Public Purposes Act”) ( et seq.).43 U.S.C. 869June 14, 19261926-06-14
((4)) ** Reversion** If the County ceases to use a parcel of the Federal land conveyed pursuant to this subsection in accordance with paragraph (1), title to the parcel shall revert to the Secretary of the Interior, at the option of the Secretary of the Interior.
((f)) ** Molas Pass Recreation Area; Wilderness Study Area release; Wilderness Study Area transfer of administrative jurisdiction**
((1)) ** Molas Pass Recreation Area**
((A)) ** Designation** The approximately 461 acres of land in San Juan County, Colorado, that is generally depicted as “Molas Pass Recreation Area” on the map entitled “Molas Pass Recreation Area and Molas Pass Wilderness Study Area” and dated , is designated as the “Molas Pass Recreation Area”.November 13, 20142014-11-13
((B)) ** Use of snowmobiles** The use of snowmobiles shall be authorized in the Molas Pass Recreation Area—
((i)) during periods of adequate snow coverage;
((ii)) in accordance with the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 ( et seq.) and other applicable laws (including regulations);
((iii)) on designated trails for winter motorized travel and grooming;
((iv)) in designated areas for open area motorized travel; and
((v)) subject to such terms and conditions as the Secretary may require.
((C)) ** Other recreational opportunities** In addition to the uses authorized under subparagraph (B), the Secretary may authorize other recreational uses in the Molas Pass Recreation Area.
((2)) ** Molas Pass Wilderness Study Area**
((A)) ** Transfer of administrative jurisdiction** Administrative jurisdiction over the Federal land generally depicted as “Molas Pass Wilderness Study Area” on the map entitled “Molas Pass Recreation Area and Molas Pass Wilderness Study Area”, and dated , is transferred from the Bureau of Land Management to the Forest Service.November 13, 20142014-11-13
((B)) ** Administration** The Federal land described in subparagraph (A) shall—
((i)) be known as the “Molas Pass Wilderness Study Area”; and
((ii)) be administered by the Secretary, so as to maintain the wilderness character and potential of the Federal land for inclusion in the National Wilderness Preservation System.
((3)) ** Release**
((A)) ** Finding** Congress finds that the land described in subparagraph (C) has been adequately studied for wilderness designation under section 603 of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 ().43 U.S.C. 1782
((B)) ** Release** Effective beginning on , the land described in subparagraph (C)—
((i)) shall not be subject to section 603(c) of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 ();
((ii)) shall be managed in accordance with land management plans adopted under section 202 of that Act (); and
((iii)) shall not be subject to Secretarial Order 3310 issued on .
((C)) ** Description of land** The land referred to in subparagraphs (A) and (B) is the approximately 461 acres located in the West Needles Contiguous Wilderness Study Area of San Juan County, Colorado, that is generally depicted as “Molas Pass Recreation Area” on the map entitled “Molas Pass Recreation Area and Molas Pass Wilderness Study Area” and dated .November 13, 20142014-11-13
((g)) ** General provisions**
((1)) ** Fish and wildlife** Nothing in this section affects the jurisdiction or responsibility of the State with regard to fish and wildlife in the State.
((2)) ** Maps and legal descriptions**
((A)) ** In general** As soon as practicable after , the Secretary or the Secretary of the Interior, as appropriate, shall prepare maps and legal descriptions of—
((i)) the Special Management Area;
((ii)) the wilderness area designated by the amendment made by subsection (c)(1);
((iii)) the withdrawal pursuant to subsection (d);
((iv)) the conveyance pursuant to subsection (e);
((v)) the recreation area designated by subsection (f)(1); and
((vi)) the wilderness study area designated by subsection (f)(2)(B)(i).
((B)) ** Force of law** The maps and legal descriptions prepared under subparagraph (A) shall have the same force and effect as if included in this section, except that the Secretary concerned may correct any clerical or typographical errors in the maps and legal descriptions.
((C)) ** Public availability** The maps and legal descriptions prepared under subparagraph (A) shall be on file and available for public inspection in the appropriate offices of the Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management.
((3)) ** Adjacent management**
((A)) ** In general** Nothing in this section establishes a protective perimeter or buffer zone around—
((i)) the Special Management Area;
((ii)) the wilderness area designated by an amendment made by subsection (c)(1); or
((iii)) the wilderness study area designated by subsection (f)(2)(B)(i).
((B)) ** Nonwilderness activities** The fact that a nonwilderness activity or use can be seen or heard from areas within the wilderness area designated by an amendment made by subsection (c)(1) or the wilderness study area designated by subsection (f)(2)(B)(i) shall not preclude the conduct of the activity or use outside the boundary of the wilderness area or wilderness study area.2
((4)) ** Military overflights** Nothing in this section restricts or precludes—
((A)) any low-level overflight of military aircraft over an area designated as a wilderness area under an amendment made by this section, including military overflights that can be seen, heard, or detected within the wilderness area;
((B)) flight testing or evaluation; or
((C)) the designation or establishment of—
((i)) new units of special use airspace; or
((ii)) any military flight training route over a wilderness area described in subparagraph (A).