Memorandum Agenda Item 22i 05/13/2002

• Board Meeting Date: 5/13/2002
• Description: Board Meeting Deep Creek Yampatika Ute Widerness Bill
• Board Meetings - Doc Type: Memo

H.R. 2963 was introduced on September 25, 2001. The bill was referred
to the Committee on Resources, and within the Committee to the
Subcommittee on Forests and Forest Health and the Subcommittee on
National Parks, Recreation and Public Lands. On March 20, 2002, the
0 Resources Committee met to consider the bill. The two Subcommittees were
discharged from further consideration of the bill by unanimous consent.
Congressman McInnis offered an amendment in the nature of a substitute
to (1) mandate that the Forest Service and the Colorado Army National
Guard meet within 180 days following enactment to review the Memorandum
of Understanding governing the conduct of high altitude aerial training
exercises within the designated area and consider alternative locations
outside the wilderness area if an alternative location is identified and
agreed upon by the relevant parties; (2)` authorize-: the, #'crest Service to
purchase from willing,,,sellers `water rights upstream of-:the wilder=iess
area to protect- the"r .paxian values, of :the wilderness area, .:and,that=
• these' rights would b`e held by the,::State of Caloradq as part -of the
Colorado Instre4 >�1a 1 P ograxn, anc (3) trigger formal yra.,lderness
designat�.on only alz�tc r •one o 'the folJ ow .ng occu - (A) 'ipstrram
condl:tiona=l riehts fa :scribed in theg leg?.;sllat .on faree canceled,
_abandoned; tB) •upt4;ea t a1 solute wate fights described . the
'1.egaslatsoh ale c-oi i yed xto h the C.40*-acdo W*.ter° ` onPer rat1.oz1 Board for
conversion to in treamx flows ugnder olo2±a,do water .air,. or' (C) the
Colorado +later, Con ion Poard„has�` mid-1 4 i.p . decIsaon asp to the
ade,quac7F o instr amY�flo is .. Veep Creel i-!t ongreasraan tVax ,Udall cD co.)
=offered any azmebclmestfi too,`the 'ammendment i thia a carer o E *sub"st,.tute' to
estab .�.sh an alternate e tr Egger mechan-1-10. u er wli.cl 'the , rt-r. es,
;of AgticuLtu e nc. the Inter ox could fo 'm*Oyz desiinat t1 e'wild, rn ss
area only after 1) all upstreaii conditional `rig cr
hts desibed ±n the
1egjsation hve been ae 1andonede and ,(2 the Co lorreado Water Consery
a
tio?7
e i `
Board has aigmentd thei inSa . hel ins a n4,low rtght� o a
e X f th ie �stre c di ih rVg h 'fr u al l.ev'el eqal.=to ither a 10 u oi•
u,napp-ropr�.a ea Ovate r ion Deep Creek, w hexer s 1�arger Th4�Uda�ll.
:Ame .di ent wash not adopted bv,�arrol .' ca .l of rote 8 yeas ;to 18nays�. asz
:'follows
•
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The McInnis amendment in the nature of a substitute was adopted by a
voice vote. The bill, as amended, was then ordered favorably reported to
the House of Representatives by voice vote.
SECTION-BY-SECTION ANALYSIS OF BILL AS AMENDED
Section 1. Short title
Section 1 provides a short title for the bill, the "Deep
Creek-Yampatika Ute Wilderness Act. "
Section 2. Findings and purpose
Section 2 acknowledges that certain areas located in the White River
National Forest and the Bureau of Land Management, Glenwood Springs
Resource Area, in Colorado along Deep Creek should be protected and
enhanced for the benefit and enjoyment of present and future generations
and are worthy of protection as a wilderness area. This section notes
that the primitive recreational opportunities available in the area
include hiking and solitude, as well as cave exploration. The Committee
recognizes that the map of the wilderness designation was drawn to
exclude the entrance to the Groening Cave, which is managed by the
• Forest Service.
Section 2 (a) (5) identifies the existence of both absolute and
Colorado Water Conservation Board
Flood Protection•Water Supply Planning and Financing•Stream and Lake Protection
Water Supply Protection•Conservation and Drought Planning