H.R. 2621 (112th): Chimney Rock National Monument Establishment Act

Introduced:
Jul 21, 2011 (112th Congress, 2011–2013)
Sponsor:
Rep. Scott Tipton [R-CO3]
Status:
Died (Passed House)

The bill’s title was written by the bill’s sponsor. H.R. stands for House of Representatives bill.

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Status

This bill was introduced in a previous session of Congress and was passed by the House on May 16, 2012 but was never passed by the Senate.

Progress
Introduced Jul 21, 2011
Referred to Committee Jul 21, 2011
Reported by Committee Apr 25, 2012
Passed House May 16, 2012
Cosponsors
4 cosponsors (3R, 1D) (show)
Committees

House Natural Resources

Senate Energy and Natural Resources

The committee chair determines whether a bill will move past the committee stage.

Full Title

To establish the Chimney Rock National Monument in the State of Colorado, and for other purposes.

Summary

No summaries available.

Text

Read Bill Text »

Last updated May 17, 2012.
9 pages

Primary Source

View on THOMAS (The Library of Congress)

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GovTrack’s Bill Summary

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Library of Congress Summary

The summary below was written by the Congressional Research Service, which is a nonpartisan division of the Library of Congress.

5/16/2012.
Section 3 -
Establishes the Chimney Rock National Monument in Colorado in order to preserve, protect, and restore the cultural, historic, natural, educational, and scenic resources of Chimney Rock and adjacent land and to provide for public interpretation and recreation consistent with the protection of such resources.
Authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture (USDA) to make minor adjustments to the boundaries of the Monument to reflect the inclusion of significant archaeological resources discovered on adjacent National Forest System land.
Section 4 -
Sets forth provisions for the administration of the Monument. Permits only such uses of the Monument that would further the purposes specified above.
Requires the Monument to be administered according to the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act and the policy specified in the American Indian Religious Freedom Act. Allows for continued use of the Monument by Indian tribes for traditional ceremonies and as a source of traditional plants and materials.
Authorizes the Secretary to carry out vegetation management treatments within the Monument, except that timber harvesting shall only be used when necessary for ecosystem restoration or the control of fire, insects, or diseases.
Limits the use of motor vehicles and mountain bikes in the Monument to roads and trails identified as appropriate for such use.
Permits grazing in the Monument where established prior to this Act's enactment.
Prohibits anything in this Act from precluding upgrading an existing utility right-of-way through the Monument. Permits volunteers and scientific researchers to work within the Monument. Requires signs, fixtures, alterations, or additions needed in connection with the designation or advertisement of the Monument to be paid for only with non-federal funds or amounts made available for those purposes in prior appropriation Acts. Instructs the Secretary to designate a USDA employee whose duties shall include acting as the point of contact for the management of the Monument. Allows continued use of the Monument for hunting, fishing, and other authorized recreational uses, except that the Secretary may implement temporary emergency closures or restrictions of the smallest area practicable to provide for public safety, resource conservation, or other purposes authorized by law.
Section 5 -
Requires the Secretary to develop a management plan for the Monument in consultation with Indian tribes having a cultural or historic tie to Chimney Rock. Requires an opportunity for public comment on the plan.
Section 6 -
Authorizes the Secretary to acquire, by purchase from willing sellers, donation, or exchange, land and interests within or adjacent to the Monument.
Section 7 -
Withdraws federal land in the Monument and any acquired land from: (1) entry, appropriation, or disposal under the public land laws; (2) location, entry, and patent under the mining laws; and (3) operation of the mineral leasing, mineral materials, and geothermal leasing laws, except for the issuance of gas pipeline rights-of-way within existing easements.
Section 8 -
Specifies this Act's effect on: (1) valid water rights, (2) federal reserved water rights, (3) specified tribal rights, (4) fish and wildlife on public lands in Colorado, and (5) buffer zones or private property adjacent to the Monument.

House Republican Conference Summary

The summary below was written by the House Republican Conference, which is the caucus of Republicans in the House of Representatives.

This summary can be found at http://www.gop.gov/bill/112/2/hr2621.

Background

According to Committee Report 112-473, the Chimney Rock National Monument Establishment Act would designate 4,726 acres within the San Juan National Forest in southwestern Colorado as the Chimney Rock National Monument. The area is currently managed as the San Juan National Forest Archaeological Area in conjunction with the Chimney Rock Interpretive Association, which operates an interpretive program under a special-use permit from the U.S. Forest Service. The site currently hosts over 10,000 visitors annually. The legislation directs the Forest Service to manage the monument to “preserve, protect, and restore the archaeological, cultural, historic, geologic, hydrologic, natural, educational, and scenic resources of Chimney Rock,” as well as provide for public interpretation and recreation consistent with the monument designation.

There are more than 75 different units of the National Monument System, making up more than 1.8 million acres of federal land around the country. The National Monument System was originally established under the National Park System to recognize areas of the United States with “particularly distinctive visual, recreational, and cultural interest.” Many contain historical or archeological artifacts, but others are notable for their natural features or recreational opportunities. Many national monuments originally proclaimed by Presidents have subsequently been redesignated by Congress as national historic sites, national parks, or other types of units.

 

Summary

H.R. 2621 would establish the Chimney Rock National Monument in the San Juan National Forest in southern Colorado. The new monument would consist of 4,726 acres within the San Juan National Forest and would be administered by the Secretary of Agriculture in accordance with any laws generally applicable to the National Forest System.  Under the bill, the Secretary would be required to allow for the continued use of the national monument by members of Indian tribes.

Under the bill, timber harvesting would only be allowed if the Secretary determined it was necessary for ecosystem restoration or the control of fire, insects, or diseases. In addition, the use of motor vehicles and mountain bikes would be limited to the roads and trails identified by the Secretary as appropriate. The Secretary would be required to permit grazing within the monument on lands where it was established before the legislation was enacted. The bill would require the Secretary to develop a management plan for the monument with three years of enactment of the legislation.

In addition, the legislation would authorize the Secretary to acquire land from willing sellers within the proposed boundary of the monument. Land may also be acquired through donation, purchase with donated or appropriated funds, transfer from another Federal agency, or by exchange. H.R. 2621 would withdrawal all land in the monument from operation of the mineral leasing, mineral materials, and geothermal leasing law.  However, the land would not be withdrawn from the issuance of gas pipeline rights-of-way within easements in existence as of the date of the enactment of this Act.  Finally, the bill would state that nothing would affect Colorado’s rights with respect to the management of fish and wildlife on public land in the state.

Cost

According to CBO, “Based on information provided by the Forest Service, CB0 estimates that implementing the legislation would not have a significant impact on the federal budget.”

House Democratic Caucus Summary

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The bill contains the following citations to other parts of U.S. law:

Slip Laws

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United States Code

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