H.R. 2075 – Reading Mode

Calendar No. 692

115th CONGRESS

2d Session

H. R. 2075

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

July 12, 2018

Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources

November 29, 2018

Reported by Ms. Murkowski, with an amendment and an amendment to the title

Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic

AN ACT

To adjust the eastern boundary of the Deschutes Canyon-Steelhead Falls and Deschutes Canyon Wilderness Study Areas in the State of Oregon to facilitate fire prevention and response activities to protect private property, and for other purposes.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Crooked River Ranch Fire Protection Act.

Findings

Congress finds the following:

(1)

The Crooked River Ranch is an unincorporated community with a population of 5,000 residents.

(2)

The current lands located adjacent to Crooked River Ranch are managed by the Bureau of Land Management and are classified as a Wilderness Study Area.

(3)

There is currently only one entrance/exit to the Crooked River Ranch.

(4)

Jefferson County and Crooked River Ranch have determined that the Wilderness Study Area lands are in the highest risk category for exposure to devastating wildfire due to overstocked juniper stands under the federally mandated and locally promulgated Jefferson County Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP).

(5)

The current Wilderness Study Area classification prevents mechanical fire prevention activities within the overstocked juniper stands.

(6)

Advancing this proposed legislation will greatly enhance the life and safety of people and property by reducing the extreme fire threat to these lands.

Boundary adjustment, Deschutes Canyon-Steelhead Falls and Deschutes Canyon Wilderness Study Areas, Oregon

(a)

Boundary adjustment required

The Secretary of the Interior shall adjust the eastern boundary of the Deschutes Canyon-Steelhead Falls Wilderness Study Area and the Deschutes Canyon Wilderness Study Area in the State of Oregon to exclude approximately 832 acres, as depicted on the map entitled Deschutes Canyon-Steelhead Falls Wilderness Study Area and dated April 6, 2017, in order to facilitate fire prevention and response activities on the excluded public lands and adjacent private property.

(b)

Effect of exclusion

Effective on the date of the enactment of this Act, the public lands to be excluded from the Deschutes Canyon-Steelhead Falls Wilderness Study Area and the Deschutes Canyon Wilderness Study Area pursuant to subsection (a) are no longer

subject to section 603(c) of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1782(c)).

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Crooked River Ranch Fire Protection Act.

Boundary adjustment, Deschutes Canyon-Steelhead Falls Wilderness Study Area boundary adjustment, Oregon

(a)

Boundary adjustment

The boundary of the Deschutes Canyon-Steelhead Falls Wilderness Study Area is modified to exclude approximately 688 acres of public land, as depicted on the map entitled Deschutes Canyon-Steelhead Falls Wilderness Study Area (WSA) Proposed Boundary Adjustment and dated September 26, 2018.

(b)

Effect of exclusion

(1)

In general

The public land excluded from the Deschutes Canyon-Steelhead Falls Wilderness Study Area under subsection (a)—

(A)

is no longer subject to section 603(c) of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1782(c)); and

(B)

shall be managed in accordance with—

(i)

this section;

(ii)

the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.); and

(iii)

any applicable resource management plan.

(2)

Management

The Secretary of the Interior shall manage the land excluded from the Deschutes Canyon-Steelhead Falls Wilderness Study Area under subsection (a) to improve fire resiliency and forest health, including the conduct of wildfire prevention and response activities, as appropriate.

(3)

Off-road recreational motorized use

The Secretary of the Interior shall not permit off-road recreational motorized use on the public land excluded from the Deschutes Canyon-Steelhead Falls Wilderness Study Area under subsection (a).

Amend the title so as to read: An Act to adjust the eastern boundary of the Deschutes Canyon-Steelhead Falls Wilderness Study Area in the State of Oregon, and for other purposes..

November 29, 2018

Reported with an amendment and an amendment to the title