S.Amdt. 6004

This amendment, proposed by Mr. Bennet and Mr. Hickenlooper, aims to add a new division to bill S. 4784 known as the Dolores River National Conservation Area and Special Management Area Act.

The amendment seeks to change the bill by adding the following:

• Establishment of Protected Areas: It creates the Dolores River National Conservation Area, consisting of about 52,872 acres of Bureau of Land Management land, and the Dolores River Special Management Area, consisting of about 15,452 acres of Federal land in the San Juan National Forest.

• Purpose: Both areas are established to conserve, protect, and enhance resources including native fish, whitewater boating, recreation, hunting, fishing, and various scenic, cultural, and scientific resources.

• Management and Oversight: It requires the development of management plans within 3 years and establishes the Dolores River National Conservation Area Advisory Council, a 14-member group to advise the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Agriculture.

• Land Use Restrictions: It restricts motorized vehicles to designated routes and generally prohibits the construction of new roads. It also withdraws covered land from mining, mineral leasing, and geothermal leasing, except for existing Department of Energy uranium leases.

• Water and Tribal Rights: The amendment explicitly states that it does not affect valid existing water rights, treaty rights of Indian Tribes, or the operation of the Dolores Project and McPhee Reservoir. It ensures that members of Indian Tribes can continue to use the land for traditional plants, materials, and ceremonies.

• Wild and Scenic Rivers Act: It releases certain portions of the Dolores River and its tributaries from designation for potential addition to or further study under the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act.