Colorado National Forest Wilderness Act of 1980

Colorado National Forest Wilderness Act of 1980 - Designates the following National Forest System lands in the State of Colorado as components of the National Wilderness Preservation System: (1) the Cache La Poudre Wilderness, Comanche Peak Wilderness, and Neota Wilderness, all in the Roosevelt National Forest; (2) the Holy Cross Wilderness in the White River National Forest; (3) the Collegiate Mountain Wilderness in the Gunnison, San Isabel, and White River National Forest; (4) the Lizard Head Wilderness in the San Juan and Uncompahgre National Forests; (5) the Never Summer Wilderness and St. Louis Peak Wilderness in the Arapahoe National Forest; (6) the Raggeds Wilderness Area in the Gunnison and White River National Forest; (7) the South San Juan Wilderness in the San Juan National Forest; and (8) the Uncompahgre Wilderness Area in the Uncompahgre National Forest. Designates certain additions to: (1) the La Garita Wilderness Area in the Gunnison and Rio Grande National Forests; (2) the Rawah Wilderness Area in the Roosevelt and Routt National Forests; and (3) the Weminuche Wilderness Area in the Rio Grande and San Juan National Forests. Repeals previous classifications of the Wilson Mountains Primitive Area and the Uncompahgre Primitive Area. Requires the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Agriculture, within two years after the date of enactment of this Act, to jointly review the Wheeler Geological Study Area in the Gunnison National Forest and make recommendations for management of the lands in such study area to the President and Congress. Specifies items to be evaluated in such study. Declares that, with respect to lands within the National Forest System in Colorado which have been studied as part of the Secretary of Agriculture's Roadless Area Review and Evaluation program (RARE II) and which are not identified by the Secretary for further planning, and not designated as wilderness or not included in the special study area by this Act: (1) Congress does not intend to designate any of these lands for inclusion in the National Wilderness Preservation System; (2) these lands shall continue to be available for uses other than wilderness; and (3) no department or agency of the United States shall study these lands for the single purpose of determining their suitability or nonsuitability for inclusion in the National Wilderness Preservation System. Declares that nothing in the land management planning process of the National Forest Management Act shall be deemed to preclude multiple-use management for uses other than wilderness on any land subject to such planning process. Extends, for those national forest lands within the State of Colorado designated as wilderness on or before December 31, 1979, or by this Act, the mineral deadlines as set forth in the Wilderness Act of 1964, in order that the Nation's needs for energy, metals, and other minerals will be met in a timely and environmentally sound manner. Grants reasonable rights of access, for all national forest lands undergoing wilderness study in the State of Colorado, for ground and air equipment customarily used by reasonable and prudent operators in performing oil, gas, hardrock, and other mineral exploration, development, and production activities. Declares that there shall be no curtailments of grazing in areas designated as units of the National Wilderness Preservation System in national forests within the State of Colorado for the single reason that an area has been designated as wilderness, nor shall wilderness designation be used as a rationale for phased reduction of grazing uses. Directs the Secretary, on such lands where grazing of livestock is permitted under the Wilderness Act, by reasonable regulation to: (1) permit the occasional use of motor vehicles and motorized equipment; and (2) permit the retention, maintenance, repair, and reconstruction of structures, installations, improvements, and other facilities. Directs the Secretary to provide such access to nonfederally owned lands within the boundaries of the National Forest System wilderness areas in Colorado as the Secretary deems adequate to secure to the owner the reasonable use and enjoyment thereof. Directs the Secretary to review all policies, practices, and regulations of the Department of Agriculture regarding disease or insect outbreaks, forest fires, "natural burns," and the use of modern suppression methods and equipment in national forest wilderness areas. Declares that each wilderness area designated by this Act shall be administered by the Secretary of Agriculture in accordance with the provisions of the Wilderness Act of 1964, subject to valid existing rights. Declares that Congress does not intend that designation of wilderness areas in the State of Colorado lead to the creation of "protective perimeters" or "buffer zones" around each wilderness area.

Written by analysts at the Congressional Research Service and published on Congress.gov, not by Civibrief. Summarized at the "Introduced in Senate" stage on May 20, 1980. It describes the bill, it is not the legal text.

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