16 USC 410 - Great Sand Dunes National Preserve, Colorado

Collapse to view only § 410hhh-3. Great Sand Dunes National Preserve, Colorado

§ 410hhh. Findings
§ 410hhh-1. Definitions
§ 410hhh-2. Great Sand Dunes National Park, Colorado
§ 410hhh-3. Great Sand Dunes National Preserve, Colorado
§ 410hhh-4. Baca National Wildlife Refuge, Colorado
§ 410hhh-5. Administration of national park and preserve
§ 410hhh-6. Acquisition of property and boundary adjustments
§ 410hhh-7. Water rights
§ 410hhh-8. Advisory Council
§ 410hhh-9. Authorization of appropriations

§ 410hhh. FindingsCongress finds that—

(1) the Great Sand Dunes National Monument in the State of Colorado was established by Presidential proclamation in 1932 to preserve Federal land containing spectacular and unique sand dunes and additional features of scenic, scientific, and educational interest for the benefit and enjoyment of future generations;

(2) the Great Sand Dunes, together with the associated sand sheet and adjacent wetland and upland, contain a variety of rare ecological, geological, paleontological, archaeological, scenic, historical, and wildlife components, which—

(A) include the unique pulse flow characteristics of Sand Creek and Medano Creek that are integral to the existence of the dunes system;

(B) interact to sustain the unique Great Sand Dunes system beyond the boundaries of the existing National Monument;

(D) comprise a setting of irreplaceable national significance;

(3) the Great Sand Dunes and adjacent land within the Great Sand Dunes National Monument—

(A) provide extensive opportunities for educational activities, ecological research, and recreational activities; and

(B) are publicly used for hiking, camping, and fishing, and for wilderness value (including solitude);

(4) other public and private land adjacent to the Great Sand Dunes National Monument—

(A) offers additional unique geological, hydrological, paleontological, scenic, scientific, educational, wildlife, and recreational resources; and

(B) contributes to the protection of—

(i) the sand sheet associated with the dune mass;

(ii) the surface and ground water systems that are necessary to the preservation of the dunes and the adjacent wetland; and

(iii) the wildlife, viewshed, and scenic qualities of the Great Sand Dunes National Monument;

(5) some of the private land described in paragraph (4) contains important portions of the sand dune mass, the associated sand sheet, and unique alpine environments, which would be threatened by future development pressures;

(6) the designation of a Great Sand Dunes National Park, which would encompass the existing Great Sand Dunes National Monument and additional land, would provide—

(A) greater long-term protection of the geological, hydrological, paleontological, scenic, scientific, educational, wildlife, and recreational resources of the area (including the sand sheet associated with the dune mass and the ground water system on which the sand dune and wetland systems depend); and

(B) expanded visitor use opportunities;

(7) land in and adjacent to the Great Sand Dunes National Monument is—

(A) recognized for the culturally diverse nature of the historical settlement of the area;

(B) recognized for offering natural, ecological, wildlife, cultural, scenic, paleontological, wilderness, and recreational resources; and

(C) recognized as being a fragile and irreplaceable ecological system that could be destroyed if not carefully protected; and

(8) preservation of this diversity of resources would ensure the perpetuation of the entire ecosystem for the enjoyment of future generations.

(Pub. L. 106–530, § 2, Nov. 22, 2000, 114 Stat. 2527.)

§ 410hhh–1. Definitions

In this subchapter:

(1) Advisory Council

(2) Luis Maria Baca Grant No. 4

(3) Map

(4) National monument

(5) National park

(6) National wildlife refuge

(7) Preserve

(8) Resources

(9) Secretary

(10) Uses

(Pub. L. 106–530, § 3, Nov. 22, 2000, 114 Stat. 2528.)

§ 410hhh–2. Great Sand Dunes National Park, Colorado

(a) Establishment

(b) Availability of map

Until the date on which the national park is established, the Secretary shall annually notify the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate and the Committee on Resources of the House of Representatives of—

(1) the estimate of the Secretary of the lands necessary to achieve a sufficient diversity of resources to warrant designation of the national park; and

(2) the progress of the Secretary in acquiring the necessary lands.

(d) Abolishment of National Monument

(1) On the date of establishment of the national park pursuant to subsection (a), the Great Sand Dunes National Monument shall be abolished, and any funds made available for the purposes of the national monument shall be available for the purposes of the national park.

(2) Any reference in any law (other than this subchapter), regulation, document, record, map, or other paper of the United States to “Great Sand Dunes National Monument” shall be considered a reference to “Great Sand Dunes National Park”.

(e) Transfer of jurisdiction

Administrative jurisdiction is transferred to the National Park Service over any land under the jurisdiction of the Department of the Interior that—

(1) is depicted on the map as being within the boundaries of the national park or the preserve; and

(2) is not under the administrative jurisdiction of the National Park Service on November 22, 2000.

(Pub. L. 106–530, § 4, Nov. 22, 2000, 114 Stat. 2529.)

§ 410hhh–3. Great Sand Dunes National Preserve, Colorado

(a) Establishment of Great Sand Dunes National Preserve

(1) There is hereby established the Great Sand Dunes National Preserve in the State of Colorado, as generally depicted on the map, as a unit of the National Park System.

(2) Administrative jurisdiction of lands and interests therein administered by the Secretary of Agriculture within the boundaries of the preserve is transferred to the Secretary of the Interior, to be administered as part of the preserve. The Secretary of Agriculture shall modify the boundaries of the Rio Grande National Forest to exclude the transferred lands from the forest boundaries.

(3) Any lands within the preserve boundaries which were designated as wilderness prior to November 22, 2000, shall remain subject to the Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. 1131 et seq.) and the Colorado Wilderness Act of 1993 (Public Law 103–767; 16 U.S.C. 539i note).

(b) Map and legal description

(1) As soon as practicable after the establishment of the national park and the preserve, the Secretary shall file maps and a legal description of the national park and the preserve with the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate and the Committee on Resources of the House of Representatives.

(2) The map and legal description shall have the same force and effect as if included in this subchapter, except that the Secretary may correct clerical and typographical errors in the legal description and maps.

(3) The map and legal description shall be on file and available for public inspection in the appropriate offices of the National Park Service.

(Pub. L. 106–530, § 5, Nov. 22, 2000, 114 Stat. 2529.)

§ 410hhh–4. Baca National Wildlife Refuge, Colorado

(a) Establishment and purpose

(1) Establishment

(A) In general

(B) Effective date

(2) Purpose

(b) Availability of map

(1) In general

(2) Requirements

In administering the Baca National Wildlife Refuge, the Secretary shall, to the maximum extent practicable—

(A) emphasize migratory bird conservation; and

(B) take into consideration the role of the Refuge in broader landscape conservation efforts.

(d) Protection of water resources

In administering water resources for the national wildlife refuge, the Secretary shall—

(1) protect and maintain irrigation water rights necessary for the protection of monument, park, preserve, and refuge resources and uses;

(2) minimize, to the extent consistent with the protection of national wildlife refuge resources, adverse impacts on other water users; and

(3) subject to any agreement in existence as of March 11, 2009, and to the extent consistent with the purposes of the Refuge, use decreed water rights on the Refuge in approximately the same manner that the water rights have been used historically.

(Pub. L. 106–530, § 6, Nov. 22, 2000, 114 Stat. 2530; Pub. L. 111–8, div. E, title I, § 117, Mar. 11, 2009, 123 Stat. 724.)

§ 410hhh–5. Administration of national park and preserve

(a) In generalThe Secretary shall administer the national park and the preserve in accordance with—

(1) this subchapter; and

(2) all laws generally applicable to units of the National Park System, including—

(A) the Act entitled “An Act to establish a National Park Service, and for other purposes”, approved August 25, 1916 (16 U.S.C. 1, 2–4); 1

1 See References in Text note below.

and

(B) the Act entitled “An Act to provide for the preservation of historic American sites, buildings, objects, and antiquities of national significance, and for other purposes”, approved August 21, 1935 (16 U.S.C. 461 et seq.).1

(b) Grazing

(1) Acquired State or private land

(2) Federal land

(3) Termination of leases

(1) In general

(2) Administrative exceptions

(3) Agency agreement

(4) Savings clause

(d) Closed Basin Division, San Luis Valley ProjectAny feature of the Closed Basin Division, San Luis Valley Project, located within the boundaries of the national monument, national park or the national wildlife refuge, including any well, pump, road, easement, pipeline, canal, ditch, power line, power supply facility, or any other project facility, and the operation, maintenance, repair, and replacement of such a feature—

(1) shall not be affected by this subchapter; and

(2) shall continue to be the responsibility of, and be operated by, the Bureau of Reclamation in accordance with title I of the Reclamation Project Authorization Act of 1972 (43 U.S.C. 615aaa et seq.).1

(e) Withdrawal

(1) On November 22, 2000, subject to valid existing rights, all Federal land depicted on the map as being located within Zone A, or within the boundaries of the national monument, the national park or the preserve is withdrawn from—

(A) all forms of entry, appropriation, or disposal under the public land laws;

(B) location, entry, and patent under the mining laws; and

(2) The provisions of this subsection also shall apply to any lands—

(A) acquired under this subchapter; or

(B) transferred from any Federal agency after November 22, 2000, for the national monument, the national park or preserve, or the national wildlife refuge.

(f) Wilderness protection

(1) Nothing in this subchapter alters the Wilderness designation of any land within the national monument, the national park, or the preserve.

(2) All areas designated as Wilderness that are transferred to the administrative jurisdiction of the National Park Service shall remain subject to the Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. 1131 et seq.) and the Colorado Wilderness Act of 1993 (Public Law 103–77; 16 U.S.C. 539i note). If any part of this subchapter conflicts with the provisions of the Wilderness Act or the Colorado Wilderness Act of 1993 with respect to the wilderness areas within the preserve boundaries, the provisions of those Acts shall control.

(Pub. L. 106–530, § 7, Nov. 22, 2000, 114 Stat. 2530.)

§ 410hhh–6. Acquisition of property and boundary adjustments

(a) Acquisition authority

(1) Within the area depicted on the map as the “Acquisition Area” or the national monument, the Secretary may acquire lands and interests therein by purchase, donation, transfer from another Federal agency, or exchange: Provided, That lands or interests therein may only be acquired with the consent of the owner thereof.

(2) Lands or interests therein owned by the State of Colorado, or a political subdivision thereof, may only be acquired by donation or exchange.

(b) Boundary adjustment

(1) General authorityUpon acquisition of lands under subsection (a), the Secretary shall, as appropriate—

(A) transfer administrative jurisdiction of the lands to the National Park Service—

(i) for addition to and management as part of the Great Sand Dunes National Monument, or

(ii) for addition to and management as part of the Great Sand Dunes National Park (after designation of the Park) or the Great Sand Dunes National Preserve; or

(B) transfer administrative jurisdiction of the lands to the United States Fish and Wildlife Service for addition to and administration as part of the Baca National Wildlife Refuge.

(2) Forest service administration

(A) Any lands acquired within the area depicted on the map as being located within Zone B shall be transferred to the Secretary of Agriculture and shall be added to and managed as part of the Rio Grande National Forest.

(B) For the purposes of sections 100506(c) and 200306 of title 54, the boundaries of the Rio Grande National Forest, as revised by the transfer of land under paragraph (A), shall be considered to be the boundaries of the national forest.

(Pub. L. 106–530, § 8, Nov. 22, 2000, 114 Stat. 2532.)

§ 410hhh–7. Water rights

(a) Omitted

(b) Effect on water rights

(1) In generalSubject to the amendment made by subsection (a),1

1 See Codification note below.

nothing in this subchapter affects—

(A) the use, allocation, ownership, or control, in existence on November 22, 2000, of any water, water right, or any other valid existing right;

(B) any vested absolute or decreed conditional water right in existence on November 22, 2000, including any water right held by the United States;

(D) subject to the provisions of paragraph (2), State jurisdiction over any water law.

(2) Water rights for national park and national preserveIn carrying out this subchapter, the Secretary shall obtain and exercise any water rights required to fulfill the purposes of the national park and the national preserve in accordance with the following provisions:

(A) Such water rights shall be appropriated, adjudicated, changed, and administered pursuant to the procedural requirements and priority system of the laws of the State of Colorado.

(B) The purposes and other substantive characteristics of such water rights shall be established pursuant to State law, except that the Secretary is specifically authorized to appropriate water under this subchapter exclusively for the purpose of maintaining ground water levels, surface water levels, and stream flows on, across, and under the national park and national preserve, in order to accomplish the purposes of the national park and the national preserve and to protect park resources and park uses.

(i) any exercise of a water right in existence on November 22, 2000, for a non-Federal purpose in the San Luis Valley, Colorado; and

(ii) the Closed Basin Division, San Luis Valley Project.

(D) Except as provided in subsections (c) and (d), no Federal reservation of water may be claimed or established for the national park or the national preserve.

(c) National Forest water rightsTo the extent that a water right is established or acquired by the United States for the Rio Grande National Forest, the water right shall—

(1) be considered to be of equal use and value for the national preserve; and

(2) retain its priority and purpose when included in the national preserve.

(d) National Monument water rightsTo the extent that a water right has been established or acquired by the United States for the Great Sand Dunes National Monument, the water right shall—

(1) be considered to be of equal use and value for the national park; and

(2) retain its priority and purpose when included in the national park.

(e) Acquired water rights and water resources

(1) In general

(A) If, and to the extent that, the Luis Maria Baca Grant No. 4 is acquired, all water rights and water resources associated with the Luis Maria Baca Grant No. 4 shall be restricted for use only within—

(i) the national park;

(ii) the preserve;

(iii) the national wildlife refuge; or

(iv) the immediately surrounding areas of Alamosa or Saguache Counties, Colorado.

(B)Use.—Except as provided in the memorandum of water service agreement and the water service agreement between the Cabeza de Vaca Land and Cattle Company, LLC, and Baca Grande Water and Sanitation District, dated August 28, 1997, water rights and water resources described in subparagraph (A) shall be restricted for use in—

(i) the protection of resources and values for the national monument, the national park, the preserve, or the wildlife refuge;

(ii) fish and wildlife management and protection; or

(iii) irrigation necessary to protect water resources.

(2) State authority

(f) Disposal

(Pub. L. 106–530, § 9, Nov. 22, 2000, 114 Stat. 2533.)

§ 410hhh–8. Advisory Council

(a) Establishment

(b) Duties

(1) One member of, or nominated by, the Alamosa County Commission.

(2) One member of, or nominated by, the Saguache County Commission.

(3) One member of, or nominated by, the Friends of the Dunes Organization.

(4) Four members residing in, or within reasonable proximity to, the San Luis Valley and 3 of the general public, all of whom have recognized backgrounds reflecting—

(A) the purposes for which the national park and the preserve are established; and

(B) the interests of persons that will be affected by the planning and management of the national park and the preserve.

(d) Applicable law

(e) Vacancy

(f) Chairperson

(g) No compensation

(h) Termination

(Pub. L. 106–530, § 10, Nov. 22, 2000, 114 Stat. 2535; Pub. L. 117–286, § 4(a)(87), Dec. 27, 2022, 136 Stat. 4315.)

§ 410hhh–9. Authorization of appropriations

There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as are necessary to carry out this subchapter.

(Pub. L. 106–530, § 11, Nov. 22, 2000, 114 Stat. 2536.)