View all text of Subchapter VI [§ 1781 - § 1787]
§ 1781. California Desert Conservation Area
(a) Congressional findings
The Congress finds that—
(1) the California desert contains historical, scenic, archeological, environmental, biological, cultural, scientific, educational, recreational, and economic resources that are uniquely located adjacent to an area of large population;
(2) the California desert environment is a total ecosystem that is extremely fragile, easily scarred, and slowly healed;
(3) the California desert environment and its resources, including certain rare and endangered species of wildlife, plants, and fishes, and numerous archeological and historic sites, are seriously threatened by air pollution, inadequate Federal management authority, and pressures of increased use, particularly recreational use, which are certain to intensify because of the rapidly growing population of southern California;
(4) the use of all California desert resources can and should be provided for in a multiple use and sustained yield management plant 1
1 So in original. Probably should be “plan”.
to conserve these resources for future generations, and to provide present and future use and enjoyment, particularly outdoor recreation uses, including the use, where appropriate, of off-road recreational vehicles;(5) the Secretary has initiated a comprehensive planning process and established an interim management program for the public lands in the California desert; and
(6) to insure further study of the relationship of man and the California desert environment, preserve the unique and irreplaceable resources, including archeological values, and conserve the use of the economic resources of the California desert, the public must be provided more opportunity to participate in such planning and management, and additional management authority must be provided to the Secretary to facilitate effective implementation of such planning and management.
(b) Statement of purpose
(c) Description of Area
(1) For the purpose of this section, the term “California desert” means the area generally depicted on a map entitled “California Desert Conservation Area—Proposed” dated April 1974, and described as provided in subsection (c)(2).
(2) As soon as practicable after October 21, 1976, the Secretary shall file a revised map and a legal description of the California Desert Conservation Area with the Committees on Interior and Insular Affairs of the United States Senate and the House of Representatives, and such map and description shall have the same force and effect as if included in this Act. Correction of clerical and typographical errors in such legal description and a map may be made by the Secretary. To the extent practicable, the Secretary shall make such legal description and map available to the public promptly upon request.
(d) Preparation and implementation of comprehensive long-range plan for management, use, etc.
(e) Interim program for management, use, etc.
(f) Applicability of mining laws
(g) Advisory Committee; establishment; functions
(1) The Secretary, within sixty days after October 21, 1976, shall establish a California Desert Conservation Area Advisory Committee (hereinafter referred to as “advisory committee”) in accordance with the provisions of section 1739 of this title.
(2) It shall be the function of the advisory committee to advise the Secretary with respect to the preparation and implementation of the comprehensive, long-range plan required under subsection (d) of this section.
(h) Management of lands under jurisdiction of Secretary of Agriculture and Secretary of Defense
(i) Omitted
(j) Authorization of appropriations
(Pub. L. 94–579, title VI, § 601, Oct. 21, 1976, 90 Stat. 2782.)