Section 1 Short title
This Act may be cited as the “Browns Canyon National Monument Clarification Act”.
Browns Canyon National Monument Clarification Act
A BILL
To clarify the effect of designating a National Moment on certain land in Chafee County, Colorado.
Sec. 2 Definitions
In this Act:
National monument— The term “National Monument” means the National Monument described in section 3(a).
Recreation area— The term “Recreation Area” means the Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area in the State.
Secretary— The term “Secretary” means the Secretary of the Interior.
State— The term “State” means the State of Colorado.
Sec. 3 Effect of designation of National Monument
Effect on cooperative administration— The designation of a National Monument under chapter 3203 of title 54, United States Code, on land on which the Recreation Area is located shall not affect the arrangements for cooperative administration of the Recreation Area by the Director of the Bureau of Land Management and the State.
Effect on grazing—
In general— Except as provided in paragraph (3), the laws (including regulations) and policies followed by the Secretary in issuing and administering grazing permits or leases for the National Monument shall continue to apply.
Effect of Designation— There shall be no curtailment of grazing in the land on which the National Monument is located simply because of a designation of the land as a National Monument under chapter 3203 of title 54, United States Code.
Adjustments— Any adjustments in the numbers of livestock permitted to graze in the National Monument shall be based on revisions in the normal grazing and land management planning and policy setting process, giving consideration to legal mandates, range condition, and the protection of range resources from deterioration.
Effect on water rights— The designation of the National Monument—
shall not—
affect the use or allocation, in existence on the date on which the National Monument is designated, of any water, water right, or interest in water;
affect any vested absolute or decreed conditional water right in existence on the date on which the National Monument is designated, including any water right held by the United States;
affect any interstate water compact in existence on the date on which the National Monument is designated; or
authorize or impose any new reserved Federal water rights; and
shall not be considered to be a relinquishment or reduction of any water rights reserved or appropriated by the United States in the State on or before the date on which the National Monument is designated.
Sec. 4 Management plan for National Monument
In General— Not later than 3 years after the date on which the National Monument is designated, the Secretary, in coordination with the State, shall complete a comprehensive management plan for the conservation and protection of the National Monument.
Contents— The management plan shall—
describe the appropriate uses and management of the National Monument, in accordance with—
this Act; and
the purposes for which the National Monument is established;
be developed with opportunities for public input;
be prepared in close consultation with appropriate Federal, State, county, and local agencies; and
concentrate visitorship within the Recreation Area and the public land west of the Arkansas River.
Incorporation of Existing Plans— In developing the management plan under subsection (a), the Secretary may incorporate any provision of any other applicable land management plan, including the Arkansas River Recreation Management Plan or a successor plan.