Bonneville Shoreline Trail Advancement Act

Floor Speech

Date: Dec. 12, 2022
Location: Washington, DC

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Mr. GRIJALVA. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2551) to designate and adjust certain lands in the State of Utah as components of the National Wilderness Preservation System, and for other purposes.

The Clerk read the title of the bill.

The text of the bill is as follows: H.R. 2551

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ``Bonneville Shoreline Trail Advancement Act''. SEC. 2. WILDERNESS AREA INCLUDED IN MOUNT OLYMPUS WILDERNESS. Section 102(a) of the Utah Wilderness Act of 1984 (Public Law 98-428; 98 Stat. 1657; 16 U.S.C. 1132 note) is amended--

(1) in paragraph (11), by striking ``and'' at the end;

(2) in paragraph (12), by striking the period at the end and inserting ``; and''; and

(3) by adding at the end the following:

``(13) certain lands in the Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest which comprise approximately 326.27 acres as generally depicted on a map entitled the `Bonneville Shoreline Trail Legislative Map' dated July 9, 2020, are, subject to valid existing rights, hereby incorporated as part of the Mount Olympus Wilderness designated under paragraph (3).''. SEC. 3. WILDERNESS BOUNDARY ADJUSTMENTS.

(a) Mount Naomi Wilderness Boundary Adjustment.--

(1) Adjustment.--Section 102 of the Utah Wilderness Act of 1984 (Public Law 98-428, 98 Stat. 1657, 16 U.S.C. 1132 note) is amended by adding at the end the following:

``(c) Mount Naomi Wilderness Boundary Adjustment.--Certain lands in the Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest which comprise approximately 11.17 acres as generally depicted on a map entitled the `Bonneville Shoreline Trail Legislative Map', dated July 9, 2020, are hereby removed from the Mount Naomi Wilderness designated under subsection (a)(1).''.

(2) Management.--The Mount Naomi Wilderness, as designated under section 102(a)(1) of the Utah Wilderness Act of 1984 (Public Law 98-428; 98 Stat. 1658; 16 U.S.C. 1132 note) and adjusted under paragraph (1), effective beginning on the date of the enactment of this Act, shall be managed as part of the Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest.

(b) Mount Olympus Wilderness Boundary Adjustment.--

(1) Adjustment.--Section 102 of the Utah Wilderness Act of 1984 (Public Law 98-428; 98 Stat. 1657; 16 U.S.C. 1132 note), as amended by subsection (a), is further amended by adding the at the end the following:

``(d) Mount Olympus Wilderness Boundary Adjustment.-- Certain lands in the Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest which comprise approximately 197.4 acres as generally depicted on a map entitled the `Bonneville Shoreline Trail Legislative Map', dated July 9, 2020, are hereby removed from the Mount Olympus Wilderness designated under subsection (a)(3).''.

(2) Management.--The Mount Olympus Wilderness, as designated under section 102(a)(3) of the Utah Wilderness Act of 1984 (Public Law 98-428; 98 Stat. 1658; 16 U.S.C. 1132 note) and adjusted under paragraph (1), effective beginning on the date of the enactment of this Act, shall be managed as part of the Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest.

(c) Twin Peaks Wilderness Boundary Adjustment.--

(1) Adjustment.--Section 102 of the Utah Wilderness Act of 1984 (Public Law 98-428, 98 Stat. 1657, 16 U.S.C. 1132 note), as amended by subsections (a) and (b), is further amended by adding at the end the following:

``(e) Twin Peaks Wilderness Boundary Adjustment.--Certain lands in the Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest which comprise approximately 9.8 acres as generally depicted on a map entitled the `Bonneville Shoreline Trail Legislative Map', dated July 9, 2020, are hereby removed from the Twin Peaks Wilderness designated under subsection (a)(4).''.

(2) Management.--The Twin Peaks Wilderness, as designated under section 102(a)(4) of the Utah Wilderness Act of 1984 (Public Law 98-428; 98 Stat. 1658; 16 U.S.C. 1132 note) and adjusted under paragraph (1), effective beginning on the date of the enactment of this Act, shall be managed as part of the Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest.

(d) Lone Peak Wilderness Boundary Adjustment.--

(1) Adjustment.--Section 2 of the Endangered American Wilderness Act of 1978 (Public Law 95-237; 92 Stat. 42; 16 U.S.C. 1132 note) is amended--

(A) in subsection (j), by striking ``and'' at the end;

(B) in subsection (k), by striking the period at the end and inserting ``; and''; and

(C) by adding at the end the following:

``(l) certain lands in the Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest, Utah, which comprise approximately 107.9 acres as generally depicted on a map entitled the `Bonneville Shoreline Trail Legislative Map', dated July 9, 2020, are hereby removed from the Lone Peak Wilderness Area designated under subsection (i).''.

(2) Management.--The Lone Peak Wilderness Area, as designated under section 2(i) of the Endangered American Wilderness Act of 1978 (Public Law 95-237; 92 Stat. 42; 16 U.S.C. 1132 note) and adjusted under paragraph (1), effective beginning on the date of the enactment of this Act, shall be managed as part of the Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest. SEC. 4. RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.

Nothing in this Act or the amendments made by this Act--

(1) affects the use or allocation, in existence on the date of enactment of this Act, of any water, water right, or interest in water;

(2) affects any water right (as defined by applicable State law) in existence on the date of enactment of this Act, including any water right held by the United States;

(3) affects any interstate water compact in existence on the date of enactment of this Act; or

(4) shall 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 of enactment of this Act. SEC. 5. MAP.

(a) Map on File.--The map entitled the ``Bonneville Shoreline Trail Legislative Map'', dated July 9, 2020, shall be on file and available for inspection in the office of the Chief of the Forest Service.

(b) Corrections.--The Secretary of Agriculture may make technical corrections to the map described in subsection (a).

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 2551, introduced by our colleague, Representative John Curtis.

This bill will adjust management boundaries to allow the advancement of the Bonneville Shoreline Trail, while also designating nearby U.S. Forest Service land for permanent protection.

The Bonneville Shoreline Trail is a regional multiuse concept trail that will stretch 280 miles from the Idaho border to Nephi, Utah. Currently, more than 90 miles of the trail have been built.

Certain areas of the trail are currently impeded, preventing hikers and cyclists from enjoying the full scope of recreational opportunities it is meant to offer.

While advancement of the trail will expand access to recreation in two of Utah's most populated counties and ensure that local residents and visitors can take advantage of the trail for years to come, which, of course, is a good thing, it is my understanding that this particular proposal has also been part of a broader discussion known as the Mountain Accord that is designed to deal with a number of regional transportation and land-use planning issues.

I encourage the local stakeholders to keep working on that plan to solve ongoing issues and advance even more meaningful conservation protections for the Wasatch Mountains.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on the bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

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Mr. GRIJALVA. Madam Speaker, I urge support of the legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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