H.R. 2546 — Colorado Wilderness Act of 2019

CRS Summary:

This bill designates specified lands in Colorado managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) or the Forest Service as wilderness and as components of the National Wilderness Preservation System.

The bill designates specified lands in Colorado administered by the BLM, the National Park Service, and Bureau of Reclamation as wilderness and as components of the National Wilderness Preservation System. Such lands shall be incorporated into the West Elk Wilderness.

The Department of the Interior may continue authorizing competitive running events currently permitted in the Redcloud Peak Wilderness and Handies Peak Wilderness Areas.

The Colorado Army National Guard, through the High-Altitude Army National Guard Aviation Training Site, may conduct aerial navigation training maneuver exercises over the wilderness areas designated by this bill.

The bill designates specified lands managed by the BLM as (1) potential wilderness areas, and (2) as the Pisgah East Wilderness and the Pisgah West Wilderness upon publication by Interior of a notice in the Federal Register that all nonconforming uses of such lands authorized by this bill have ceased.

The bill provides for the securing, adjudication, and use of U.S. water rights for certain of the wilderness areas designated by this bill.

Amendments offered:

Amendment House Reed’s vote      Issue

DeGette (D)              YES         NO    Additional Areas

McClintock (R)         NO          YES   Require local approval

McClintock (R)        NO          YES   Exclude areas

Panetta (D)               YES          YES Manage fire, insects *

Brown (D)                YES           Voice Vote Consider veterans

Westerman (R)      NO            YES Exempt areas

Westerman (R)       NO            YES Strike all areas

Cunningham (D)  YES            YES Allow military overflights *

Tipton (R)               NO             YES   Study effect on military

Tipton (R)               YES             voice vote Study military aviation training

Kilmer (R)              YES             voice vote Respect states rights

Schrer (D)              YES             voice vote Study flooding

A motion to recommit failed. On passage, the bill was approved 231-183. Rep. Reed voted NO. This bill is likely doomed in the Senate.

*Except in two cases where approval was nearly unanimous, bipartisan Tom Reed was out of step with the majority.

https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-bill/2546