H.R. 4877 — Central Coast Heritage Protection Act

This section defines key terms for the Act, including "(1) scenic area" as an area designated by section 7(a); "(2) Secretary" as the Secretary of the Interior for land managed by the Bureau of Land Management or the Secretary of Agriculture for land managed by the Forest Service; "(3) State" as California; and "(4) wilderness area" as a wilderness area or wilderness addition designated by section 3(a).

This section designates, in accordance with the Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. 1131 et seq.), the following areas in California as wilderness areas and components of the National Wilderness Preservation System: (1) Caliente Mountain Wilderness, approximately 35,116 acres in the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Bakersfield Field Office; (2) Soda Lake Wilderness, approximately 13,332 acres in the BLM Bakersfield Field Office; (3) Temblor Range Wilderness, approximately 12,585 acres in the BLM Bakersfield Field Office; (4) approximately 23,670 acres in the Los Padres National Forest, incorporated into and managed as part of the Chumash Wilderness; (5) approximately 54,036 acres in the Los Padres National Forest, incorporated into and managed as part of the Dick Smith Wilderness; (6) approximately 7,289 acres in the Los Padres National Forest and BLM Bakersfield Field Office, incorporated into and managed as part of the Garcia Wilderness; (7) approximately 10,817 acres in the Los Padres National Forest and BLM Bakersfield Field Office, incorporated into and managed as part of the Machesna Mountain Wilderness; (8) approximately 30,184 acres in the Los Padres National Forest, incorporated into and managed as part of the Matilija Wilderness; (9) approximately 23,969 acres in the Los Padres National Forest, incorporated into and managed as part of the San Rafael Wilderness; (10) approximately 2,921 acres in the Los Padres National Forest, incorporated into and managed as part of the Santa Lucia Wilderness; (11) approximately 14,313 acres in the Los Padres National Forest, incorporated into and managed as part of the Sespe Wilderness; and (12) Diablo Caliente Wilderness, approximately 17,870 acres in the Los Padres National Forest. This section further requires the Secretary to file maps and legal descriptions of each area, as soon as practicable after enactment, with the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources and the House Committee on Natural Resources, where they have the force of law (subject to clerical and typographical corrections) and are available for public inspection in appropriate Forest Service and BLM offices.

This section requires the Secretary with jurisdiction to administer the designated wilderness areas in accordance with this Act and the Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. 1131 et seq.), subject to valid existing rights, treating references in the Wilderness Act to its effective date as the date of enactment of this Act and to the Secretary of Agriculture as the relevant Secretary. It further specifies that— (1) the Secretary may take measures for fire, insect, and disease control (per 16 U.S.C. 1133(d)(1)); does not limit fire and fuels funding; must promptly amend applicable fire management plans; and, within one year of enactment, must establish fire emergency response procedures (with delegations to field officials) and agreements with state or local agencies; (2) pre-existing livestock grazing is permitted, subject to reasonable regulations under 16 U.S.C. 1133(d)(4) and specified congressional guidelines; (3) state fish and wildlife jurisdiction is unaffected (per 16 U.S.C. 1133(d)(7)), and the Secretary may conduct habitat management consistent with wilderness plans, policies, and state memoranda of understanding; (4) the designations do not create buffer zones, and nonwilderness activities visible or audible from areas do not preclude uses up to boundaries; (5) military low-level overflights, special airspace, and flight training routes over areas are not precluded; (6) horseback riding and recreational saddle or pack stock entry are allowed (per 16 U.S.C. 1133(d)(5)), subject to Secretary terms; (7) subject to valid existing rights, areas are withdrawn from public land laws, mining laws, and mineral/geothermal leasing or materials disposition; (8) acquired lands within boundaries become part of the areas and are managed accordingly; and (9) the Secretary may authorize hydrologic, meteorologic, or climatological devices if essential to specified water activities, per the Wilderness Act and Secretary terms.

This section designates additional segments of Indian Creek (14.4 miles total: two wild segments of 9.5 miles and 3.9 miles, one scenic segment of 1 mile), Mono Creek (24.5 miles total: three wild segments totaling 18.9 miles, two recreational segments of 2.1 miles and 3.5 miles), and Matilija Creek (14.45 miles total: two wild segments of 7.2 miles and 7.25 miles) in California as components of the national wild and scenic rivers system (i.e., rivers preserved in free-flowing condition with outstanding natural, cultural, scenic, or recreational values), to be administered by the Secretary of Agriculture. The section also revises existing designations in the system for (1) Sespe Creek, California, to a 2.7-mile wild segment, 15-mile recreational segment, 6.1-mile scenic segment, and 28.6-mile wild segment; (2) Sisquoc River and tributaries, California, to a 33-mile wild main stem segment, plus wild and recreational segments of South Fork Sisquoc River (4.2 miles), Manzana Creek (20.6 miles), Davy Brown Creek (4.8 miles), Munch Canyon (2.5 miles), Fish Creek (2.6 miles), and East Fork Fish Creek (1.5 miles); and (3) Piru Creek, California, to specified segments administered by the Secretary of Agriculture.

This section establishes the Fox Mountain Special Management Area, comprising approximately 41,082 acres of Federal land in the Los Padres National Forest, subject to valid existing rights, to conserve, protect, and enhance the area's ecological, scenic, wildlife, recreational, roadless, cultural, historical, natural, educational, and scientific resources. It directs the Secretary of Agriculture to develop a comprehensive management plan for the area within five years of enactment, in consultation with appropriate State, Tribal, local governmental entities, and the public, ensuring recreational use does not cause significant adverse impacts on plants and wildlife. The Secretary shall manage the area in furtherance of its purposes and in accordance with applicable National Forest System laws, permitting only uses that further those purposes. The section (1) authorizes continued recreational uses, including hunting, camping, hiking, sightseeing, nature study, horseback riding, mountain bicycling, and other activities consistent with the area's purposes and applicable laws; (2) limits motorized vehicle use to existing roads, trails, and areas as of enactment, with no new or temporary roads except to reroute or close existing routes, designate routes on acquired land (within three years), support vegetation management projects (with decommissioning within three years), for administrative purposes, or in emergencies—where decommissioning requires reestablishing vegetation and restoring natural drainage and ecological processes; (3) permits existing livestock grazing subject to reasonable regulations and consistent with the area's purposes; (4) authorizes activities to control wildfire, insects, and disease, including coordination with State or local agencies; and (5) authorizes acquisition of land or interests within or adjacent to the area from willing sellers by purchase, donation, or exchange for incorporation into the area.

This section establishes the Condor Ridge Scenic Area, comprising approximately 18,666 acres in the Los Padres National Forest, and the Black Mountain Scenic Area, comprising approximately 16,216 acres in the Los Padres National Forest and the Bakersfield Field Office of the Bureau of Land Management, subject to valid existing rights. The Secretaries of Agriculture and the Interior must file maps and legal descriptions of the areas with the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources and the House Committee on Natural Resources, which shall have legal force (with clerical corrections allowed) and be available for public inspection. The scenic areas are to be managed to conserve, protect, and enhance their ecological, scenic, wildlife, recreational, cultural, historical, natural, educational, and scientific resources—particularly scenic character—consistent with the Federal Land Policy and Management Act (for BLM land), National Forest System laws (for Forest Service land), and other applicable laws, allowing only uses that further these purposes. Federal lands in the areas are withdrawn from entry, appropriation, disposal under public land laws, mining location and patent, and mineral and geothermal leasing or mineral materials disposition. Prohibited activities on federal lands within the areas include (1) permanent roads; (2) permanent structures; (3) timber harvesting, except as necessary for wildfire, insect, and disease management; (4) transmission lines; (5) motorized vehicles or temporary roads, except to meet minimum administration requirements or protect public health and safety; and (6) commercial enterprises, except as necessary to realize scenic area purposes. The Secretaries may conduct wildfire, insect, and disease management, including coordination with state or local agencies. Otherwise authorized activities outside the areas are not precluded if visible or audible within.

This section directs the Secretary of Agriculture to conduct a study on the feasibility of, and alternatives for, designating the Condor National Scenic Trail as a component of the National Trails System (16 U.S.C. 1244 et seq.) to connect the northern and southern portions of the Los Padres National Forest across the Santa Lucia Mountains of the southern California Coastal Range. The study must comply with national scenic trail study requirements under section 5(b) of the National Trails System Act (16 U.S.C. 1244(b)); provide a continual hiking route connecting those forest sections; promote recreational, scenic, wilderness, and cultural values; enhance connectivity with National Forest System trails; consider new connectors and realignments of existing trails; emphasize safe and continuous public access, dispersal from high-use areas, and suitable water sources; and, to the extent practicable, provide for all-year use. In conducting the study, the Secretary must consult appropriate federal, state, Tribal, regional, and local agencies; private landowners; nongovernmental organizations; and the public, and submit the completed study to the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources and the House Committee on Natural Resources.

This section directs the Secretary of Agriculture, acting through the Chief of the Forest Service, to study the feasibility of opening a new trail for vehicles measuring 50 inches or less connecting Forest Service Highway 95 to the existing off-highway vehicle trail system in the Ballinger Canyon off-highway vehicle area, not later than three years after enactment of this Act.

This section directs the Secretary of Agriculture, in consultation with interested parties, to conduct a study not later than three years after enactment to improve nonmotorized recreation trail opportunities (including mountain bicycling) on land not designated as wilderness within the Santa Barbara, Ojai, and Mt. Pinos ranger districts.

This section directs the Secretary to ensure that tribes have access, consistent with the Wilderness Act, to wilderness areas, scenic areas, and potential wilderness areas designated by this Act for traditional cultural and religious purposes. The section further authorizes the Secretary, upon tribal request, to temporarily close specific portions of such areas to the general public to protect tribal privacy during those activities, with any closure limited to the smallest practicable area and minimum time necessary and consistent with the American Indian Religious Freedom Act and the Wilderness Act.