Text of Senate Amendment 6004

On 2026-06-23, Senator Michael F. Bennet (D-CO) delivered a floor speech titled "Text Of Senate Amendment 6004" in the Senate.

Text of Senate Amendment 6004

Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 105 (Tuesday, June 23, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 105 (Tuesday, June 23, 2026)] [Senate] [Pages S3133-S3136] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] SA 6004. Mr. BENNET (for himself and Mr. Hickenlooper) submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by him to the bill S. 4784, to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2027 for military activities of the Department of Defense, for military construction, and for defense activities of the Department of Energy, to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows: At the end, add the following: DIVISION E--DOLORES RIVER NATIONAL CONSERVATION AREA AND DOLORES RIVER SPECIAL MANAGEMENT AREA SEC. 5001. SHORT TITLE. This division may be cited as the ``Dolores River National Conservation Area and Special Management Area Act''. SEC. 5002. DEFINITIONS. In this division: (1) Conservation area.--The term ``Conservation Area'' means the Dolores River National Conservation Area established by section 5101(a). (2) Council.--The term ``Council'' means the Dolores River National Conservation Area Advisory Council established under section 5103(a). (3) Covered land.--The term ``covered land'' means-- (A) the Conservation Area; and (B) the Special Management Area. (4) Dolores project.--The term ``Dolores Project'' has the meaning given the term in section 3 of the Colorado Ute Indian Water Rights Settlement Act of 1988 (Public Law 100- 585; 102 Stat. 2974). (5) Map.--The term ``Map'' means the map prepared by the Bureau of Land Management entitled ``Proposed Dolores River National Conservation Area and Special Management Area'' and dated December 13, 2024. (6) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means-- (A) in title I, the Secretary of the Interior; (B) in title II, the Secretary of Agriculture; and (C) in title IV-- (i) the Secretary of the Interior, with respect to land under the jurisdiction of the Secretary of the Interior; and (ii) the Secretary of Agriculture, with respect to land under the jurisdiction of the Secretary of Agriculture. (7) Special management area.--The term ``Special Management Area'' means the Dolores River Special Management Area established by section 5201(a). (8) State.--The term ``State'' means the State of Colorado. (9) Unreasonably diminish.--The term ``unreasonably diminish'' has the same meaning as used in section 7(a) of the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act (16 U.S.C. 1278(a)). (10) Water resource project.--The term ``water resource project'' means any dam, irrigation and pumping facility, reservoir, water conservation work, aqueduct, canal, ditch, pipeline, well, hydropower project, and transmission and other ancillary facility, and other water diversion, storage, and carriage structure. TITLE I--DOLORES RIVER NATIONAL CONSERVATION AREA SEC. 5101. ESTABLISHMENT OF DOLORES RIVER NATIONAL CONSERVATION AREA. (a) Establishment.-- (1) In general.--Subject to valid existing rights, there is established the Dolores River National Conservation Area in the State. (2) Land included.--The Conservation Area shall consist of approximately 52,872 acres of Bureau of Land Management land in the State, as generally depicted as ``Proposed Lower Dolores River National Conservation Area'' on the Map. (b) Purpose.--The purpose of the Conservation Area is to conserve, protect, and enhance the native fish, whitewater boating, recreational, hunting, fishing, scenic, cultural, archaeological, natural, geological, historical, ecological, watershed, wildlife, educational, and scientific resources of the Conservation Area. (c) Map and Legal Description.-- (1) In general.--As soon as practicable after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall prepare a map and legal description of the Conservation Area. (2) Effect.--The map and legal description prepared under paragraph (1) shall have the same force and effect as if included in this title, except that the Secretary may correct minor errors in the map or legal description. (3) Public availability.--A copy of the map and legal description shall be on file and available for public inspection in the appropriate offices of the Bureau of Land Management. SEC. 5102. MANAGEMENT OF CONSERVATION AREA. (a) In General.--The Secretary shall manage the Conservation Area in accordance with-- (1) this division; (2) the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.); and (3) other applicable laws. (b) Uses.--Subject to the provisions of this division, the Secretary shall allow only such uses of the Conservation Area as are consistent with the purpose described in section 5101(b). (c) Management Plan.-- (1) Plan required.-- (A) In general.--Not later than 3 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall develop a management plan for the long-term protection, management, and monitoring of the Conservation Area. (B) Review and revision.--The management plan under subparagraph (A) shall, from time to time, be subject to review and revision, in accordance with-- (i) this division; (ii) the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.); and (iii) other applicable laws. (2) Consultation and coordination.--The Secretary shall prepare and revise the management plan under paragraph (1)-- (A) in consultation with-- (i) the State; (ii) units of local government; (iii) the public; (iv) the Council; and (v) the Native Fish Monitoring and Recommendation Team, as described in section 5402(b)(1); and (B) in coordination with the Secretary of Agriculture, with respect to the development of the separate management plan for the Special Management Area, as described in section 5202(c). (3) Recommendations.--In preparing and revising the management plan under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall take into consideration any recommendations from the Council. (4) Treaty rights.--In preparing and revising the management plan under paragraph (1), taking into consideration the rights and obligations described in section 5402, the Secretary shall ensure that the management plan does not alter or diminish-- (A) the treaty rights of any Indian Tribe; (B) any rights described in the Colorado Ute Indian Water Rights Settlement Act of 1988 (Public Law 100-585; 102 Stat. 2973); or (C) the operation or purposes of the Dolores Project. (d) Incorporation of Acquired Land and Interests.--Any land or interest in land located within the boundary of the Conservation Area that is acquired by the United States in accordance with section 5401(c) after the date of enactment of this Act shall-- (1) become part of the Conservation Area; and (2) be managed as provided in this section. (e) Department of Energy Leases.-- (1) In general.--Nothing in this title affects valid leases or lease tracts existing on the date of enactment of this Act issued under the uranium leasing program of the Department of Energy. [[Page S3134]] (2) Management.-- (A) In general.--Subject to subparagraph (B), land designated for the program described in paragraph (1) shall be-- (i) exempt from section 5401(b); and (ii) managed in a manner that allow the leases to fulfill the purposes of the program, consistent with the other provisions of this title and title IV. (B) Designation.--Land subject to a lease described in paragraph (1) shall be considered part of the Conservation Area and managed in accordance with other provisions of this title on a finding by the Secretary that-- (i)(I) the lease has expired; and (II) the applicable lease tract has been removed from the leasing program by the Secretary of Energy; and (ii) the land that was subject to the lease is suitable for inclusion in the Conservation Area. (C) Effect.--Nothing in subparagraph (B) prevents the Secretary of Energy from extending any lease described in paragraph (1). SEC. 5103. DOLORES RIVER NATIONAL CONSERVATION AREA ADVISORY COUNCIL. (a) Establishment.--Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall establish an advisory council, to be known as the ``Dolores River National Conservation Area Advisory Council''. (b) Duties.--The Council shall advise-- (1) the Secretary with respect to the preparation, implementation, and monitoring of the management plan prepared under section 5102(c); and (2) the Secretary of Agriculture with respect to the preparation, implementation, and monitoring of the management plan prepared under section 5202(c). (c) Applicable Law.--The Council shall be subject to-- (1) chapter 10 of title 5, United States Code (commonly referred to as the ``Federal Advisory Committee Act''); (2) the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.); and (3) this division. (d) Membership.-- (1) In general.--The Council shall include 14 members to be appointed by the Secretary, of whom, to the extent practicable-- (A) 2 members shall represent agricultural water user interests in the Conservation Area or the Dolores River watershed, of whom 1 shall represent the Dolores Water Conservancy District; (B) 2 members shall represent conservation interests in the Conservation Area; (C) 2 members shall represent recreation interests in the Conservation Area, 1 of whom shall represent whitewater boating interests; (D) 1 member shall be a representative of Dolores County, Colorado; (E) 1 member shall be a representative of San Miguel County, Colorado; (F) 1 member shall be a representative of Montezuma County, Colorado; (G) 1 member shall be a private landowner that owns land in immediate proximity to the Conservation Area; (H) 1 member shall be a representative of Colorado Parks and Wildlife; (I) 1 member shall be a holder of a grazing-allotment permit in the Conservation Area; and (J) 2 members shall be representatives of Indian Tribes, 1 of whom shall be a representative of the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe. (2) Representatio