Fox Mountain Special Management Area

(a) Establishment of special management area (1) Fox mountain special management area (A) Establishment Subject to valid existing rights, there is established the Fox Mountain Special Management Area, comprising approximately 41,082 acres of Federal land in the Los Padres National Forest, as generally depicted on the map entitled Fox Mountain Special Management Area and dated November 14, 2023. (B) Purposes The purposes of the Fox Mountain Special Management Area are to conserve, protect, and enhance for the benefit and enjoyment of present and future generations— (i) the ecological, scenic, wildlife, recreational, roadless, cultural, historical, natural, educational, and scientific resources of the area; and (ii) the cultural and historical resources and values of the area. (b) Management plan (1) In general Not later than 5 years after the date of enactment of this Act and in accordance with paragraph (2), the Secretary of Agriculture shall develop a comprehensive plan for the long-term management of the special management area established by subsection (a). (2) Consultation In developing the management plan required under paragraph (1), the Secretary of Agriculture shall consult with— (A) appropriate State, Tribal, and local governmental entities; and (B) members of the public. (3) Additional requirement The management plan required under paragraph (1) shall ensure that recreational use within the special management area established by subsection (a) (referred to in this section as a special management area) does not cause significant adverse impacts on the plants and wildlife of the special management area. (c) Management (1) In general The Secretary of Agriculture shall manage the special management area— (A) in furtherance of the purpose described in subsection (a); and (B) in accordance with— (i) the laws (including regulations) generally applicable to the National Forest System; (ii) this section; and (iii) any other applicable law (including regulations). (2) Uses The Secretary of Agriculture shall only allow uses of the special management area that the Secretary determines would further the purposes of the special management area described in subsection (a). (3) Recreation The Secretary of Agriculture shall continue to authorize, maintain, and enhance the recreational use of the special management area, including hunting, camping, hiking, sightseeing, nature study, horseback riding, mountain bicycling, and other recreational activities, if the recreational use is consistent with— (A) the purpose of the special management area; (B) this section; (C) other applicable law (including regulations); and (D) any applicable management plans. (4) Motorized vehicles (A) In general Except as provided in subparagraph (C), the use of motorized vehicles in the special management area shall be permitted only on existing roads, trails, and areas designated for use by such vehicles as of the date of enactment of this Act. (B) New or temporary roads Except as provided in subparagraph (C), no new or temporary roads shall be constructed within the special management area. (C) Exceptions Nothing in subparagraph (A) or (B) prevents the Secretary of Agriculture from— (i) rerouting or closing an existing road or trail to protect natural resources from degradation, or to protect public safety, as determined to be appropriate by the Secretary; (ii) designating routes of travel on land acquired by the Secretary and incorporated into the special management area if the designations are— (I) consistent with the purposes of the special management area described in subsection (a); and (II) completed, to the maximum extent practicable, not later than 3 years after the date of acquisition; (iii) constructing a temporary road on which motorized vehicles are permitted as part of a vegetation management project carried out in accordance with subparagraph (D); (iv) authorizing the use of motorized vehicles for administrative purposes; or (v) responding to an emergency. (D) Decommissioning of temporary roads (i) Definition of decommission In this subparagraph, the term decommission means, with respect to a road— (I) to reestablish vegetation on the road; and (II) to restore any natural drainage, watershed function, or other ecological processes that are disrupted or adversely impacted by the road by removing or hydrologically disconnecting the road prism. (ii) Requirement Not later than 3 years after the date on which the applicable vegetation management project is completed, the Secretary of Agriculture shall decommission any temporary road constructed under subparagraph (C)(iii). (d) Grazing The grazing of livestock in the special management area, where established before the date of enactment of this Act, shall be permitted to continue— (1) subject to— (A) such reasonable regulations, policies, and practices as the Secretary of Agriculture considers necessary; and (B) applicable law (including regulations); and (2) in a manner consistent with the purposes of the special management area described in subsection (a). (e) Wildfire, insect, and disease Consistent with this section, the Secretary of Agriculture may carry out any activities within the special management area that the Secretary determines to be necessary to control fire, insects, or diseases, including the coordination of those activities with a State or local agency. (f) Acquisition and incorporation of land and interests in land (1) Acquisition authority In accordance with applicable laws (including regulations), the Secretary of Agriculture may acquire any land or interest in land within or adjacent to the boundaries of the special management area by purchase from a willing seller, donation, or exchange. (2) Incorporation Any land or interest in land acquired by the Secretary of Agriculture under paragraph (1) shall be— (A) incorporated into, and administered as part of, the special management area; and (B) withdrawn in accordance with subsection (i). (g) Tribal agreements and partnerships To the maximum extent practicable and in accordance with applicable laws, on request of an affected federally recognized Indian Tribe, the Secretary of Agriculture, acting through the Chief of the Forest Service, shall enter into agreements, contracts, and other cooperative and collaborative partnerships with the federally recognized Indian Tribe regarding management of the special management area under relevant Federal authority, including— (1) the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 5301 et seq.); (2) the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.); (3) the Tribal Self-Governance Act of 1994 (25 U.S.C. 5361 et seq.); (4) the Tribal Forest Protection Act of 2004 (25 U.S.C. 3115a et seq.); (5) the good neighbor authority under section 8206 of the Agricultural Act of 2014 (16 U.S.C. 2113a); (6) Executive Order 13175 (25 U.S.C. 5301 note; relating to consultation and coordination with Indian Tribal governments); (7) Secretarial Order 3342, issued by the Secretary of the Interior on October 21, 2016 (relating to identifying opportunities for cooperative and collaborative partnerships with federally recognized Indian Tribes in the management of Federal lands and resources); and (8) Joint Secretarial Order 3403, issued by the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Agriculture on November 15, 2021 (relating to fulfilling the trust responsibility to Indian Tribes in the stewardship of Federal lands and waters). (h) Withdrawal Subject to valid existing rights, all Federal land located in the special management area is withdrawn from— (1) all forms of entry, appropriation, and disposal under the public land laws; (2) location, entry, and patenting under the mining laws; and (3) operation of the mineral leasing, mineral materials, and geothermal leasing laws.