Special management areas

(a) Establishment of special management areas (1) Horse Mountain Special Management Area (A) Establishment Subject to valid existing rights, there is established the Horse Mountain Special Management Area, comprising approximately 7,482 acres of Federal land in the Six Rivers National Forest, as generally depicted on the map titled Horse Mountain Special Management Area and dated May 15, 2020. (B) Purpose The purpose of the Horse Mountain Special Management Area is to enhance the recreational and scenic values of the special management area while conserving the plants, wildlife, and other natural resource values of the area. (2) Sanhedrin Special Management Area (A) Establishment Subject to valid existing rights, there is established the Sanhedrin Special Management Area, comprising approximately 12,254 acres of Federal land in the Mendocino National Forest, as generally depicted on the map titled Sanhedrin Special Management Area and dated November 14, 2023. (B) Purposes The purposes of the Sanhedrin Special Management Area are— (i) to conserve, protect, and enhance for the benefit and enjoyment of present and future generations the ecological, scenic, wildlife, recreational, roadless, cultural, historical, natural, educational, and scientific resources of the area; (ii) to protect and restore late-successional forest structure, oak woodlands and grasslands, aquatic habitat, and anadromous fisheries within the area; (iii) to protect and restore the undeveloped character of the area; and (iv) to allow visitors to enjoy the scenic, natural, cultural, and wildlife values of the area. (b) Management plan (1) In general Not later than 5 years after the date of the enactment of this Act and in accordance with paragraph (2), the Secretary of Agriculture (in this section referred to as the Secretary) shall develop a comprehensive plan for the long-term management of the special management areas established by subsection (a) (in this section referred to as a special management area). (2) Consultation In developing the management plan required under paragraph (1), the Secretary 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 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 shall manage a special management area— (A) in furtherance of the purpose for the applicable special management area 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 shall only allow uses of a special management area that the Secretary determines would further the purposes of the applicable special management area described in subsection (a). (3) Recreation The Secretary shall continue to authorize, maintain, and enhance the recreational use of the special management areas, including hunting, fishing, camping, hiking, hang gliding, sightseeing, nature study, horseback riding, rafting, mountain bicycling, motorized recreation on authorized routes, and other recreational activities, if the recreational use is consistent with— (A) the purpose of the applicable 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 a 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 a special management area. (C) Exceptions Notwithstanding subparagraph (A) or (B), the Secretary may— (i) reroute or close 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) designate routes of travel on land acquired by the Secretary and incorporated into a special management area if the designations are— (I) consistent with the purposes of the applicable special management area described in subsection (a); and (II) completed, to the maximum extent practicable, not later than 3 years after the date of such acquisition; (iii) construct a temporary road on which motorized vehicles are permitted as part of a vegetation management project carried out in accordance with subparagraph (D); or (iv) authorize the use of motorized vehicles— (I) for administrative purposes; or (II) to respond 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 shall decommission any temporary road constructed under subparagraph (C)(iii). (d) Timber harvest (1) In general Except as provided in paragraph (2), no harvesting of timber shall be allowed within a special management area. (2) Exceptions The Secretary may authorize harvesting of timber in a special management area— (A) if the Secretary determines that the harvesting is necessary to further the purposes of the special management area; (B) in a manner consistent with the purposes for the applicable special management area; and (C) subject to— (i) such reasonable regulations, policies, and practices as the Secretary determines to be appropriate; and (ii) all applicable laws (including regulations). (e) Grazing The grazing of livestock in a special management area, where established before the date of the enactment of this Act, shall be permitted to continue— (1) subject to— (A) such reasonable regulations, policies, and practices as the Secretary considers necessary; and (B) applicable law (including regulations); and (2) in a manner consistent with the purposes of the applicable special management area described in subsection (a). (f) Wildfire, insect, and disease Consistent with this section, the Secretary may carry out any activities within a 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. (g) Acquisition and incorporation of land and interests in land (1) Acquisition authority In accordance with applicable laws (including regulations), the Secretary may acquire any land or interest in land within or adjacent to the boundaries of a special management area by purchase from a willing seller, donation, or exchange. (2) Incorporation Any land or interest in land acquired by the Secretary under paragraph (1) shall be— (A) incorporated into, and administered as part of, the applicable special management area; and (B) withdrawn in accordance with subsection (i). (h) 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 the Interior (acting through the Director of the Bureau of Land Management) and 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 a 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). (i) Withdrawal Subject to valid existing rights, all Federal land located in a 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.