Findings

Congress finds that— (1) the land designated as wilderness by this Act is one of the largest remaining expanses of unprotected, wild public land in the continental United States; (2) the designation of wilderness by this Act would— (A) increase landscape connectivity in the Colorado Plateau; and (B) help to mitigate the impacts of climate change by— (i) providing critical refugia; (ii) reducing surface disturbances that exacerbate the impacts of climate change; (iii) reducing greenhouse gas emissions related to the extraction and use of fossil fuels; and (iv) contributing to the goal of protecting 30 percent of global land and waters by 2030; (3) the land designated as wilderness by this Act is— (A) a living cultural landscape; (B) a place of refuge for wild nature; and (C) an important part of Indigenous and non-Indigenous community values; (4) Indian Tribes have been present on the land designated as wilderness by this Act since time immemorial, using the plant, animal, landform, and spiritual values for sustenance and cultural, medicinal, and ceremonial activities, purposes for which Indigenous people continue to use the land; and (5) the designation of wilderness by this Act— (A) is vital to the continuation and revitalization of Indigenous cultures; and (B) serves to protect places of Indigenous use and sanctuary.