Designation of wildlife conservation areas

(a) Designation (1) Cabin Creek Wildlife Conservation Area Subject to valid existing rights, certain Federal land in the County managed by the Bureau of Land Management and the Forest Service comprising approximately 29,518 acres, as generally depicted as Cabin Creek WCA on the map entitled Sheet 9: Cabin Creek and dated August 27, 2024, is designated as the Cabin Creek Wildlife Conservation Area. (2) Flat Top Wildlife Conservation Area Subject to valid existing rights, certain Federal land in the County managed by the Forest Service comprising approximately 28,844 acres, as generally depicted as Flat Top WCA on the map entitled Sheet 8: Gunnison Valley and Ohio Pass and dated August 27, 2024, is designated as the Flat Top Wildlife Conservation Area. (3) Lake Gulch and Cebolla Creek Wildlife Conservation Area Subject to valid existing rights, certain Federal land in the County managed by the Bureau of Land Management comprising approximately 50,535 acres, as generally depicted as Lake Gulch and Cebolla Creek WCA on the map entitled Sheet 11: Lake Fork and dated August 27, 2024, is designated as the Lake Gulch and Cebolla Creek Wildlife Conservation Area. (4) Matchless Wildlife Conservation Area Subject to valid existing rights, certain Federal land in the County managed by the Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management comprising approximately 12,975 acres, as generally depicted as Matchless WCA on the map entitled Sheet 4: Brush Creek, Cement Creek, and Spring Creek and dated August 27, 2024, is designated as the Matchless Wildlife Conservation Area. (5) Munsey Creek Wildlife Conservation Area Subject to valid existing rights, certain Federal land in the County managed by the Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management comprising approximately 3,281 acres, as generally depicted as Munsey Creek WCA on the map entitled Sheet 3: Kebler and Schofield Pass and dated August 27, 2024, is designated as the Munsey Creek Wildlife Conservation Area. (6) Pinnacles Wildlife Conservation Area Subject to valid existing rights, certain Federal land in the County managed by the Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management comprising approximately 27,935 acres, as generally depicted as Pinnacles WCA on the map entitled Sheet 8: Gunnison Valley and Ohio Pass and dated August 27, 2024, is designated as the Pinnacles Wildlife Conservation Area. (7) Powderhorn Wildlife Conservation Area Subject to valid existing rights, certain Federal land in the County managed by the Bureau of Land Management comprising approximately 27,668 acres, as generally depicted as Powderhorn WCA on the map entitled Sheet 11: Lake Fork and dated August 27, 2024, is designated as the Powderhorn Wildlife Conservation Area. (8) Sawtooth Wildlife Conservation Area Subject to valid existing rights, certain Federal land in the County and in Saguache County, Colorado, managed by the Bureau of Land Management comprising approximately 43,109 acres, as generally depicted as Sawtooth WCA on the map entitled Sheet 11: Lake Fork and dated August 27, 2024, is designated as the Sawtooth Wildlife Conservation Area. (b) Purposes The purposes of the Wildlife Conservation Areas are— (1) to conserve, protect, enhance, and restore for the benefit and enjoyment of present and future generations the wildlife and wildlife habitat of the Wildlife Conservation Areas; and (2) to conserve, protect, and enhance for the benefit and enjoyment of present and future generations the natural, scenic, scientific, cultural, watershed, and recreation resources of the Wildlife Conservation Areas. (c) Management (1) In general The Secretary shall manage the Wildlife Conservation Areas in a manner that— (A) furthers the purposes of the Wildlife Conservation Areas; and (B) is in accordance with— (i) this Act; and (ii) other applicable laws. (2) Uses (A) In general The Secretary shall only allow uses of the Wildlife Conservation Areas that the Secretary determines would further the purposes described in subsection (b). (B) Vehicle and bicycle use (i) In general The use of off-highway vehicles and bicycles in the Wildlife Conservation Areas shall be permitted only on roads, trails, and areas designated for the uses on the date of enactment of this Act. (ii) Exceptions Notwithstanding clause (i)— (I) off-highway vehicles and bicycles may be permitted— (aa) as needed for administrative purposes; or (bb) to respond to an emergency; (II) for any portion of a Wildlife Conservation Area for which the Secretary has not adopted a winter travel management plan as of the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary— (aa) shall, not later than 3 years after the date of enactment of this Act, adopt a winter travel management plan for the applicable portion of the Wildlife Conservation Area; and (bb) may, during the period beginning on the date of enactment of this Act and ending on the date of adoption of a winter travel management plan for the applicable portion under item (aa), permit the use of over-snow vehicles in the applicable portion of the Wildlife Conservation Area in accordance with the applicable land management plan or other applicable management direction; (III) except as authorized under subclause (I), the use of off-highway vehicles and bicycles shall be prohibited in the Matchless Wildlife Conservation Area designated by subsection (a)(4); and (IV) the Secretary may permit the use of bicycles on the potential trails described in paragraph (3) if the trails are designated by the Secretary for the use. (3) Limitation Nothing in this section affects the potential development, in accordance with applicable law, of— (A) the proposed trail, commonly known as the Gunnison to Crested Butte Trail, in the Flat Top Wildlife Conservation Area designated by subsection (a)(2); (B) the proposed trail, commonly known as the Crested Butte to Carbondale Trail, in the Munsey Creek Wildlife Conservation Area designated by subsection (a)(5); or (C) the proposed trails, commonly known as the Tenderfoot Mountain to Bambi’s Trail and the Big Loop Trail, in the Sawtooth Wildlife Conservation Area designated by subsection (a)(8).