Part B - Steens Mountain Wilderness Area

16 USC 460nnn61 - Designation of Steens Mountain Wilderness Area

The Federal lands in the Cooperative Management and Protection Area depicted as wilderness on the map entitled Steens Mountain Wilderness Area and dated September 18, 2000, are hereby designated as wilderness and therefore as a component of the National Wilderness Preservation System. The wilderness area shall be known as the Steens Mountain Wilderness Area.

16 USC 460nnn62 - Administration of Wilderness Area

(a) General rule
The Secretary shall administer the Wilderness Area in accordance with this part and the Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. 1131 et seq.). Any reference in the Wilderness Act to the effective date of that Act (or any similar reference) shall be deemed to be a reference to October 30, 2000.

(b) Wilderness boundaries along roads
Where a wilderness boundary exists along a road, the wilderness boundary shall be set back from the centerline of the road, consistent with the Bureau of Land Managements guidelines as established in its Wilderness Management Policy.

(c) Access to non-Federal lands
The Secretary shall provide reasonable access to private lands within the boundaries of the Wilderness Area, as provided in section 460nnn–22 (d)1 of this title.

(d) Grazing

(1) Administration
Except as provided in section 460nnn–23 (e)(2) of this title, grazing of livestock shall be administered in accordance with the provision of section 4(d)(4) of the Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. 1133 (d)(4)), in accordance with the provisions of this subchapter, and in accordance with the guidelines set forth in Appendices A and B of House Report 101405 of the 101st Congress.

(2) Retirement of certain permits
The Secretary shall permanently retire all grazing permits applicable to certain lands in the Wilderness Area, as depicted on the map referred to in section 460nnn–11 (a) of this title, and livestock shall be excluded from these lands.

[1] So in original. Probably should be section “460nnn–22(e)”.

16 USC 460nnn63 - Water rights

Nothing in this subchapter shall constitute an express or implied claim or denial on the part of the Federal Government as to exemption from State water laws.

16 USC 460nnn64 - Treatment of wilderness study areas

(a) Status unaffected
Except as provided in section 460nnn–92 of this title, any wilderness study area, or portion of a wilderness study area, within the boundaries of the Cooperative Management and Protection Area, but not included in the Wilderness Area, shall remain a wilderness study area notwithstanding the enactment of this subchapter.

(b) Management
The wilderness study areas referred to in subsection (a) of this section shall continue to be managed under section 1782 (c) of title 43 in a manner so as not to impair the suitability of the areas for preservation as wilderness.

(c) Expansion of Basque Hills Wilderness Study Area
The boundaries of the Basque Hills Wilderness Study Area are hereby expanded to include the Federal lands within sections 8, 16, 17, 21, 22, and 27 of township 36 south, range 31 east, Willamette Meridian. These lands shall be managed under section 1782 (c) of title 43 to protect and enhance the wilderness values of these lands.