Title 16ConservationRelease 119-73

§460zzz–1 Dominguez-Escalante National Conservation Area

Title 16 › Chapter CHAPTER 1— - NATIONAL PARKS, MILITARY PARKS, MONUMENTS, AND SEASHORES › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER CXXXVII— - DOMINGUEZ-ESCALANTE NATIONAL CONSERVATION AREA › § 460zzz–1

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

Creates the Dominguez-Escalante National Conservation Area in the State and sets it at about 209,610 acres shown on the official map. The land must be protected for people now and later. It must conserve many kinds of values — like geology, cultural and archaeological sites, fossils, wildlife, recreation, wilderness, history, science, education, scenery — and protect streams and their seasonally available flows so aquatic, riparian, and land species and communities can survive. The Secretary must manage the area as part of the National Landscape Conservation System and must conserve and enhance its resources, following the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976, this law, and other laws. Only uses that support the area's purposes are allowed. Motor vehicles may be used only on roads and trails designated for vehicles: before the management plan takes effect, on routes shown in the plan that applied on March 30, 2009; after the plan takes effect, only on routes the new plan allows. Those vehicle limits do not stop administrative or emergency use and do not apply to the Wilderness.

Full Legal Text

Title 16, §460zzz–1

Conservation — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)(1)There is established the Dominguez-Escalante National Conservation Area in the State.
(2)The Conservation Area shall consist of approximately 209,610 acres of public land, as generally depicted on the Map.
(b)The purposes of the Conservation Area are to conserve and protect for the benefit and enjoyment of present and future generations—
(1)the unique and important resources and values of the land, including the geological, cultural, archaeological, paleontological, natural, scientific, recreational, wilderness, wildlife, riparian, historical, educational, and scenic resources of the public land; and
(2)the water resources of area streams, based on seasonally available flows, that are necessary to support aquatic, riparian, and terrestrial species and communities.
(c)(1)The Secretary shall manage the Conservation Area—
(A)as a component of the National Landscape Conservation System;
(B)in a manner that conserves, protects, and enhances the resources and values of the Conservation Area described in subsection (b); and
(C)in accordance with—
(i)the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.);
(ii)this subchapter; and
(iii)any other applicable laws.
(2)(A)The Secretary shall allow only such uses of the Conservation Area as the Secretary determines would further the purposes for which the Conservation Area is established.
(B)(i)Except as provided in clauses (ii) and (iii), use of motorized vehicles in the Conservation Area shall be allowed—
(I)before the effective date of the management plan, only on roads and trails designated for use of motor vehicles in the management plan that applies on March 30, 2009, to the public land in the Conservation Area; and
(II)after the effective date of the management plan, only on roads and trails designated in the management plan for the use of motor vehicles.
(ii)Clause (i) shall not limit the use of motor vehicles in the Conservation Area for administrative purposes or to respond to an emergency.
(iii)This subparagraph shall not apply to the Wilderness.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

The Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976, referred to in subsec. (c)(1)(C)(i), is Pub. L. 94–579, Oct. 21, 1976, 90 Stat. 2743, which is classified principally to chapter 35 (§ 1701 et seq.) of Title 43, Public Lands. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see

Short Title

note set out under section 1701 of Title 43 and Tables.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

16 U.S.C. § 460zzz–1

Title 16Conservation

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73