San Gabriel Mountains, Foothills, and Rivers Protection Act of 2025

This Act may be cited as the San Gabriel Mountains, Foothills, and Rivers Protection Act of 2025.

The table of contents for this Act is as follows:

In accordance with the Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. 1131 et seq.), the following land within California is designated as wilderness and as a component of the National Wilderness Preservation System:

Certain Federal land within the Angeles National Forest, comprising approximately 8,207 acres, as generally depicted on the map titled Condor Peak Wilderness—Proposed and dated June 6, 2019, which shall be known as the Condor Peak Wilderness.

Certain Federal land within the Angeles National Forest, comprising approximately 2,032 acres, as generally depicted on the map titled San Gabriel Wilderness Additions and dated June 6, 2019, which is incorporated in, and considered to be a part of, the San Gabriel Wilderness designated by Public Law 90–318 (16 U.S.C. 1132 note; 82 Stat. 131).

Certain Federal land within the Angeles National Forest, comprising approximately 11,938 acres, as generally depicted on the map titled Sheep Mountain Wilderness Additions and dated November 14, 2023, which is incorporated in, and considered to be a part of, the Sheep Mountain Wilderness designated by section 101(a)(29) of the California Wilderness Act of 1984 (16 U.S.C. 1132 note).

Certain Federal land within the Angeles National Forest, comprising approximately 6,694 acres, as generally depicted on the map titled Yerba Buena Wilderness—Proposed and dated June 6, 2019, which shall be known as the Yerba Buena Wilderness.

Subject to valid existing rights, land designated as wilderness and as a component of the National Wilderness Preservation System by section 101 (referred to in this Act as a wilderness area) shall be administered by the Secretary of Agriculture in accordance with this title and the Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. 1131 et seq.), except that any reference in the Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. 1131 et seq.) to the effective date of that Act (16 U.S.C. 1131 et seq.) shall be considered to be a reference to the date of the enactment of this Act.

The Secretary of Agriculture may carry out any activities in a wilderness area as are necessary for the control of fire, insects, or disease in accordance with section 4(d)(1) of the Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. 1133(d)(1)).

As soon as practicable after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Agriculture shall amend the local information in the Fire Management Reference System of the Forest Service or individual operational plan that applies to each wilderness area.

Nothing in this title limits funding for fire or fuels management in a wilderness area.

In accordance with paragraph (1) and any other applicable Federal law, to ensure a timely and efficient response to a fire emergency in a wilderness area, the Secretary of Agriculture shall—

(A) not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act, establish agency approval procedures (including appropriate delegations of authority to the Forest Supervisor and the head of any other applicable agency for responding to fire emergencies); and

(B) enter into agreements with appropriate State or local firefighting agencies.

In accordance with section 4(d)(7) of the Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. 1133(d)(7)), nothing in this title affects the jurisdiction or responsibilities of California with respect to fish and wildlife in California.

In support of the purposes and principles of the Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. 1131 et seq.), the Secretary of Agriculture may conduct any management activity that the Secretary determines to be necessary to maintain or restore a fish, wildlife, or plant population or habitat in a wilderness area, if the management activity is conducted in accordance with—

(A) an applicable wilderness management plan;

(B) the Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. 1131 et seq.); and

(C) appropriate policies, such as the policies established in Appendix B of the report of the Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs of the House of Representatives accompanying H.R. 2570 of the 101st Congress (H. Rept. 101–405).

Nothing in this title establishes a protective perimeter or buffer zone around a wilderness area.

The fact that a nonwilderness activity or use can be seen or heard from within a wilderness area does not preclude the activity or use outside the boundary of the wilderness area.

Nothing in this title precludes—

(1) low-level overflights of military aircraft over a wilderness area;

(2) the designation of a new unit of special airspace over a wilderness area; or

(3) the use or establishment of a military flight training route over a wilderness area.

Nothing in this title precludes horseback riding in, or the entry of recreational or commercial saddle or pack stock into, a wilderness area—

(1) in accordance with section 4(d)(5) of the Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. 1133(d)(5)); and

(2) subject to any terms and conditions the Secretary of Agriculture determines necessary.

Subject to valid existing rights, each wilderness area is withdrawn from—

(1) all forms of entry, appropriation, and disposal under the public land laws;

(2) location, entry, and patent under the mining laws; and

(3) operation of the mineral materials and geothermal leasing laws.

Any land within the boundary of a wilderness area that is acquired by the United States shall—

(1) become part of the wilderness area in which the land is located;

(2) be withdrawn in accordance with subsection (g); and

(3) be managed in accordance with—

(A) this section;

(B) the Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. 1131 et seq.); and

(C) any other applicable law.

In accordance with the Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. 1131 et seq.) and subject to such terms and conditions as the Secretary of Agriculture may prescribe, the Secretary may authorize the installation and maintenance of hydrologic, meteorologic, or climatological collection devices in a wilderness area if the Secretary determines that the devices and access to the devices are essential to a flood warning, flood control, or water reservoir operation activity.

Nothing in this title prohibits recreational rock climbing activities in a wilderness area, such as the placement, use, and maintenance of fixed anchors, including any fixed anchor established before the date of the enactment of this Act—

(1) in accordance with the Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. 1131 et seq.) and other applicable laws; and

(2) subject to any terms and conditions the Secretary of Agriculture determines necessary.

Section 3(a) of the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act (16 U.S.C. 1274(a)) is amended by adding at the end the following:

The following segments of Little Rock Creek and its tributaries, to be administered by the Secretary of Agriculture:

(A) The 10.3-mile segment from its source on Mt. Williamson in sec. 6, T. 3 N., R. 9 W., to 100 yards upstream of the confluence with the South Fork Little Rock Creek, as a wild river.

(B) The 6.6-mile segment from 100 yards upstream of the confluence with the South Fork Little Rock Creek to the confluence with Santiago Canyon, as a recreational river.

(C) The 1-mile segment of Cooper Canyon Creek from 0.25 miles downstream of Highway 2 to 100 yards downstream of Cooper Canyon Campground, as a scenic river.

(D) The 1.3-mile segment of Cooper Canyon Creek from 100 yards downstream of Cooper Canyon Campground to the confluence with Little Rock Creek, as a wild river.

(E) The 1-mile segment of Buckhorn Creek from 100 yards downstream of the Buckhorn Campground to its confluence with Cooper Canyon Creek, as a wild river.

Section 5(a) of the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act (16 U.S.C. 1276(a)) is amended by adding at the end the following:

The 12.7-mile segment from the confluence of the Prairie Fork and Vincent Gulch to 100 yards upstream of the confluence with Williams Canyon.

The 4.3-mile segment from the confluence with Cloudburst Canyon to 0.25 miles upstream of the confluence with the West Fork San Gabriel River.

The 8.3-mile segment from 0.25 miles downstream of its source near Red Box Gap in sec. 14, T. 2 N., R. 12 W., to the confluence with Bobcat Canyon.

Section 5(b) of the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act (16 U.S.C. 1276(b)) is amended by adding at the end the following:

Not later than 3 years after the date on which funds are made available to carry out this paragraph, the Secretary of Agriculture shall—

(i) complete each of the studies described in paragraphs (147) through (149) of subsection (a); and

(ii) submit to Congress a report describing the results of each such study.

In carrying out each of the studies described in paragraphs (147) through (149) of subsection (a), the Secretary of Agriculture shall identify opportunities to administer the segment described in each such paragraph in partnership with State, regional, local, and community stakeholders.

As soon as practicable after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Agriculture shall prepare a map and legal description of each wilderness area.

Each map and legal description prepared under subsection (a) shall have the same force and effect as if included in this title, except that the Secretary of Agriculture may correct any clerical or typographical error in the maps and legal descriptions.

Each map and legal description prepared under subsection (a) shall be kept on file and available for public inspection in the appropriate offices of the Forest Service.

As soon as practicable after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Agriculture shall incorporate the designations and studies required by this Act into updated management plans for the Angeles National Forest.

The Secretary of Agriculture shall ensure that Indian Tribes have access, in accordance with the Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. 1131 et seq.), to the wilderness areas, wild and scenic river, and the wild scenic river study streams designated by this Act for traditional cultural and religious purposes.

In carrying out this section, the Secretary of Agriculture, on request of an Indian Tribe, may temporarily close to the general public 1 or more specific portions of the wilderness areas, wild and scenic river, and the wild scenic river study streams designated by this Act to protect the privacy of the members of the Indian Tribe in the conduct of traditional cultural and religious activities.

Any closure under paragraph (1) shall be—

(A) made in such a manner as to affect the smallest practicable area for the minimum period of time necessary for the activity to be carried out; and

(B) be consistent with—

(i) Public Law 95−341 (commonly known as the American Indian Religious Freedom Act) (42 U.S.C. 1996 et seq.);

(ii) the Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. 1131 et seq.); and

(iii) the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act (16 U.S.C. 1276 et seq.).

The Secretary of Agriculture may issue a special use authorization to the owners of a water transport or diversion facility (referred to in this section as a facility) located on National Forest System land in the Pleasant View Ridge Wilderness for the continued operation, maintenance, and reconstruction of the facility if the Secretary determines that—

(1) the facility was in existence on the date on which the land on which the facility is located was designated as part of the National Wilderness Preservation System (referred to in this section as the date of designation);

(2) the facility has been in substantially continuous use to deliver water for the beneficial use on the non-Federal land of the owner since the date of designation;

(3) the owner of the facility holds a valid water right for use of the water on the non-Federal land of the owner under State law, with a priority date that predates the date of designation; and

(4) it is not practicable or feasible to relocate the facility to land outside of the Pleasant View Ridge Wilderness and continue the beneficial use of water on the non-Federal land recognized under State law.

A special use authorization issued under this section shall be subject to such terms and conditions as the Secretary determines appropriate to protect wilderness resources and values.