119-s2754

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2754 Introduced in Senate

    (IS) ]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
 1st Session
 S. 2754

To direct the Secretary of Agriculture to convey to the City of Ouray, 
 Colorado, certain land managed by the Forest Service, together with a 
 reservoir.

_______________________________________________________________________

 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

 September 10, 2025

Mr. Bennet (for himself and Mr. Hickenlooper) introduced the following 
bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and 
 Natural Resources

_______________________________________________________________________

 A BILL

To direct the Secretary of Agriculture to convey to the City of Ouray, 
 Colorado, certain land managed by the Forest Service, together with a 
 reservoir.

 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

 This Act may be cited as the ``Crystal Reservoir Conveyance Act''.

SEC. 2. CONVEYANCE OF FEDERAL LAND TO OURAY, COLORADO.

    (a) 

=== Definitions. ===
-In this section:

    (1) City.--The term ``City'' means the City of Ouray, 
 Colorado.

    (2) Federal land.--The term ``Federal land'' means--
        (A) the site known as ``Crystal Reservoir'' in 
 Ouray County, Colorado, including--
            (i) the lake associated with that 
 reservoir;
            (ii) Full Moon Dam and associated 
 facilities, including the spillway and outlet;
            (iii) Full Moon Ditch and Reservoir Number 
 10; and
            (iv) all infrastructure associated with the 
 reservoir; and
        (B) the parcel comprising approximately 45 acres of 
 land underlying and surrounding Crystal Reservoir, as 
 depicted on the Map, managed by the Forest Service as 
 necessary for access for repair, operation, and 
 maintenance of Crystal Reservoir and the features 
 described in clauses
            (i) through
            (iv) of subparagraph
        (A) .

    (3) Map.--The term ``Map'' means the map prepared by the 
 Forest Service entitled ``Crystal Reservoir Conveyance'' and 
 dated June 23, 2025.

    (4) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
 of Agriculture, acting through the Chief of the Forest Service.

    (b) Conveyance.--As soon as practicable after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the Secretary shall convey to the City--

    (1) all right, title, and interest of the United States in 
 and to the Federal land; and

    (2) all water rights associated with the Federal land, 
 including the Full Moon Ditch and Reservoir Number 10 water 
 rights described in the decree of the State of Colorado in 
 Civil Action No. 1959, dated May 11, 1942.
            (c) Requirements.--The conveyance under subsection

    (b) shall be--

    (1) made by quitclaim deed;

    (2) subject to--
        (A) valid existing rights; and
        (B) the reversionary interest described in 
 subsection

    (e)

    (3) ; and

    (3) except as provided in subsection
            (d) (2) , completed at 
 no cost to the City.
            (d) Costs.--

    (1) In general.--Except as provided in paragraph

    (2) , the 
 Secretary shall pay all costs associated with the conveyance 
 under subsection

    (b) .

    (2) Survey.--The City shall pay all costs associated with 
 any surveys conducted for the purpose of accomplishing the 
 conveyance under subsection

    (b) .

    (e) Terms and Conditions.--

    (1) In general.--As a condition of the conveyance of the 
 Federal land under subsection

    (b) , the City shall agree--
        (A) to grant to the Secretary an easement for each 
 trail and road in existence on the date of the 
 conveyance that, as determined by the Secretary, 
 originates at, terminates at, or traverses the Federal 
 land;
        (B) effective beginning on the date of the 
 conveyance, to assume responsibility for the costs of 
 all repairs, operations, and maintenance of Full Moon 
 Dam and related infrastructure, including Full Moon 
 Ditch and Reservoir Number 10;
            (C) to maintain the Federal land in perpetuity as 
 open space, to be held open--
            (i) for full public access for recreational 
 activities, including fishing; and
            (ii) not subject to any fee for 
 recreational access;
            (D) not to conduct on the Federal land any 
 development, commercial operations, or construction, 
 other than as needed for the operation and maintenance 
 of Full Moon Dam, Crystal Reservoir, and related 
 infrastructure, including Full Moon Ditch and Reservoir 
 Number 10; and
        (E) not to expand the historical footprint of 
 Crystal Reservoir in a manner that would flood, impair, 
 or harm any wetlands located upstream of the Federal 
 land, subject to the condition that deepening Crystal 
 Reservoir in a manner consistent with the water rights 
 of the City shall be allowed.

    (2) Other terms and conditions.--The conveyance under 
 subsection

    (b) shall be subject to such other terms and 
 conditions as the Secretary determines to be appropriate.

    (3) Reversionary interest.--If the Federal land conveyed 
 under subsection

    (b) ceases to be used in accordance with the 
 terms and conditions under this subsection, the Federal land 
 shall revert to the United States, at the discretion of the 
 Secretary, if the Secretary determines that reversion is in the 
 best interest of the United States.

    (f) Use of Red Mountain Ditch.--After the conveyance under 
subsection

    (b) , the Secretary shall allow the structure located near 
the Federal land commonly known as ``Red Mountain Ditch'', located near 
Red Mountain Pass, to continue to be used by the City for all decreed 
purposes under Colorado water law, including the diversion and delivery 
of water for storage in Crystal Reservoir.

    (g) Water Rights.--

    (1) In general.--Subject to paragraph

    (2) , the City may use 
 Crystal Reservoir for--
        (A) storage of water and in-reservoir uses, 
 consistent with any water rights; or
        (B) releases of water for augmentation and other 
 beneficial uses, consistent with any water rights.

    (2) State water law.--The City shall manage all water 
 rights associated with the Federal land in accordance with 
 applicable water laws of the State of Colorado.

    (h) Rule of Construction.--Nothing in this section prohibits the 
City from making any expenditure for repair of Full Moon Dam or any 
other feature of the Federal land before the date of the conveyance 
under subsection

    (b) , subject to the approval of the Secretary.
            (i) Map and Legal Description.--

    (1) In general.--As soon as practicable after the date of 
 enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall finalize the Map and 
 a legal description of the Federal land to be conveyed under 
 subsection

    (b) .

    (2) Corrections.--The Secretary and the City, by mutual 
 agreement, may correct any minor errors in the Map or legal 
 description under paragraph

    (1) .

    (3) Map on file.--The Map and legal description under 
 paragraph

    (1) shall be on file and available for public 
 inspection in each appropriate office of the Forest Service.
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