US Code

Public Law 119-73 (01/23/2026)

16 U.S.C. § 460nnn

Definitions

In this subchapter:
(1)

Advisory council

1

1 See References in Text note below.
The term “advisory council” means the Steens Mountain Advisory Council established by part D.

(2)

Cooperative management agreement

An agreement to plan or implement (or both) cooperative recreation, ecological, grazing, fishery, vegetation, prescribed fire, cultural site protection, wildfire or other measures to beneficially meet public use needs and the public land and private land objectives of this subchapter.

(3)

Cooperative Management and Protection Area

The term “Cooperative Management and Protection Area” means the Steens Mountain Cooperative Management and Protection Area designated by part A.

(4)

Easements

(A)

Conservation easement

The term “conservation easement” means a binding contractual agreement between the Secretary and a landowner in the Cooperative Management and Protection Area under which the landowner, permanently or during a time period specified in the agreement, agrees to conserve or restore habitat, open space, scenic, or other ecological resource values on the land covered by the easement.

(B)

Nondevelopment easement

The term “nondevelopment easement” means a binding contractual agreement between the Secretary and a landowner in the Cooperative Management and Protection Area that will, permanently or during a time period specified in the agreement—
(i)
prevent or restrict development on the land covered by the easement; or
(ii)
protect open space or viewshed.
(5)

Ecological integrity

The term “ecological integrity” means a landscape where ecological processes are functioning to maintain the structure, composition, activity, and resilience of the landscape over time, including—
(A)
a complex of plant communities, habitats and conditions representative of variable and sustainable successional conditions; and
(B)
the maintenance of biological diversity, soil fertility, and genetic interchange.
(6)

Management plan

section 460nnn–21(b) of this titleThe term “management plan” means the management plan for the Cooperative Management and Protection Area and the Wilderness Area required to be prepared by .

(7)

Redband Trout Reserve

section 460nnn–72 of this titleThe term “Redband Trout Reserve” means the Donner und Blitzen Redband Trout Reserve designated by .

(8)

Secretary

The term “Secretary” means the Secretary of the Interior, acting through the Bureau of Land Management.

(9)

Science committee

section 460nnn–53 of this titleThe term “science committee” means the committee of independent scientists appointed under .

(10)

Wilderness Area

The term “Wilderness Area” means the Steens Mountain Wilderness Area designated by part B.

Pub. L. 106–399, § 2114 Stat. 1656(, , .)

Editorial Notes

References in Text

Pub. L. 106–399114 Stat. 1655This subchapter, referred to in text, was in the original “this Act”, meaning , , , which is classified generally to this subchapter. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out below and Tables.

Pub. L. 106–399Part D, referred to in par. (1), was in the original “title IV”, meaning title IV of , but probably should have been a reference to subtitle D of title I of that Act, which is classified generally to subpart 4 of part A of this subchapter. Part D of this subchapter does not relate to the Steens Mountain Advisory Council.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Short Title

Pub. L. 106–399, § 1(a)114 Stat. 1655

section 1132 of this titlesection 1274 of this title“This Act [enacting this subchapter and provisions listed in a table of Wilderness Areas set out under and amending ] may be cited as the ‘Steens Mountain Cooperative Management and Protection Act of 2000’.”
, , , provided that:

Purposes

Pub. L. 106–399, § 1(b)114 Stat. 1655

“The purposes of this Act [see Short Title note above] are the following:
“(1)
To maintain the cultural, economic, ecological, and social health of the Steens Mountain area in Harney County, Oregon.
“(2)
To designate the Steens Mountain Wilderness Area.
“(3)
To designate the Steens Mountain Cooperative Management and Protection Area.
“(4)
To provide for the acquisition of private lands through exchange for inclusion in the Wilderness Area and the Cooperative Management and Protection Area.
“(5)
To provide for and expand cooperative management activities between public and private landowners in the vicinity of the Wilderness Area and surrounding lands.
“(6)
To authorize the purchase of land and development and nondevelopment rights.
“(7)
To designate additional components of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System.
“(8)
To establish a reserve for redband trout and a wildlands juniper management area.
“(9)
To establish a citizens’ management advisory council for the Cooperative Management and Protection Area.
“(10)
To maintain and enhance cooperative and innovative management practices between the public and private land managers in the Cooperative Management and Protection Area.
“(11)
To promote viable and sustainable grazing and recreation operations on private and public lands.
“(12)
To conserve, protect, and manage for healthy watersheds and the long-term ecological integrity of Steens Mountain.
“(13)
To authorize only such uses on Federal lands in the Cooperative Management and Protection Area that are consistent with the purposes of this Act.”
, , , provided that: