§ 410hhh — Findings

Congress finds that— (1) the Great Sand Dunes National Monument in the State of Colorado was established by Presidential proclamation in 1932 to preserve Federal land containing spectacular and unique sand dunes and additional features of scenic, scientific, and educational interest for the benefit and enjoyment of future generations; (2) the Great Sand Dunes, together with the associated sand sheet and adjacent wetland and upland, contain a variety of rare ecological, geological, paleontological, archaeological, scenic, historical, and wildlife components, which— (A) include the unique pulse flow characteristics of Sand Creek and Medano Creek that are integral to the existence of the dunes system; (B) interact to sustain the unique Great Sand Dunes system beyond the boundaries of the existing National Monument; (C) are enhanced by the serenity and rural western setting of the area; and (D) comprise a setting of irreplaceable national significance; (3) the Great Sand Dunes and adjacent land within the Great Sand Dunes National Monument— (A) provide extensive opportunities for educational activities, ecological research, and recreational activities; and (B) are publicly used for hiking, camping, and fishing, and for wilderness value (including solitude); (4) other public and private land adjacent to the Great Sand Dunes National Monument— (A) offers additional unique geological, hydrological, paleontological, scenic, scientific, educational, wildlife, and recreational resources; and (B) contributes to the protection of— (i) the sand sheet associated with the dune mass; (ii) the surface and ground water systems that are necessary to the preservation of the dunes and the adjacent wetland; and (iii) the wildlife, viewshed, and scenic qualities of the Great Sand Dunes National Monument; (5) some of the private land described in paragraph (4) contains important portions of the sand dune mass, the associated sand sheet, and unique alpine environments, which would be threatened by future development pressures; (6) the designation of a Great Sand Dunes National Park, which would encompass the existing Great Sand Dunes National Monument and additional land, would provide— (A) greater long-term protection of the geological, hydrological, paleontological, scenic, scientific, educational, wildlife, and recreational resources of the area (including the sand sheet associated with the dune mass and the ground water system on which the sand dune and wetland systems depend); and (B) expanded visitor use opportunities; (7) land in and adjacent to the Great Sand Dunes National Monument is— (A) recognized for the culturally diverse nature of the historical settlement of the area; (B) recognized for offering natural, ecological, wildlife, cultural, scenic, paleontological, wilderness, and recreational resources; and (C) recognized as being a fragile and irreplaceable ecological system that could be destroyed if not carefully protected; and (8) preservation of this diversity of resources would ensure the perpetuation of the entire ecosystem for the enjoyment of future generations.