Santa Rita Public Lands Exchange Act of 1988

(Measure indefinitely postponed in Senate)

Santa Rita Public Lands Exchange Act of 1988 - Directs the Secretary of the Interior, acting through the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), to convey to the State of Arizona a portion of the lands in the Santa Rita Experiment Station lying outside of the National Forest System to satisfy the remaining Federal debt to Arizona for the Central Arizona Project.

Requires the Secretary to use the remaining lands in the Santa Rita Experiment Station to acquire lands within Catalina State Park and other specified State trust lands in Arizona in accordance with the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976.

Provides that lands in the Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge that are acquired in accordance with this Act shall be added to the National Wildlife Refuge System and managed in accordance with the National Wildlife Refuge System Act of 1966.

Requires certain lands near Lake Pleasant and within the Black Canyon Corridor that are acquired under this Act to be administered by the BLM in accordance with the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976.

Provides that lands in the Catalina State Park, Madera-Elephant Head Trail area, and Arivaca Lake area that are acquired pursuant to this Act shall be included in the Coronado National Forest. Modifies the exterior boundary of the National Forest to include such lands. Provides that the Catalina State Park lands shall be managed cooperatively by Arizona and Federal authorities for public access and recreation purposes. Withdraws such lands from: (1) entry, appropriation, or disposal under public land laws; (2) location, entry, and patent under Federal mining laws; and (3) disposition under all laws concerning mineral and geothermal leasing.

Provides that the lands added to the Coronado National Forest by this Act shall be administered under the laws applicable to National Forest System lands except that such lands shall be exempt from any further planning requirements of the National Forest Management Act of 1976 until the final 1986 plan for the National Forest is revised. Declares that future management direction for such lands will be determined as part of planning for the entire National Forest at the time of such revision.

Revokes executive and public land orders which withdrew the Santa Rita Experimental Range for a Forest and Range Experiment Station.

Withdraws specified lands in the National Forest from: (1) entry, appropriation, or disposal under public land laws; (2) location, entry, and patent under Federal mining laws; and (3) disposition under all laws concerning mineral and geothermal leasing. Requires such lands to be used for research purposes. Revokes a certain public land order which withdrew such lands for forest administrative sites.

Revokes executive and public land orders, which withdrew and established administrative jurisdiction for the Kofa National Wildlife Refuge, with respect to specified lands. Restricts use of such lands to those uses which will conserve, protect, and enhance the bighorn sheep and other wildlife and plant species contained on such lands. Places such lands under the jurisdiction of the BLM to be administered as public lands.

Designates certain portions of the New Water Mountains Wilderness to be part of the National Wilderness Preservation System. Releases specified lands as a part of such wilderness.

Incorporates specified lands into the Kofa National Wildlife Refuge.

Withdraws certain Federal lands of the Kofa National Wildlife Refuge and the New Water Mountains Wilderness from: (1) entry, appropriation, or disposal under public land laws; (2) location, entry, or patent under Federal mining laws; and (3) disposition under all laws concerning mineral and geothermal leasing.

Incorporates specified Federal lands into the Cabeza Prieta National Wildlife Refuge. Requires the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Defense to enter into a memorandum of understanding providing that such lands shall be managed pursuant to the Military Land Withdrawal Act of 1986.

Revokes certain orders which withdrew lands from the Colorado River Storage Project, for the Havasu National Wildlife Refuge, for the Imperial National Wildlife Refuge, and in aid of the Salt River Project. Requires all patents issued by the Secretary of the Interior for such lands to: (1) reserve a right-of-way to the Salt River Project for electric transmission lines and access purposes for specified portions of such lands; (2) exempt the United States and the Salt River Project from any liability for damages to such lands which may be caused by flooding; (3) hold the patentee liable to the United States or the Salt River Project for damages caused by the holder's activities which alter drainage and adversely affect adjacent lands, project facilities, or protective works of the United States or the Salt River Project; and (4) reserve a right-of-way to the United States for road purposes.

Adjusts certain boundaries of the Coronado National Forest.

Authorizes appropriations, including to provide for at least ten full-time equivalent employees of the BLM to perform resource management and law enforcement activities as a part of the administration of: (1) certain lands transferred from the Kofa National Wildlife Refuge to the BLM under this Act; and (2) BLM lands in the Black Canyon Corridor.