Findings

Congress finds as follows: (1)The tourism industry that is driven by the Ozark National Scenic Riverways is the economic backbone of the surrounding area. Promoting tourism and public access to Federal lands goes hand-in-hand. (2)The Ozark National Scenic Riverways should be managed primarily to preserve and protect the historical recreational uses of the river, including canoeing, kayaking, floating, horseback riding, camping, boating, fishing, trapping, hiking, gigging, swimming, hunting, and other recreational activities that have been performed within the park since its creation.

Administration of Ozark National Scenic Riverways

Public Law 88–492 (16 U.S.C. 460m et seq.) is amended as follows: (1)In section 1, by inserting preservation of historical recreational activities, after caves,. (2)In section 5, by adding at the end the following:

(c)

Zones

Except as provided by subsection (b), the Secretary may not designate management zones in the Ozark National Scenic Riverways, including but not limited to Developed, Resource-based Recreation, Natural, Primitive, Mixed-use River, Seasonal Mixed-Use River, and Nonmotorized River zones. (d)

Horseback riding

The Secretary shall manage the Ozark National Scenic Riverways in a manner that allows the public to engage in recreational horseback riding in areas of the park traditionally used for that purpose. (e)

Access to the river

The Secretary shall manage the Ozark National Scenic Riverways in a manner that— (1)allows maximum public access points to the riverways within the park for traditional recreational activities such as fishing, canoeing, kayaking, boating, swimming, gigging, and floating; (2)does not require a permit for a river baptism; (3)does not include the Ozark National Scenic Riverways as part of a National Blueway, or other similar program, as described in Secretarial Order No. 3321 issued by the Secretary of the Interior on May 24, 2012, with respect to the establishment of a National Blueways System; and (4)does not manage lands within the Ozark National Scenic Riverways as though they were specifically designated as wilderness by Federal law absent such a designation. (f)

Use of motorized vessels

The Secretary— (1)shall manage the Ozark National Scenic Riverways to allow the use of motorized vessels in a manner that is not more restrictive than the use restrictions in effect on November 21, 2013; and (2)may manage the Ozark National Scenic Riverways to allow the use of motorized vessels in a manner that is less restrictive than the use restrictions in effect on November 21, 2013. (g)

Congressional wilderness designation

No area contained within the Ozark National Scenic Riverways shall be eligible for congressional wilderness designation under the Wilderness Act of 1964 (Public Law 88–577).

(3)By amending section 6 to read as follows:

Administration

The Secretary— (1)shall manage the Ozark National Scenic Riverways in a manner that is not more restrictive than the provisions of the general management plan for the Ozark National Scenic Riverways in effect on November 21, 2013, to the extent that those provisions are consistent with the Act and other applicable Federal law; and (2)may manage The Ozark National Scenic Riverways in a manner that is less restrictive than the provisions of the general management plan for the Ozark National Scenic Riverways in effect on November 21, 2013, to the extent that those provisions are consistent with the Act and other applicable Federal law.