[Congressional Bills 105th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4144 Introduced in House (IH)]
105th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 4144
To ensure the protection of natural, cultural, and historical resources
in Cumberland Island National Seashore and Cumberland Island Wilderness
in the State of Georgia.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
June 25, 1998
Mr. Kingston introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Resources
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To ensure the protection of natural, cultural, and historical resources
in Cumberland Island National Seashore and Cumberland Island Wilderness
in the State of Georgia.
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 ``Cumberland Island Preservation
Act''.
SEC. 2. CUMBERLAND ISLAND NATIONAL SEASHORE AND CUMBERLAND ISLAND
WILDERNESS, GEORGIA.
(a) Boundary Adjustments for Land Exchange.--
(1) Exclusion of conveyed lands.--If the proposed land
exchange described in subsection (b) is agreed to by the
Secretary of the Interior, any lands to be conveyed by the
United States as part of the land exchange shall be excluded
from the boundaries of the Cumberland Island Wilderness or
potential wilderness area designated by section 2 of Public Law
97-250 (96 Stat. 709; 16 U.S.C. 1132 note).
(2) Inclusion of acquired lands.--All lands acquired by the
United States as part of the land exchange described in
subsection (b) shall be included in, and managed as part of,
the Cumberland Island Wilderness designated by section 2 of
Public Law 97-250 (96 Stat. 709; 16 U.S.C. 1132 note). Upon
acquisition of the lands, the Secretary of the Interior shall
adjust the boundaries of the Cumberland Island Wilderness to
include the acquired lands.
(b) Description of Land Exchange.--The land exchange referred to in
subsection (a) is a land exchange with regard to Cumberland Island
National Seashore, which is established under Public Law 92-536 (16
U.S.C. 459i et seq.), and Cumberland Island Wilderness that is being
negotiated by the Secretary of the Interior with the Nature Conservancy
and High Point, Inc., for the purpose of acquiring privately owned
lands on Cumberland Island, which have substantial wilderness
characteristics, in exchange for Federal lands located at the north end
of the island.
(c) Treatment of Main Road.--
(1) Findings.--The main road at Cumberland Island National
Seashore is included on the register of national historic
places. The continued existence and use of the main road, as
well as a spur road that provides access to Plum Orchard
mansion at Cumberland Island National Seashore, is necessary
for maintenance and access to the natural, cultural, and
historical resources of Cumberland Island National Seashore.
The inclusion of these roads both on the register of national
historic places and in the Cumberland Island Wilderness or
potential wilderness area is incompatible and causes competing
mandates on the Secretary of the Interior for management.
(2) Exclusion from wilderness.--The main road on Cumberland
Island (as described on the register of national historic
places), the spur road that provides access to Plum Orchard
mansion, and such limited area on each side of these roads as
the Secretary of the Interior considers necessary, are hereby
excluded from the boundaries of the Cumberland Island
Wilderness and the potential wilderness area designated by
section 2 of Public Law 97-250 (96 Stat. 709; 16 U.S.C. 1132
note).
(3) Effect of exclusion.--Nothing in this subsection shall
be construed to affect the inclusion of the main road on the
register of national historic places or the authority of the
Secretary of the Interior to impose reasonable restrictions on
the use of the main road or spur road to minimize any adverse
impacts on the Cumberland Island Wilderness or potential
wilderness area.
(d) Restoration of Plum Orchard Mansion.--
(1) Restoration required.--Using funds appropriated
pursuant to the authorization of appropriations in paragraph
(4), the Secretary of the Interior shall restore Plum Orchard
mansion at Cumberland Island National Seashore so that the
condition of the restored mansion is at least equal to the
condition of the mansion when it was donated to the United
States. The Secretary may also accept donations of money and
in-kind contributions for the purpose of restoring the mansion.
(2) Subsequent maintenance.--The Secretary of the Interior
shall endeavor to enter into an agreement with public and
private persons to provide for the maintenance of Plum Orchard
mansion following its restoration.
(3) Restoration plan.--Not later than 180 days after the
date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of the
Interior shall submit to Congress a comprehensive plan for the
repair, stabilization, and restoration of Plum Orchard mansion
to the condition the mansion was in when acquired by the United
States.
(4) Authorization of appropriations.--There is authorized
to be appropriated such sums as are necessary for the
restoration of Plum Orchard mansion under paragraph (1).
(e) Archaeological and Historic Sites.--The Secretary of the
Interior shall identify, document, and protect archaeological sites
located on Federal land within Cumberland Island National Seashore. The
Secretary shall prepare and implement a plan to preserve designated
national historic sites within the seashore.
(f) Designation of Additional Wilderness Area.--
(1) Designation.--In furtherance of the purposes of the
Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. 1131 et seq.), a parcel of Federal
lands within Cumberland Island National Seashore, which
comprises approximately ____ acres on the southern portion of
Cumberland Island, as depicted on the map entitled ``Cumberland
Island Wilderness Addition, Proposed'', dated ________, 1998,
is hereby designated as wilderness and therefore as a component
of the National Wilderness Preservation System.
(2) Administration.--The parcel designated by paragraph (1)
shall be administered by the Secretary of the Interior in
accordance with the Wilderness Act as part of the Cumberland
Island Wilderness designated by section 2 of Public Law 97-250
(96 Stat. 709; 16 U.S.C. 1132 note). The Secretary shall adjust
the boundaries of the Cumberland Island Wilderness to include
the parcel.
(3) Existing rights and uses.--The designation of the
wilderness area under paragraph (1) shall be subject to valid
existing rights and pre-existing uses of the designated parcel.
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