[Congressional Bills 106th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2773 Engrossed in House (EH)]


  2d Session

                               H. R. 2773

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 AN ACT

 To amend the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act to designate the Wekiva River 
and its tributaries of Wekiwa Springs Run, Rock Springs Run, and Black 
Water Creek in the State of Florida as components of the national wild 
                       and scenic rivers system.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
106th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 2773

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 AN ACT


 
 To amend the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act to designate the Wekiva River 
and its tributaries of Wekiwa Springs Run, Rock Springs Run, and Black 
Water Creek in the State of Florida as components of the national wild 
                       and scenic rivers system.

    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 ``Wekiva Wild and Scenic River Act of 
2000''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    The Congress finds the following:
            (1) Public Law 104-311 (110 Stat. 3818) amended section 5 
        of the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act (16 U.S.C. 1276) to require 
        the study of the Wekiva River and its tributaries of Rock 
        Springs Run and Seminole Creek for potential inclusion in the 
        national wild and scenic rivers system.
            (2) The study determined that the Wekiva River, Wekiwa 
        Springs Run, Rock Springs Run, and Black Water Creek are 
        eligible for inclusion in the national wild and scenic rivers 
        system.
            (3) The State of Florida has demonstrated its commitment to 
        protecting these rivers and streams by the enactment of the 
        Wekiva River Protection Act (Florida Statute chapter 369), by 
        the establishment of a riparian wildlife protection zone and 
        water quality protection zone by the St. Johns River Water 
        Management District, and by the acquisition of lands adjacent 
        to these rivers and streams for conservation purposes.
            (4) The Florida counties of Lake, Seminole, and Orange have 
        demonstrated their commitment to protect these rivers and 
        streams in their comprehensive land use plans and land 
        development regulations.
            (5) The desire for designation of these rivers and streams 
        as components of the national wild and scenic rivers system has 
        been demonstrated through strong public support, State and 
        local agency support, and the endorsement of designation by the 
        Wekiva River Basin Ecosystem Working Group, which represents a 
        broad cross section of State and local agencies, landowners, 
        environmentalists, nonprofit organizations, and recreational 
        users.
            (6) The entire lengths of the Wekiva River, Rock Springs 
        Run, and Black Water Creek are held in public ownership or 
        conservation easements or are defined as waters of the State of 
        Florida.

SEC. 3. DESIGNATION OF WEKIVA RIVER AND TRIBUTARIES, FLORIDA, AS 
              COMPONENTS OF NATIONAL WILD AND SCENIC RIVERS SYSTEM.

    Section 3(a) of the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act (16 U.S.C. 1274(a)) 
is amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
    ``(161) Wekiva River, Wekiwa Springs Run, Rock Springs Run, and 
Black Water Creek, Florida.--The 41.6-mile segments referred to in this 
paragraph, to be administered by the Secretary of the Interior:
            ``(A) Wekiva river and wekiwa springs run.--The 14.9 miles 
        of the Wekiva River, along Wekiwa Springs Run from its 
        confluence with the St. Johns River to Wekiwa Springs, to be 
        administered in the following classifications:
                    ``(i) From the confluence with the St. Johns River 
                to the southern boundary of the Lower Wekiva River 
                State Preserve, approximately 4.4 miles, as a wild 
                river.
                    ``(ii) From the southern boundary of the Lower 
                Wekiva River State Preserve to the northern boundary of 
                Rock Springs State Reserve at the Wekiva River, 
                approximately 3.4 miles, as a recreational river.
                    ``(iii) From the northern boundary of Rock Springs 
                State Reserve at the Wekiva River to the southern 
                boundary of Rock Springs State Reserve at the Wekiva 
                River, approximately 5.9 miles, as a wild river.
                    ``(iv) From the southern boundary of Rock Springs 
                State Reserve at the Wekiva River upstream along Wekiwa 
                Springs Run to Wekiwa Springs, approximately 1.2 miles, 
                as a recreational river.
            ``(B) Rock springs run.--The 8.8 miles from the confluence 
        of Rock Springs Run with the Wekiwa Springs Run forming the 
        Wekiva River to its headwaters at Rock Springs, to be 
        administered in the following classifications:
                    ``(i) From the confluence with Wekiwa Springs Run 
                to the western boundary of Rock Springs Run State 
                Reserve at Rock Springs Run, approximately 6.9 miles, 
                as a wild river.
                    ``(ii) From the western boundary of Rock Springs 
                Run State Reserve at Rock Springs Run to Rock Springs, 
                approximately 1.9 miles, as a recreational river.
            ``(C) Black water creek.--The 17.9 miles from the 
        confluence of Black Water Creek with the Wekiva River to 
        outflow from Lake Norris, to be administered in the following 
        classifications:
                    ``(i) From the confluence with the Wekiva River to 
                approximately .25 mile downstream of the Seminole State 
                Forest road crossing, approximately 4.1 miles, as a 
                wild river.
                    ``(ii) From approximately .25 mile downstream of 
                the Seminole State Forest road to approximately .25 
                mile upstream of the Seminole State Forest road 
                crossing, approximately .5 mile, as a scenic river.
                    ``(iii) From approximately .25 mile upstream of the 
                Seminole State Forest road crossing to approximately 
                .25 mile downstream of the old railroad grade crossing 
                (approximately River Mile 9), approximately 4.4 miles, 
                as a wild river.
                    ``(iv) From approximately .25 mile downstream of 
                the old railroad grade crossing (approximately River 
                Mile 9), upstream to the boundary of Seminole State 
                Forest (approximately River Mile 10.6), approximately 
                1.6 miles, as a scenic river.
                    ``(v) From the boundary of Seminole State Forest 
                (approximately River Mile 10.6) to approximately .25 
                mile downstream of the State Road 44 crossing, 
                approximately .9 mile, as a wild river.
                    ``(vi) From approximately .25 mile downstream of 
                State Road 44 to approximately .25 mile upstream of the 
                State Road 44A crossing, approximately .6 mile, as a 
                recreational river.
                    ``(vii) From approximately .25 mile upstream of the 
                State Road 44A crossing to approximately .25 mile 
                downstream of the Lake Norris Road crossing, 
                approximately 4.7 miles, as a wild river.
                    ``(viii) From approximately .25 mile downstream of 
                the Lake Norris Road crossing to the outflow from Lake 
                Norris, approximately 1.1 miles, as a recreational 
                river.''.

SEC. 4. SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS APPLICABLE TO WEKIVA RIVER AND 
              TRIBUTARIES.

    (a) Definitions.--In this section and section 5:
            (1) Wekiva river system.--The term ``Wekiva River system'' 
        means the segments of the Wekiva River, Wekiwa Springs Run, 
        Rock Springs Run, and Black Water Creek in the State of Florida 
        designated as components of the national wild and scenic rivers 
        system by paragraph (161) of section 3(a) of the Wild and 
        Scenic Rivers Act (16 U.S.C. 1274(a)), as added by this Act.
            (2) Committee.--The term ``Committee'' means the Wekiva 
        River System Advisory Management Committee established pursuant 
        to section 5.
            (3) Comprehensive management plan.--The terms 
        ``comprehensive management plan'' and ``plan'' mean the 
        comprehensive management plan to be developed pursuant to 
        section 3(d) of the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act (16 U.S.C. 
        1274(d)).
            (4) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of the Interior.
    (b) Cooperative Agreements.--
            (1) Use authorized.--In order to provide for the long-term 
        protection, preservation, and enhancement of the Wekiva River 
        system, the Secretary shall offer to enter into cooperative 
        agreements pursuant to sections 10(e) and 11(b)(1) of the Wild 
        and Scenic Rivers Act (16 U.S.C. 1281(e), 1282(b)(1)) with the 
        State of Florida, appropriate local political jurisdictions of 
        the State, namely the counties of Lake, Orange, and Seminole, 
        and appropriate local planning and environmental organizations.
            (2) Effect of agreement.--Administration by the Secretary 
        of the Wekiva River system through the use of cooperative 
        agreements shall not constitute National Park Service 
        administration of the Wekiva River system for purposes of 
        section 10(c) of such Act (10 U.S.C. 1281(c)) and shall not 
        cause the Wekiva River system to be considered as being a unit 
        of the National Park System. Publicly owned lands within the 
        boundaries of the Wekiva River system shall continue to be 
        managed by the agency having jurisdiction over the lands, in 
        accordance with the statutory authority and mission of the 
        agency.
    (c) Compliance Review.--After completion of the comprehensive 
management plan, the Secretary shall biennially review compliance with 
the plan and shall promptly report to the Committee on Resources of the 
House of Representatives and the Committee on Energy and Natural 
Resources of the Senate any deviation from the plan that could result 
in any diminution of the values for which the Wekiva River system was 
designated as a component of the national wild and scenic rivers 
system.
    (d) Technical Assistance and Other Support.--The Secretary may 
provide technical assistance, staff support, and funding to assist in 
the development and implementation of the comprehensive management 
plan.
    (e) Limitation on Federal Support.--Nothing in this section shall 
be construed to authorize funding for land acquisition, facility 
development, or operations.

SEC. 5. WEKIVA RIVER SYSTEM ADVISORY MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE.

    (a) Establishment.--The Secretary shall establish an advisory 
committee, to be known as the Wekiva River System Advisory Management 
Committee, to assist in the development of the comprehensive management 
plan for the Wekiva River system.
    (b) Membership.--The Committee shall be composed of a 
representative of each of the following agencies and organizations:
            (1) The Department of the Interior, represented by the 
        Director of the National Park Service or the Director's 
        designee.
            (2) The East Central Florida Regional Planning Council.
            (3) The Florida Department of Environmental Protection, 
        Division of Recreation and Parks.
            (4) The Florida Department of Environmental Protection, 
        Wekiva River Aquatic Preserve.
            (5) The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer 
        Services, Division of Forestry, Seminole State Forest.
            (6) The Florida Audubon Society.
            (7) The nonprofit organization known as the Friends of the 
        Wekiva.
            (8) The Lake County Water Authority.
            (9) The Lake County Planning Department.
            (10) The Orange County Parks and Recreation Department, 
        Kelly Park.
            (11) The Seminole County Planning Department.
            (12) The St. Johns River Water Management District.
            (13) The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
            (14) The City of Altamonte Springs.
            (15) The City of Longwood.
            (16) The City of Apopka.
            (17) The Florida Farm Bureau Federation.
            (18) The Florida Forestry Association.
    (c) Additional Members.--Other interested parties may be added to 
the Committee by request to the Secretary and unanimous consent of the 
existing members.
    (d) Appointment.--Representatives and alternates to the Committee 
shall be appointed as follows:
            (1) State agency representatives, by the head of the 
        agency.
            (2) County representatives, by the Boards of County 
        Commissioners.
            (3) Water management district, by the Governing Board.
            (4) Department of the Interior representative, by the 
        Southeast Regional Director, National Park Service.
            (5) East Central Florida Regional Planning Council, by 
        Governing Board.
            (6) Other organizations, by the Southeast Regional 
        Director, National Park Service.
    (e) Role of Committee.--The Committee shall assist in the 
development of the comprehensive management plan for the Wekiva River 
system and provide advice to the Secretary in carrying out the 
management responsibilities of the Secretary under this Act. The 
Committee shall have an advisory role only, it will not have regulatory 
or land acquisition authority.
    (f) Voting and Committee Procedures.--Each member agency, agency 
division, or organization referred to in subsection (b) shall have one 
vote and provide one member and one alternate. Committee decisions and 
actions will be made with consent of three-fourths of all voting 
members. Additional necessary Committee procedures shall be developed 
as part of the comprehensive management plan.

SEC. 6. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be 
necessary to carry out this Act and paragraph (161) of section 3(a) of 
the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act (16 U.S.C. 1274(a)), as added by this 
Act.

            Passed the House of Representatives July 24, 2000.

            Attest:

                                                                 Clerk.