[Congressional Bills 106th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2773 Placed on Calendar Senate (PCS)]
Calendar No. 711
106th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 2773
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
July 25, 2000
Received; read twice and placed on the calendar
_______________________________________________________________________
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:
JEFF TRANDAHL,
Clerk.
Calendar No. 711
106th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 2773
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
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.
_______________________________________________________________________
July 25, 2000
Received; read twice and placed on the calendar