[Congressional Bills 106th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5414 Introduced in House (IH)]

  2d Session
                                H. R. 5414

To promote global efforts to protect biological diversity by protecting 
   the Tongass Rain Forest, the United States largest temperate rain 
                    forest, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            October 6, 2000

  Mr. Filner introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                         Committee on Resources

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To promote global efforts to protect biological diversity by protecting 
   the Tongass Rain Forest, the United States largest temperate rain 
                    forest, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    (a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``Tongass Rain 
Forest Protection Act''.
    (b) Findings.--Congress finds the following:
            (1) Rain forests constitute a unique reserve of biological 
        resources.
            (2) Biological diversity depends on protecting the habitats 
        of animal and plant species in rain forests around the world.
            (3) United States leadership in urging other countries to 
        protect tropical rain forests is undermined by policies that 
        subsidize the destruction of publicly owned pristine temperate 
        rain forests.
            (4) The Tongass National Forest in Alaska is the largest 
        temperate rain forest in the United States.
            (5) The protection of pristine and old growth forests 
        within the Tongass National Forest will help conserve the 
        United States biological diversity and enhance the credibility 
        of the United States efforts to conserve biological diversity 
        globally.
            (6) To the maximum extent possible, the Tongass National 
        Forest in the State of Alaska should provide an undisturbed 
        habitat for its many animal and plant species, including but 
        not limited to bears, eagles, wolves, trumpeter swans, 
        goshawks, whales, and salmon.
    (c) Protection of Animal and Plant Habitats.--Except as provided in 
contracts or leases that are in force on the date of the enactment of 
this Act, no activities shall be allowed within the Tongass National 
Forest that disturb or destroy the habitat of indigenous animal and 
plant species. Activities that are prohibited under this subsection 
include but are not limited to the following:
            (1) Construction of new roads.
            (2) Mining or extraction of minerals.
            (3) Logging.
    (d) Wilderness Designation.--In accordance with the Wilderness Act 
(16 U.S.C. 1131 et seq.), all inventoried roadless areas within the 
Tongass National Forest are designated as wilderness areas and as 
components of the National Wilderness Preservation System.
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