[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3902 Introduced in House (IH)]






108th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 3902

 To amend the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act to designate portions of the 
  Musconetcong River in the State of New Jersey as a component of the 
    National Wild and Scenic Rivers System, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 4, 2004

  Mr. Garrett of New Jersey (for himself, Mr. Frelinghuysen, and Mr. 
  Ferguson) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                         Committee on Resources

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To amend the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act to designate portions of the 
  Musconetcong River in the State of New Jersey as a component of the 
    National Wild and Scenic Rivers System, 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.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Musconetcong Wild and Scenic Rivers 
Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds the following:
            (1) The Secretary of the Interior, in cooperation and 
        consultation with appropriate Federal, State, regional, and 
        local agencies, is conducting a study of the eligibility and 
        suitability of the Musconetcong River in the State of New 
        Jersey for inclusion in the Wild and Scenic Rivers System.
            (2) The Musconetcong Wild and Scenic River Study Task Force 
        has prepared, with assistance from the National Park Service, a 
        river management plan for the study area entitled 
        ``Musconetcong River Management Plan'' and dated April 2002, 
        which establishes goals and actions that will ensure long-term 
        protection of the outstanding values of the river and 
        compatible management of land and water resources associated 
        with the river.
            (3) Thirteen municipalities and three counties along 
        segments of the Musconetcong River eligible for designation 
        have passed resolutions supporting the Musconetcong River 
        Management Plan, agreeing to take action to implement the goals 
        of the plan, and endorsing designation of the river.

SEC. 3. DESIGNATION OF PORTIONS OF MUSCONETCONG RIVER, NEW JERSEY, AS 
              SCENIC AND RECREATIONAL RIVERS.

    (a) Designation.--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:
    ``(__) Musconetcong river, new jersey.--(A) The 24.2 miles of river 
segments in New Jersey, to be administered by the Secretary of the 
Interior, consisting of--
            ``(i) the segment from Saxton Falls to the Route 46 bridge 
        (approximately 3.5 miles), as a scenic river; and
            ``(ii) the segment from the Kings Highway bridge to the 
        railroad tunnels at Musconetcong Gorge (approximately 20.7 
        miles), as a recreational river.
    ``(B) Notwithstanding section 10(c), the river segments referred to 
in subparagraph (A) shall not be administered as part of the National 
Park System.''.
    (b) Management of Segments.--
            (1) Compliance with management plan.--The Secretary of the 
        Interior shall manage the segments of the Musconetcong River, 
        New Jersey, designated as a scenic river or recreational river 
        by the amendment made by subsection (a) in accordance with the 
        river management plan entitled ``Musconetcong River Management 
        Plan'' and dated April 2002, prepared by the Musconetcong River 
        Management Committee, the National Park Service, the Heritage 
        Conservancy, and the Musconetcong Watershed Association, which 
        establishes goals and actions that will ensure long-term 
        protection of the outstanding values of the river segments and 
        compatible management of land and water resources associated 
        with the river segments.
            (2) Cooperation.--The Secretary shall manage the river 
        segments in cooperation with appropriate Federal, State, 
        regional, and local agencies, including--
                    (A) the Musconetcong River Management Committee;
                    (B) the Musconetcong Watershed Association;
                    (C) the Heritage Conservancy;
                    (D) the National Park Service; and
                    (E) the New Jersey Department of Environmental 
                Protection.
    (c) Satisfaction of Requirements for Plan.--The management plan 
shall be considered to satisfy the requirements for a comprehensive 
management plan for the river segments under subsection 3(d) of the 
Wild and Scenic Rivers Act (16 U.S.C. 1274(d)).
    (d) Federal Role.--
            (1) Restrictions on water resource projects.--In 
        determining under section 7(a) of the Wild and Scenic Rivers 
        Act (16 U.S.C. 1278(a)) whether a proposed water resources 
        project would have a direct and adverse effect on the values 
        for which a river segment is designated as part of the Wild and 
        Scenic Rivers System, the Secretary shall consider the extent 
        to which the project is consistent with the management plan.
            (2) Cooperative agreements.--Any cooperative agreements 
        entered into under section 10(e) of the Wild and Scenic Rivers 
        Act (16 U.S.C. 1281(e)) relating to a river segment--
                    (A) shall be consistent with the management plan; 
                and
                    (B) may include provisions for financial or other 
                assistance from the United States to facilitate the 
                long-term protection, conservation, and enhancement of 
                the river segment.
            (3) Support for implementation.--The Secretary may provide 
        technical assistance, staff support, and funding to assist in 
        the implementation of the management plan.
    (e) Land Management.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary may provide planning, 
        financial, and technical assistance to local municipalities and 
        non-profit organizations to assist in the implementation of 
        actions to protect the natural and historic resources of the 
        river segments.
            (2) Plan requirements.--After adoption of recommendations 
        made in section IV of the management plan, the zoning 
        ordinances of the municipalities bordering the segments shall 
        be considered to satisfy the standards and requirements under 
        section 6(c) of the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act (16 U.S.C. 
        1277(c)).
    (f) Designation of Additional River Segment.--
            (1) Finding.--Congress finds that the Musconetcong River 
        segment ``C'' as described in the management plan is suitable 
        for designation as a recreational river under this subsection 
        if there is adequate local support for the designation as 
        determined by the Secretary.
            (2) Designation and administration.--If the Secretary 
        determines that there is adequate local support for designating 
        the additional river segment as a recreational river--
                    (A) the Secretary shall publish in the Federal 
                Register a notice of the designation of the segment;
                    (B) the segment shall thereby be designated as a 
                recreational river in accordance with the Wild and 
                Scenic Rivers Act (16 U.S.C. 1271 et seq.); and
                    (C) the Secretary shall administer the additional 
                river segment as a recreational river.
            (3) Criteria for local support.--In determining whether 
        there is adequate local support for the designation of the 
        additional river segment, the Secretary shall consider, among 
        other things, the preferences of local governments expressed in 
        resolutions concerning designation of the segment.
    (g) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated such funds as are necessary to carry out this section, 
including the amendment to the Wild and Scenic River Act made by this 
section.
    (h) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Additional river segment.--The term ``additional river 
        segment'' means Musconetcong River segment ``C'', as described 
        in the management plan, from Hughesville Mill to the Delaware 
        River Confluence (approximately 4.3 miles).
            (2) Management plan.--The term ``management plan'' means 
        the river management plan entitled ``Musconetcong River 
        Management Plan'' and dated April 2002.
            (3) River segments.--The term ``river segments'' means the 
        segments of the Musconetcong River, New Jersey, designated as a 
        scenic river or recreational river by the amendment made by 
        subsection (a) in accordance with the management plan.
            (4) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of the Interior.
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