[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4944 Introduced in House (IH)]






108th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 4944

To designate the Ice Age Floods National Geologic Trail, and for other 
                               purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             July 22, 2004

   Mr. Hastings of Washington (for himself, Mr. Otter, Ms. Dunn, Ms. 
  Hooley of Oregon, Mr. Nethercutt, Mr. DeFazio, Mr. Blumenauer, Mr. 
   Walden of Oregon, Mr. Inslee, Mr. Simpson, Mr. Wu, and Mr. Baird) 
 introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on 
                               Resources

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To designate the Ice Age Floods National Geologic Trail, 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 ``Ice Age Floods National Geologic 
Trail Designation Act of 2004''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSE.

    (a) Findings.--Congress finds the following:
            (1) At the end of the last Ice Age, some 12,000 to 17,000 
        years ago, a series of cataclysmic floods occurred in what is 
        now the northwest region of the United States, leaving a 
        lasting mark of dramatic and distinguishing features on the 
        landscape of parts of Montana, Idaho, Washington and Oregon.
            (2) Geological features that have exceptional value and 
        quality to illustrate and interpret this extraordinary natural 
        phenomenon are present on many Federal, State, tribal, county, 
        municipal, and non-governmental lands in the region.
            (3) In 2001, a joint study team headed by the National Park 
        Service that included about 70 members from public and private 
        entities completed a study endorsing the establishment of an 
        Ice Age Floods National Geologic Trail to recognize the 
        national significance of this phenomenon and to coordinate 
        public and private sector entities in the presentation of the 
        story of the Ice Age Floods.
    (b) Purpose.--The purpose of this Act is to designate the Ice Age 
Floods National Geologic Trail in the States of Montana, Idaho, 
Washington, and Oregon, enabling the public to view, experience, and 
learn about the Ice Age Floods' features and story through the 
collaborative efforts of public and private entities.

SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

     As used in this Act:
            (1) Trail.--The term ``Trail'' means the Ice Age Floods 
        National Geologic Trail designated in section 4.
            (2) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of the Interior.
            (3) Floods.--The term ``Ice Age Floods'' or ``floods'' 
        means the cataclysmic floods that occurred in what is now the 
        northwestern United States during the last Ice Age primarily 
        from massive, rapid and recurring drainage of Glacial Lake 
        Missoula.

SEC. 4. ICE AGE FLOODS NATIONAL GEOLOGIC TRAIL.

    (a) Designation.--In order to provide for public appreciation, 
understanding, and enjoyment of the nationally significant natural and 
cultural features of the Ice Age Floods, and to promote collaborative 
efforts for interpretation and education among public and private 
entities located along the pathways of the floods, there is designated 
the Ice Age Floods National Geologic Trail.
    (b) Location.--The route of the Trail shall generally follow public 
roads and highways from the vicinity of Missoula in western Montana, 
across northern Idaho, through eastern and southern sections of 
Washington, and across northern Oregon in the vicinity of the 
Willamette Valley and the Columbia River to the Pacific Ocean as 
generally depicted on the map entitled ``Ice Age Floods National 
Geologic Trail,'' numbered_______, and dated______.
    (c) Maps.--
            (1) Revisions.--The Secretary may revise the map by 
        publication in the Federal Register of a notice of availability 
        of a new map as part of the Cooperative Management and 
        Interpretation Plan for the Trail required under section 5(f).
            (2) Availability.--Any map referred to in paragraph (1) 
        shall be on file and available for public inspection in the 
        appropriate offices of the National Park Service.

SEC. 5. ADMINISTRATION.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary, acting through the Director of the 
National Park Service, shall administer the Trail in accordance with 
this Act.
    (b) Trail Management Office.--In order for the National Park 
Service to manage the Trail and coordinate Trail activities with other 
public agencies and private entities, the Secretary may establish and 
operate a Trail management office within the vicinity of the Trail.
    (c) Interagency Technical Committee.--The Secretary shall establish 
an interagency technical committee to advise the trail management 
office in technical planning for the development of the Cooperative 
Management and Interpretation Plan. The interagency technical 
committee--
            (1) shall include representation from the local, State, 
        tribal, and Federal governments with interests in the floods 
        and representation from the Ice Age Floods Institute; and
            (2) may include private property owners, business owners, 
        and nonprofit organizations.
    (d) Trail Advisory Committee.--The Secretary shall establish and 
maintain a trail advisory committee comprised of individuals appointed 
by public land management agencies, local, State, and tribal 
governments, private citizens, and interested nonprofit organizations, 
including the Ice Age Floods Institute. The trail advisory committee 
shall assist the Trail manager and staff with the operation of the 
Trail.
    (e) Management Plan.--Not later than 3 years after funds are made 
available for this purpose, the Secretary shall prepare a Cooperative 
Management and Interpretation Plan for the Trail in consultation with 
State, local, and tribal governments, the Ice Age Floods Institute, 
private property owners, and other interested parties. The Cooperative 
Management and Interpretation Plan shall--
            (1) describe strategies for the coordinated development of 
        the Trail, including an interpretive plan for facilities, 
        waysides, roadside pullouts, exhibits, media, and programs that 
        would present the floods' story to the public effectively;
            (2) identify potential partnering opportunities in the 
        development of interpretive facilities and educational programs 
        to educate the public about the story of the flood;
            (3) confirm and, if appropriate, expand upon the inventory 
        of floods' features contained in the National Park Service 
        study entitled ``Ice Age Floods, Study of Alternatives and 
        Environmental Assessment'' (February, 2001) by locating 
        features more accurately, improving the description of 
        features, and reevaluating the features in terms of their 
        interpretive potential; and
            (4) review and, if appropriate, modify the map of the Trail 
        referred to in section 4(b)(1).
    (f) Land Acquisition.--The Secretary may acquire not more than 25 
acres of land for public information and administrative purposes to 
facilitate the geographic diversity of the entire trail throughout 
Montana, Idaho, Washington and Oregon. Such acquisitions shall be 
consistent with the Cooperative Management and Interpretation Plan. Of 
these 25 acres, private land may be acquired from willing sellers only 
by exchange, donation, or purchase with donated or appropriated funds. 
Non-Federal public lands may be acquired from willing sellers only by 
donation or exchange and only after consultation with the affected 
local governments.
    (g) Interpretive Facilities.--The Secretary may plan, design, and 
construct interpretive facilities for sites associated with the Trail 
if the facilities are constructed in partnership with State, local, 
tribal, or non-profit entities and are consistent with the Cooperative 
Management and Interpretation Plan.
    (h) Private Property Rights.--Nothing in this Act shall be 
construed to require any private property owner to allow public access 
(including Federal, State or local government access) to such private 
property or to modify any provision of Federal, State or local law with 
regard to public access to or use of private lands.
    (i) Liability.--Designation of the trail shall not be considered to 
create any liability or to have any effect on any liability under any 
law of any private property owner with respect to any persons injured 
on such private property.
    (j) Cooperative Management.--In order to facilitate the development 
of coordinated interpretation, education, resource stewardship, visitor 
facility development and operation, and scientific research associated 
with the Trail, and to promote more efficient administration of the 
sites associated with the Trail, the Secretary may enter into 
cooperative management agreements with appropriate officials in 
Montana, Idaho, Washington, and Oregon in accordance with the authority 
provided for units of the National Park System under section 3(l) of 
Public Law 91-383 (112 Stat. 3522; 16 U.S.C. 1a-2). For purposes of 
this subsection only, the Trail shall be considered a unit of the 
National Park System.
    (k) Cooperative Agreements.--The Secretary is authorized to enter 
into cooperative agreements with public or private entities to further 
the purposes of this Act.
    (l) United States Geological Survey.--The Secretary shall use the 
United States Geological Survey to assist the Interagency Technical 
Committee and the National Park Service carry out this Act.
    (m) Regulations Prohibited.--The Secretary may not promulgate 
regulations specifically for management of the Trail.

SEC. 6. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

     There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be 
necessary to carry out this Act. Not more than $500,000 of funds 
appropriated for this Act may be used in each fiscal year for 
administration of the Trail.
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