[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1975 Introduced in House (IH)]
109th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 1975
To designate additional National Forest System lands in the State of
Virginia as wilderness, to establish the Seng Mountain and Bear Creek
Scenic Areas, to provide for the development of trail plans for the
wilderness areas and scenic areas, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
April 28, 2005
Mr. Boucher (for himself, Mr. Moran of Virginia, Mr. Wolf, Mr. Tom
Davis of Virginia, and Mr. Scott of Virginia) introduced the following
bill; which was referred to the Committee on Agriculture, and in
addition to the Committee on Resources, for a period to be subsequently
determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such
provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To designate additional National Forest System lands in the State of
Virginia as wilderness, to establish the Seng Mountain and Bear Creek
Scenic Areas, to provide for the development of trail plans for the
wilderness areas and scenic areas, 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 ``Virginia Ridge and Valley Act of
2005''.
SEC. 2. DESIGNATION OF ADDITIONAL NATIONAL FOREST SYSTEM LANDS AS
WILDERNESS IN VIRGINIA.
Section 1 of the Act entitled ``An Act to designate certain
National Forest System lands in the States of Virginia and West
Virginia as wilderness areas'', approved June 7, 1988 (Public Law 100-
326; 16 U.S.C. 1132 note), as amended by Public Law 106-471 (114 Stat.
2057), is further amended--
(1) by striking ``and'' at the end of paragraph (7);
(2) by striking the period at the end of paragraph (8) and
inserting a semicolon; and
(3) by adding at the end the following new paragraphs:
``(9) certain lands in the Jefferson National Forest, which
comprise approximately 3,769 acres, as generally depicted on a
map entitled `Brush Mountain and Brush Mountain East', dated
March 23, 2005, and which shall be known as the Brush Mountain
East Wilderness;
``(10) certain lands in the Jefferson National Forest,
which comprise approximately 4,794 acres, as generally depicted
on a map entitled `Brush Mountain and Brush Mountain East',
dated March 23, 2005, and which shall be known as the Brush
Mountain Wilderness;
``(11) certain lands in the Jefferson National Forest,
which comprise approximately 4,223 acres, as generally depicted
on a map entitled `Seng Mountain and Raccoon Branch', dated
March 23, 2005, and which shall be known as the Raccoon Branch
Wilderness;
``(12) certain lands in the Jefferson National Forest,
which comprise approximately 3,270 acres, as generally depicted
on a map entitled `Stone Mountain', dated March 23, 2005, and
which shall be known as the Stone Mountain Wilderness;
``(13) certain lands in the Jefferson National Forest,
which comprise approximately 8,470 acres, as generally depicted
on a map entitled `Hunting Camp Creek and Garden Mountain',
dated March 23, 2005, and which shall be known as the Hunting
Camp Creek Wilderness;
``(14) certain lands in the Jefferson National Forest,
which comprise approximately 3,291 acres, as generally depicted
on a map entitled `Hunting Camp Creek and Garden Mountain',
dated March 23, 2005, and which shall be known as the Garden
Mountain Wilderness;
``(15) certain lands in the Jefferson National Forest,
which comprise approximately 3,226 acres, as generally depicted
on a map entitled `Lynn Camp Creek', dated March 23, 2005, and
which shall be known as the Lynn Camp Creek Wilderness;
``(16) certain lands in the Jefferson National Forest,
which comprise approximately 5,476 acres, as generally depicted
on a map entitled `Mountain Lake Additions', dated March 23,
2005, and which are hereby incorporated in the Mountain Lake
Wilderness;
``(17) certain lands in the Jefferson National Forest,
which comprise approximately 308 acres, as generally depicted
on a map entitled `Lewis Fork Addition and Little Wilson Creek
Additions', dated March 23, 2005, and which are hereby
incorporated in the Lewis Fork Wilderness;
``(18) certain lands in the Jefferson National Forest,
which comprise approximately 1,845 acres, as generally depicted
on a map entitled `Lewis Fork Addition and Little Wilson Creek
Additions', dated March 23, 2005, and which are hereby
incorporated in the Little Wilson Creek Wilderness;
``(19) certain lands in the Jefferson National Forest,
which comprise approximately 2,456 acres, as generally depicted
on a map entitled `Shawvers Run Additions', dated March 23,
2005, and which are hereby incorporated in the Shawvers Run
Wilderness;
``(20) certain lands in the Jefferson National Forest,
which comprise approximately 1,203 acres, as generally depicted
on a map entitled `Peters Mountain Addition', dated March 23,
2005, and which are hereby incorporated in the Peters Mountain
Wilderness; and
``(21) certain lands in the Jefferson National Forest,
which comprise approximately 612 acres, as generally depicted
on a map entitled `Kimberling Creek Additions', dated March 23,
2005, and which are hereby incorporated in the Kimberling Creek
Wilderness;''.
SEC. 3. SENG MOUNTAIN AND BEAR CREEK SCENIC AREAS, JEFFERSON NATIONAL
FOREST, VIRGINIA.
(a) Establishment of Scenic Areas.--
(1) Establishment.--The following National Forest System
lands in the State of Virginia are hereby designated as
National Scenic Areas (in this section referred to as the
``scenic areas''):
(A) Certain lands in the Jefferson National Forest,
which comprise approximately 6,455 acres, as generally
depicted on a map entitled ``Seng Mountain and Raccoon
Branch'', dated March 23, 2005, and which shall be
known as the Seng Mountain National Scenic Area.
(B) Certain lands in the Jefferson National Forest,
which comprise approximately 5,503 acres, as generally
depicted on a map entitled ``Bear Creek'' dated March
23, 2005, and which shall be known as the Bear Creek
National Scenic Area.
(2) Maps and descriptions.--As soon as practicable after
the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of
Agriculture shall file a map and boundary description of the
scenic areas with the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and
Forestry of the Senate and the Committee on Agriculture and the
Committee on Resources of the House of Representatives. The map
and description shall have the same force and effect as if
included in this Act, except that the Secretary may correct
clerical and typographical errors in the map and description.
The map and boundary description shall be on file and available
for public inspection in the Office of the Chief of the Forest
Service, Department of Agriculture. In the case of any
discrepancy between the acreage specified in paragraph (1) and
the map filed under this paragraph, the map shall control.
(b) Purposes of Scenic Areas.--The scenic areas are established for
the purposes of--
(1) ensuring the protection and preservation of scenic
quality, water quality, natural characteristics, and water
resources;
(2) protecting wildlife and fish habitat, consistent with
paragraph (1);
(3) protecting areas that may develop characteristics of
old-growth forests; and
(4) providing a variety of recreation opportunities,
consistent with the preceding paragraphs.
(c) Administration.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary of Agriculture shall
administer the scenic areas in accordance with this section and
the laws and regulations generally applicable to the National
Forest System. In the event of conflict between this section
and other laws and regulations, this section shall take
precedence.
(2) Consistent use.--The Secretary shall only allow such
uses of the scenic areas as the Secretary finds will further
the purposes for which the scenic areas are established.
(d) Management Plan.--Within two years after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Agriculture shall develop a
management plan for the scenic areas consistent with this section. The
management plan shall be developed as an amendment to the land and
resource management plan for the Jefferson National Forest, except that
nothing in this section requires the Secretary to revise the land and
resource management plan for the Jefferson National Forest pursuant to
section 6 of the Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources Planning Act
of 1974 (16 U.S.C. 1604).
(e) Roads.--After the date of the enactment of this Act, no roads
shall be established or constructed within the scenic areas, except
that this prohibition shall not be construed to deny access to private
lands or interests therein in the scenic areas.
(f) Vegetation Management.--No timber harvest shall be allowed
within the scenic areas, except as the Secretary of Agriculture finds
necessary in the control of fire, insects, and diseases and to provide
for public safety and trail access. Notwithstanding the preceding
sentence, the Secretary may engage in vegetation manipulation practices
for maintenance of existing wildlife clearings and visual quality.
Firewood may be harvested for personal use along perimeter roads under
such conditions as the Secretary may impose.
(g) Motorized Travel.--Motorized travel shall not be permitted
within the scenic areas, except that the Secretary of Agriculture may
authorize motorized travel within the scenic areas--
(1) as necessary for administrative use in furtherance of
the purposes of this section;
(2) in support of wildlife management projects in existence
as of the date of the enactment of this Act; and
(3) on Forest Development Road 9410 and 84b during deer and
bear hunting seasons.
(h) Fire.--Wildfires in the scenic area shall be suppressed in a
manner consistent with the purposes of this section, using such means
as the Secretary of Agriculture considers appropriate.
(i) Insects and Disease.--Insect and disease outbreaks may be
controlled in the scenic areas to maintain scenic quality, prevent tree
mortality, reduce hazards to visitors, or protect private lands.
(j) Water.--The Secretary of Agriculture shall administer the
scenic areas so as to maintain and enhance water quality.
(k) Mining Withdrawal.--Subject to valid existing rights, all
federally owned lands in the scenic areas are withdrawn from location,
entry, and patent under the mining laws of the United States and from
leasing claims under the mineral and geothermal leasing laws of the
United States, including amendments to such laws.
SEC. 4. TRAIL PLAN AND DEVELOPMENT.
(a) Trail Plan.--The Secretary of Agriculture shall establish, in
consultation with interested parties, a trail plan for National Forest
System lands described in this paragraph in order to develop the
following:
(1) Hiking and equestrian trails within the wilderness
areas designated by the amendments made by section 2, in a
manner consistent with the Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. 1131 et
seq.).
(2) Nonmotorized recreation trails within the scenic areas
designated by section 3.
(b) Implementation Report.--Within two years after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Agriculture shall submit to
Congress a report on the implementation of the trail plan, including
the identification of priority trails for development.
(c) Trail Authorization.--The Secretary of Agriculture is
authorized to develop trails to provide a continuous connection for
nonmotorized travel between County Route 650 and Forest Development
Road 4018 along the old Rye Valley Railroad Grade in Smyth County,
Virginia, as recorded on the map entitled ``Seng Mountain and Raccoon
Branch'' and dated March 23, 2005.
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