[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1096 Referred in House (RFH)]


109th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 1096


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           December 17, 2005

                 Referred to the Committee on Resources

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 AN ACT


 
 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 that--
            (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, with assistance from the National Park Service, has 
        prepared a river management plan for the study area entitled 
        ``Musconetcong River Management Plan'' and dated April 2003 
        that establishes goals and actions to ensure long-term 
        protection of the outstanding values of the river and 
        compatible management of land and water resources associated 
        with the Musconetcong River; and
            (3) 13 municipalities and 3 counties along segments of the 
        Musconetcong River that are eligible for designation have 
        passed resolutions in which the municipalities and counties--
                    (A) express support for the Musconetcong River 
                Management Plan;
                    (B) agree to take action to implement the goals of 
                the management plan; and
                    (C) endorse designation of the Musconetcong River 
                as a component of the Wild and Scenic Rivers System.

SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Additional river segment.--The term ``additional river 
        segment'' means the approximately 4.3-mile Musconetcong River 
        segment designated as ``C'' in the management plan, from 
        Hughesville Mill to the Delaware River Confluence.
            (2) Management plan.--The term ``management plan'' means 
        the river management plan prepared by the Musconetcong River 
        Management Committee, the National Park Service, the Heritage 
        Conservancy, and the Musconetcong Watershed Association 
        entitled ``Musconetcong River Management Plan'' and dated April 
        2003 that establishes goals and actions to--
                    (A) ensure long-term protection of the outstanding 
                values of the river segments; and
                    (B) compatible management of land and water 
                resources associated with the river segments.
            (3) River segment.--The term ``river segment'' means any 
        segment of the Musconetcong River, New Jersey, designated as a 
        scenic river or recreational river by section 3(a)(167) of the 
        Wild and Scenic Rivers Act (as added by section 4).
            (4) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of the Interior.

SEC. 4. DESIGNATION OF PORTIONS OF MUSCONETCONG RIVER, NEW JERSEY, AS 
              SCENIC AND RECREATIONAL RIVERS.

    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:
    ``(167) Musconetcong river, new jersey.--
            ``(A) Designation.--The 24.2 miles of river segments in New 
        Jersey, consisting of--
                    ``(i) the approximately 3.5-mile segment from 
                Saxton Falls to the Route 46 bridge, to be administered 
                by the Secretary of the Interior as a scenic river; and
                    ``(ii) the approximately 20.7-mile segment from the 
                Kings Highway bridge to the railroad tunnels at 
                Musconetcong Gorge, to be administered by the Secretary 
                of the Interior as a recreational river.
            ``(B) Administration.--Notwithstanding section 10(c), the 
        river segments designated under subparagraph (A) shall not be 
        administered as part of the National Park System.''.

SEC. 5. MANAGEMENT.

    (a) Management Plan.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary shall manage the river 
        segments in accordance with the management plan.
            (2) 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 
        section 3(d) of the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act (16 U.S.C. 
        1274(d)).
            (3) Restrictions on water resource projects.--For purposes 
        of determining 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 under section 7(a) of the Wild and Scenic Rivers 
        Act (16 U.S.C. 1278(a)), the Secretary shall consider the 
        extent to which the proposed water resources project is 
        consistent with the management plan.
            (4) Implementation.--The Secretary may provide technical 
        assistance, staff support, and funding to assist in the 
        implementation of the management plan.
    (b) Cooperation.--
            (1) In general.--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.
            (2) Cooperative agreements.--Any cooperative agreement 
        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.
    (c) Land Management.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary may provide planning, 
        financial, and technical assistance to local municipalities and 
        nonprofit 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)).
    (d) Designation of Additional River Segment.--
            (1) Finding.--Congress finds that the additional river 
        segment is suitable for designation as a recreational river if 
        the Secretary determines that there is adequate local support 
        for the designation of the additional river segment in 
        accordance with paragraph (3).
            (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 notice of the designation of the segment;
                    (B) the segment shall 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 the 
        preferences of local governments expressed in resolutions 
        concerning designation of the additional river segment.
    (e) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated such sums as are necessary to carry out this Act and the 
amendments made by this Act.

            Passed the Senate December 16, 2005.

            Attest:

                                             EMILY J. REYNOLDS,

                                                             Secretary.