[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1281 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







110th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 1281

To amend the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act to designate certain rivers and 
streams of the headwaters of the Snake River System as additions to the 
                National Wild and Scenic Rivers System.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                              May 3, 2007

  Mr. Thomas introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 
       referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To amend the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act to designate certain rivers and 
streams of the headwaters of the Snake River System as additions to the 
                National Wild and Scenic Rivers System.

    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 ``Snake Headwaters Legacy Act of 
2007''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS; PURPOSES.

    (a) Findings.--Congress finds that--
            (1) the headwaters of the Snake River System in northwest 
        Wyoming feature some of the cleanest sources of freshwater, 
        healthiest native trout fisheries, and most intact rivers and 
        streams in the lower 48 States;
            (2) the rivers and streams of the headwaters of the Snake 
        River System--
                    (A) provide unparalleled fishing, hunting, boating, 
                and other recreational activities for--
                            (i) local residents; and
                            (ii) millions of visitors from around the 
                        world; and
                    (B) are national treasures;
            (3) each year, recreational activities on the rivers and 
        streams of the headwaters of the Snake River System generate 
        millions of dollars for the economies of--
                    (A) Teton County, Wyoming;
                    (B) Lincoln County, Wyoming; and
                    (C) Sublette County, Wyoming;
            (4) to ensure that future generations of citizens of the 
        United States enjoy the benefits of the rivers and streams of 
        the headwaters of the Snake River System, Congress should apply 
        the protections provided by the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act (16 
        U.S.C. 1271 et seq.) to those rivers and streams; and
            (5) the designation of the rivers and streams of the 
        headwaters of the Snake River System under the Wild and Scenic 
        Rivers Act (16 U.S.C. 1271 et seq.) will signify to the 
        citizens of the United States the importance of maintaining the 
        outstanding and remarkable qualities of the Snake River System 
        while--
                    (A) preserving public access to those rivers and 
                streams;
                    (B) respecting private property rights (including 
                existing water rights); and
                    (C) continuing to allow traditional uses of the 
                rivers and streams, including--
                            (i) fishing;
                            (ii) hunting;
                            (iii) camping;
                            (iv) the use of all-terrain vehicles;
                            (v) boating;
                            (vi) snowmobiling;
                            (vii) outfitting; and
                            (viii) livestock grazing.
    (b) Purposes.--The purposes of this Act are--
            (1) to protect for current and future generations of 
        citizens of the United States the remarkable scenic, natural, 
        wildlife, fishery, recreational, scientific, historic, and 
        ecological values of the rivers and streams of the headwaters 
        of the Snake River System; and
            (2) to designate 442.5 miles of the rivers and streams of 
        the headwaters of the Snake River System as additions to the 
        National Wild and Scenic Rivers System.

SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Secretary concerned.--The term ``Secretary concerned'' 
        means--
                    (A) the Secretary of Agriculture (acting through 
                the Chief of the Forest Service), with respect to each 
                river segment described in paragraph (170) of section 
                3(a) of the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act (16 U.S.C. 
                1274(a)) (as added by section 4(4)) that is not located 
                in the Grand Teton National Park; and
                    (B) the Secretary of the Interior, with respect to 
                each river segment described in paragraph (170) of 
                section 3(a) of the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act (16 
                U.S.C. 1274(a)) (as added by section 4(4)) that is 
                located in the Grand Teton National Park.
            (2) State.--The term ``State'' means the State of Wyoming.

SEC. 4. WILD AND SCENIC RIVER DESIGNATIONS, SNAKE RIVER SYSTEM.

    Section 3(a) of the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act (16 U.S.C. 1274(a)) 
is amended--
            (1) by redesignating paragraph (167) (relating to the 
        Musconetcong River, New Jersey) as paragraph (169);
            (2) by designating the undesignated paragraph relating to 
        the White Salmon River, Washington, as paragraph (167);
            (3) by designating the undesignated paragraph relating to 
        the Black Butte River, California, as paragraph (168); and
            (4) by adding at the end the following:
            ``(170) Wild and scenic river designations, snake river 
        system.--The following segments of the Snake River System, in 
        the State of Wyoming:
                    ``(A) Bailey creek.--The 7-mile segment of Bailey 
                Creek, from the divide with the Little Greys River 
                north to its confluence with the Snake River, as a wild 
                river.
                    ``(B) Blackrock creek.--The 22-mile segment from 
                its source to the Bridger-Teton National Forest 
                boundary, as a scenic river.
                    ``(C) Buffalo fork of the snake river.--The 
                portions of the Buffalo Fork of the Snake River, 
                consisting of--
                            ``(i) the 55-mile segment consisting of the 
                        North Fork, the Soda Fork, and the South Fork, 
                        upstream from Turpin Meadows, as a wild river;
                            ``(ii) the 14-mile segment from Turpin 
                        Meadows to the upstream boundary of Grand Teton 
                        National Park, as a scenic river; and
                            ``(iii) the 7.7-mile segment from the 
                        upstream boundary of Grand Teton National Park 
                        to its confluence with the Snake River, as a 
                        scenic river.
                    ``(D) Cliff creek.--The portions of Cliff Creek, 
                consisting of--
                            ``(i) the 9-mile segment from its source to 
                        Cliff Creek Falls trailhead, as a wild river; 
                        and
                            ``(ii) the lower 8-mile segment to the 
                        confluence of the Hoback River, as a scenic 
                        river.
                    ``(E) Crystal creek.--The portions of Crystal 
                Creek, consisting of--
                            ``(i) the 14-mile segment from its source 
                        to the Gros Ventre Wilderness boundary, as a 
                        wild river; and
                            ``(ii) the 5-mile segment from the Gros 
                        Ventre Wilderness boundary to its confluence 
                        with the Gros Ventre River, as a scenic river.
                    ``(F) Granite creek.--The portions of Granite 
                Creek, consisting of--
                            ``(i) the 12-mile segment from its source 
                        to the end of Granite Creek Road, as a wild 
                        river; and
                            ``(ii) the 10.5-mile segment from Granite 
                        Hot Springs to its confluence with the Hoback 
                        River, as a scenic river.
                    ``(G) Gros ventre river.--The portions of the Gros 
                Ventre River, consisting of--
                            ``(i) the 16.5-mile segment from its source 
                        to Darwin Ranch, as a wild river;
                            ``(ii) the 39-mile segment from Darwin 
                        Ranch to the upstream boundary of Grand Teton 
                        National Park, excluding the section along 
                        Lower Slide Lake, as a scenic river; and
                            ``(iii) the 10.8-mile segment flowing 
                        across the southern boundary of Grand Teton 
                        National Park to the Highway 89 bridge, as a 
                        scenic river.
                    ``(H) Hoback river.--The portions of the Hoback 
                River, consisting of--
                            ``(i) the 7.5-mile segment from its source 
                        to the end of Forest Road 30710, as a wild 
                        river; and
                            ``(ii) the 17-mile segment from the mouth 
                        of Cliff Creek to its confluence with the Snake 
                        River, as a recreational river.
                    ``(I) Lewis river.--The portions of the Lewis 
                River, consisting of--
                            ``(i) the 5-mile segment from Shoshone Lake 
                        to Lewis Lake, as a wild river; and
                            ``(ii) the 12-mile segment from the outlet 
                        of Lewis Lake to its confluence with the Snake 
                        River, as a scenic river.
                    ``(J) Pacific creek.--The portions of Pacific 
                Creek, consisting of--
                            ``(i) the 22.5-mile segment from its source 
                        to the Teton Wilderness boundary, as a wild 
                        river; and
                            ``(ii) the 11-mile segment from the 
                        Wilderness boundary to its confluence with the 
                        Snake River, as a scenic river.
                    ``(K) Shoal creek.--The 17-mile segment from its 
                source to its confluence with the Hoback River, as a 
                wild river.
                    ``(L) Snake river.--The portions of the Snake 
                River, consisting of--
                            ``(i) the 47-mile segment from its source 
                        to Jackson Lake, as a wild river;
                            ``(ii) the 24.8-mile segment from 1 mile 
                        downstream of Jackson Lake Dam to 1 mile 
                        downstream of the Teton Park Road bridge at 
                        Moose, Wyoming, as a scenic river; and
                            ``(iii) the 20-mile segment from the mouth 
                        of the Hoback River to Palisades Reservoir, as 
                        a recreational river.
                    ``(M) Willow creek.--The 21-mile segment from its 
                source to its confluence with the Hoback River, as a 
                wild river.
                    ``(N) Wolf creek.--The 7-mile segment from its 
                source to its confluence with the Snake River, as a 
                wild river.''.

SEC. 5. MANAGEMENT.

    (a) In General.--Each river segment described in paragraph (170) of 
section 3(a) of the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act (16 U.S.C. 1274(a)) (as 
added by section 4(4)) shall be managed by the Secretary concerned.
    (b) Management Plan.--Not later than 3 years after the date of 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary concerned shall develop a 
management plan for each river segment described in paragraph (170) of 
section 3(a) of the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act (16 U.S.C. 1274(a)) (as 
added by section 4(4)) that is located in an area under the 
jurisdiction of the Secretary concerned.
    (c) Federal Reserved Water Right.--
            (1) In general.--Subject to paragraph (2), in accordance 
        with the laws (including regulations) of the State, the 
        Secretary concerned shall apply for the quantification of the 
        water right reserved by each river segment described in 
        paragraph (170) of section 3(a) of the Wild and Scenic Rivers 
        Act (16 U.S.C. 1274(a)) (as added by section 4(4)) that is 
        located in an area under the jurisdiction of the Secretary 
        concerned.
            (2) Requirements.--Notwithstanding any law (including a 
        regulation) of the State relating to the granting or exercising 
        of any water right, each river segment that is the subject of 
        an application under paragraph (1) shall--
                    (A) be designated for a beneficial use; and
                    (B) have a priority date that is the date of 
                enactment of this Act.

SEC. 6. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    There are authorized to be appropriated--
            (1) $350,000 to develop a management plan for each river 
        segment described in paragraph (170) of section 3(a) of the 
        Wild and Scenic Rivers Act (16 U.S.C. 1274(a)) (as added by 
        section 4(4)) that is located in the Bridger-Teton National 
        Forest; and
            (2) $250,000 to develop a management plan for each river 
        segment described in paragraph (170) of section 3(a) of the 
        Wild and Scenic Rivers Act (16 U.S.C. 1274(a)) (as added by 
        section 4(4)) that is located in Grand Teton National Park.
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