II 110th CONGRESS 2d Session S. 2581 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES January 30, 2008 Mr. Byrd (for himself and Mr. Rockefeller) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources A BILL To designate as wilderness additional National Forest System lands in the Monongahela National Forest in the State of West Virginia, and for other purposes.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Wild Monongahela Act: A National Legacy for West Virginia’s Special Places.

2.

Designation of wilderness, Monongahela National Forest, West Virginia

(a)

Designation

In furtherance of the purposes of the Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. 1131 et seq.), the following Federal lands within the Monongahela National Forest in the State of West Virginia are designated as wilderness and as either a new component of the National Wilderness Preservation System or as an addition to an existing component of the National Wilderness Preservation System: (1)Certain Federal land comprising approximately 5,242 acres, as generally depicted on the map entitled “Wild Monongahela: A National Legacy for West Virginia’s Special Places” and dated December 31, 2007 (in this subsection referred to as the map), which shall be known as the Big Draft Wilderness. (2)Certain Federal land comprising approximately 7,955 acres, as generally depicted on the map, which shall be known as the “Cheat Mountain Wilderness”. (3)Certain Federal land comprising approximately 12,032 acres, as generally depicted on the map and referred to as the “Cranberry Expansion”, which shall be added to and administered as part of the Cranberry Wilderness designated by section 1(1) of Public Law 97–466 (96 Stat. 2538). (4)Certain Federal land comprising approximately 7,215 acres, as generally depicted on the map and referred to as the “Dolly Sods Expansion”, which shall be added to and administered as part of the Dolly Sods Wilderness designated by section 3(a)(13) of Public Law 93–622 (88 Stat. 2098). (5)Certain Federal land comprising approximately 740 acres, as generally depicted on the map and referred to as the “Dry Fork Expansion”, which shall be added to and administered as part of the Otter Creek Wilderness designated by section 3(a)(14) of Public Law 93–622 (88 Stat. 2098). (6)Certain Federal land comprising approximately 6,820 acres, as generally depicted on the map, which shall be known as the “Roaring Plains West Wilderness”. (7)Certain Federal land comprising approximately 7,124 acres, as generally depicted on the map, which shall be known as the Spice Run Wilderness. (b)

Maps and legal description

(1)

Filing and availability

As soon as practicable after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Agriculture, acting through the Chief of the Forest Service, shall file with the Committee on Natural Resources of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate a map and legal description of each wilderness area designated or expanded by subsection (a). The maps and legal descriptions shall be on file and available for public inspection in the office of the Chief of the Forest Service and the office of the Supervisor of the Monongahela National Forest. (2)

Force and effect

The maps and legal descriptions referred to in this subsection 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 maps and descriptions. (c)

Administration

Subject to valid existing rights, the Federal lands designated as wilderness by subsection (a) shall be administered by the Secretary in accordance with the Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. 1131 et seq.). (d)

Effective date of wilderness act

With respect to the Federal lands designated as wilderness by subsection (a), any reference in the Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. 1131 et seq.) to the effective date of the Wilderness Act shall be deemed to be a reference to the date of the enactment of this Act. (e)

Fish and wildlife

As provided in section 4(d)(7) of the Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. 1133(d)(7)), nothing in this section affects the jurisdiction or responsibility of the State of West Virginia with respect to wildlife and fish.