[Congressional Bills 112th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2984 Introduced in House (IH)]

112th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 2984

  To designate certain Federal lands within the Cross Island National 
 Wildlife Refuge and the Petit Manan National Wildlife Refuge, part of 
the Maine Coastal Islands National Wildlife Refuge Complex, in Lincoln 
  County, Hancock County, and Washington County, Maine, as wilderness.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           September 21, 2011

   Mr. Michaud (for himself and Ms. Pingree of Maine) introduced the 
    following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural 
                               Resources

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To designate certain Federal lands within the Cross Island National 
 Wildlife Refuge and the Petit Manan National Wildlife Refuge, part of 
the Maine Coastal Islands National Wildlife Refuge Complex, in Lincoln 
  County, Hancock County, and Washington County, Maine, as wilderness.

    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 ``Maine Coastal Islands Wilderness Act 
of 2011''.

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) High-water mark.--The term ``high-water mark'' means 
        the point on the bank or shore up to which the water, by its 
        presence and action or flow, leaves a distinct mark indicated 
        by erosion, destruction of or change in vegetation, or other 
        easily recognizable characteristic.
            (2) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of the Interior.

SEC. 3. ADDITIONS TO THE NATIONAL WILDERNESS PRESERVATION SYSTEM.

    (a) Additions.--In furtherance of the purposes of the Wilderness 
Act (16 U.S.C. 1131 et seq.), and subject to subsection (c), the 
following Federal lands in the State of Maine are hereby designated as 
wilderness and as components of the National Wilderness Preservation 
System:
            (1) Certain lands in the Cross Island National Wildlife 
        Refuge, comprising approximately 1,703 acres, as generally 
        depicted on the map entitled ``Cross Island National Wildlife 
        Refuge: Islands Wilderness Proposal'' and dated May, 2010, 
        which shall be known as the ``Cross Island Wilderness''. Cross 
        Island Wilderness includes six islands in a geographic cluster 
        in Washington County distributed over the following:
                    (A) Cross Island: 1,654 acres.
                    (B) Inner Double Head Shot Island: 8 acres.
                    (C) Outer Double Head Shot Island: 14 acres.
                    (D) Mink Island: 11 acres.
                    (E) Scotch Island: 10 acres.
                    (F) Old Man Island: 6 acres.
            (2) Certain lands in the Petit Manan National Wildlife 
        Refuge, comprising approximately 1,553 acres, as generally 
        depicted on the maps entitled ``Petit Manan National Wildlife 
        Refuge: Islands Wilderness Proposal'' and dated May, 2010, 
        which shall be known as the ``Maine Coastal Islands 
        Wilderness''. Maine Coastal Islands Wilderness includes seven 
        islands distributed over the following:
                    (A) Outer Heron Island (Lincoln County): 66 acres.
                    (B) Outer White Island (Lincoln County): 16 acres.
                    (C) Little Marshall Island (Hancock County): 14 
                acres.
                    (D) John's Island (Hancock County): 43 acres.
                    (E) Bois Bubert Island (Washington County): 1,321 
                acres.
                    (F) Inner Sand Island (Washington County): 18 
                acres.
                    (G) Halifax Island (Washington County): 75 acres.
    (b) Maps and Descriptions.--
            (1) Filing and availability.--As soon as practicable after 
        the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall file 
        a map and legal description of each wilderness area designated 
        by subsection (a) with the Committee on Natural Resources of 
        the House of Representatives and the Committee on Energy and 
        Natural Resources of the Senate. The maps and legal 
        descriptions filed shall be filed and made available for public 
        inspection by the Secretary in the office of the Director of 
        the United States Fish and Wildlife Service.
            (2) Force and effect.--A map and legal description filed 
        under paragraph (1) shall have the same force and effect as if 
        included in this Act, except that the Secretary may correct 
        errors in the map and legal description.
    (c) Seaward Boundary of Wilderness Areas.--The seaward boundary of 
each wilderness area designated by this section shall be the high-water 
mark.

SEC. 4. ADMINISTRATION.

    (a) Management.--Subject to valid existing rights, lands designated 
as wilderness by this Act shall be managed by the Secretary in 
accordance with the Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. 1131 et seq.) and this 
Act, except that, with respect to any wilderness areas designated by 
this Act, any reference in the Wilderness Act to the effective date of 
the Wilderness Act is deemed to be a reference to the date of enactment 
of this Act.
    (b) Incorporation of Acquired Land and Interest.--Any land within 
the boundary of the land designated as wilderness by section 3 that is 
acquired by the United States shall--
            (1) become part of the wilderness area; and
            (2) be managed in accordance with this section.
    (c) Fish and Wildlife.--As provided in section 4(d)(7) of the 
Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. 1133(d)(7)), nothing in this Act shall be 
construed as affecting the jurisdiction or responsibilities of the 
State of Maine with respect to wildlife and fish.
    (d) Buffer Zones.--Congress does not intend for the designation of 
wilderness areas in the State under this section to lead to the 
creation of protective perimeters or buffer zones around any wilderness 
area.
    (e) Activities or Uses up to Boundaries.--The fact that 
nonwilderness activities or uses can be seen or heard from within a 
wilderness designated by this Act shall not, of itself, preclude the 
activities or uses up to the boundary of the wilderness area.
    (f) Navigational Devices.--Consistent with the purpose of the 
Wilderness Act, the Secretary may authorize the installation of 
navigational devices in any wilderness area designated by this Act for 
the purpose of improving public health and safety.
    (g) Landing of Watercraft.--Nothing in this Act shall be construed 
as prohibiting the landing of a watercraft on an island on which is 
located any area designated as a wilderness area by this Act.
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