[Congressional Bills 114th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 974 Reported in House (RH)]

<DOC>





                                                 Union Calendar No. 285
114th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 974

                          [Report No. 114-373]

 To direct the Secretary of the Interior to promulgate regulations to 
 allow the use of hand-propelled vessels on certain rivers and streams 
that flow in and through certain Federal lands in Yellowstone National 
Park, Grand Teton National Park, the John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Memorial 
                    Parkway, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           February 13, 2015

 Mrs. Lummis introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                     Committee on Natural Resources

                            December 8, 2015

  Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole 
       House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed
 [Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed 
                               in italic]
    [For text of introduced bill, see copy of bill as introduced on 
                           February 13, 2015]


_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To direct the Secretary of the Interior to promulgate regulations to 
 allow the use of hand-propelled vessels on certain rivers and streams 
that flow in and through certain Federal lands in Yellowstone National 
Park, Grand Teton National Park, the John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Memorial 
                    Parkway, 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 ``Yellowstone and Grand Teton Paddling 
Act''.

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

    For the purposes of this Act:
            (1) Hand-propelled vessel.--The term ``hand-propelled 
        vessel'' means a vessel designed for river travel that is 
        propelled by one or more people using paddles or oars, such as 
        canoes, inflatable kayaks, kayaks, packrafts, and rafts.
            (2) Paddling.--The term ``paddling'' means the use of hand-
        propelled vessels for descending, crossing, or otherwise 
        floating upon rivers and streams.

SEC. 3. PROMULGATION OF REGULATIONS.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 3 years after the date on which 
funds are first made available for this section, the Secretary of the 
Interior shall promulgate regulations to allow the use of hand-
propelled vessels on waters within Yellowstone National Park in the 
States of Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming, and Grand Teton National Park 
and the John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Memorial Parkway in the State of 
Wyoming. Waters where such use shall be allowed under the regulations 
shall include, at a minimum, the segments listed in subsection (b).
    (b) Applicable Waters.--The waters referred to in subsection (a) 
are the following:
            (1) Beaverdam creek.--The approximately 5.6-mile segment of 
        Beaverdam Creek from 8085' to Yellowstone Lake.
            (2) Bechler river.--The approximately 17.4-mile segment of 
        Bechler River from Three River Junction to the confluence with 
        Falls River.
            (3) Boundary creek.--The approximately 15.3-mile segment of 
        Boundary Creek from 7455' to the confluence with Bechler River.
            (4) Cache creek.--The approximately 12.2-mile segment from 
        7737' to the confluence with Lamar River.
            (5) Coulter creek.--The approximately .9-mile segment from 
        the Yellowstone National Park south boundary to the confluence 
        with the Snake River.
            (6) Falls river.--The approximately 20.4-mile segment from 
        7316' to the Yellowstone National Park south boundary.
            (7) Fan creek.--The approximately 7.7-mile segment from Fan 
        Creek upper forks (7526') to the confluence with the Gallatin 
        River.
            (8) Ferris fork.--The approximately 1-mile segment from 
        7455' to Three River Junction.
            (9) Firehole river.--The approximately 4.5-mile segment of 
        campsite OA3 to Kepler Cascades.
            (10) Gallatin river.--The approximately 22.3-mile segment 
        from 7650' to the Yellowstone National Park northwest boundary.
            (11) Gardner river.--The approximately 23.6-mile segment 
        from Fawn Creek to the confluence with Yellowstone River.
            (12) Grayling creek.--The approximately 7.4-mile segment 
        from Grayling Creek canyon mouth (7088') to the Yellowstone 
        National Park west boundary.
            (13) Gregg fork.--The approximately 1.7-mile segment from 
        7795' to Three River Junction.
            (14) Heart river.--The approximately 4.8-mile segment from 
        Heart Lake to the confluence with Snake River.
            (15) Hellroaring creek.--The approximately 6.4-mile segment 
        from the Yellowstone National Park north boundary to the 
        confluence with the Yellowstone River.
            (16) Howell creek.--The approximately 5.4-mile segment from 
        Howell Creek upper forks to the confluence with Mountain Creek.
            (17) Indian creek.--The approximately 7.7-mile segment from 
        8030' meadow to the confluence with Gardner River.
            (18) Lamar river.--The approximately 27.3-mile segment from 
        8167' to Specimen Ridge trail.
            (19) Lamar river.--The approximately 7.5-mile segment from 
        the top of Lamar Canyon (6478') to the confluence with 
        Yellowstone River.
            (20) Lewis river.--The approximately 8.5-mile segment from 
        the top of Lewis Canyon (7730') to the confluence with Snake 
        River.
            (21) Little lamar river.--The approximately 3.7-mile 
        segment from 8200' to the confluence with the Lamar River.
            (22) Middle creek.--The approximately 4-mile segment from 
        7265' to the Yellowstone National Park east boundary.
            (23) Miller creek.--The approximately 10-mile segment from 
        7655' to the confluence with Lamar River.
            (24) Mountain ash creek.--The approximately 5.7-mile 
        segment from 6555' to the confluence with Falls River.
            (25) Mountain creek.--The approximately 7.9-mile segment 
        from the Yellowstone National Park east boundary to the 
        confluence with Yellowstone River.
            (26) Nez perce creek.--The approximately 8.2-mile segment 
        from 7310' to Grand Loop Road.
            (27) Pebble creek.--The approximately 10.3-mile segment 
        from 7954' trail crossing to the confluence with Soda Butte 
        Creek.
            (28) Polecat creek.--The approximately 2-mile segment from 
        7050' to the Yellowstone National Park south boundary.
            (29) Robinson creek.--The approximately 4.4-mile segment 
        from 6555' to the Yellowstone National Park southwest boundary.
            (30) Slough creek.--The approximately 13.4-mile segment 
        from the Yellowstone National Park north boundary to Slough 
        Creek trail head/campground.
            (31) Snake river.--The approximately 31.8-mile segment from 
        the Yellowstone National Park southeast boundary (8059') to the 
        Yellowstone National Park south boundary (6867').
            (32) Soda butte creek.--The approximately 10.3-mile segment 
        from the Yellowstone National Park northeast boundary to the 
        confluence with Amphitheater Creek.
            (33) Specimen creek.--The approximately 2.6-mile segment 
        from 7170' to the confluence with the Gallatin River.
            (34) Thorofare creek.--The approximately 4.4-mile segment 
        from the Yellowstone National Park southeast boundary to the 
        confluence with Yellowstone River.
            (35) Trail creek.--The approximately 3-mile segment from 
        Trail Lake to Yellowstone Lake.
            (36) Yellowstone river.--The approximately 36-mile segment, 
        including Grand and Black canyons, from Sevenmile Hole to the 
        Yellowstone National Park north boundary.
            (37) Yellowstone river.--The approximately 26.7-mile 
        segment from Yellowstone National Park southeast boundary to 
        Yellowstone Lake.
            (38) Arizona creek.--The approximately 4.8-mile segment 
        from the Grand Teton National Park east boundary to Jackson 
        Lake.
            (39) Berry creek.--The approximately 9.9-mile segment from 
        7560' to Jackson Lake.
            (40) Buffalo fork river.--The approximately 8.7-mile 
        segment from the Grand Teton National Park east boundary to the 
        confluence with Snake River.
            (41) Cottonwood creek.--The approximately 7.3-mile segment 
        from Jenny Lake to the confluence with Snake River.
            (42) Ditch creek.--The approximately 7.3-mile segment from 
        the Grand Teton National Park east boundary to the confluence 
        with Snake River.
            (43) Gros ventre river.--The approximately 12.7-mile 
        segment from the Grand Teton National Park southeast boundary 
        to the Grand Teton National Park south boundary.
            (44) Lake creek.--The approximately 3.9-mile segment from 
        Phelps Lake to the Grand Teton National Park south boundary.
            (45) Owl creek.--The approximately 2.2-mile segment from 
        7312' to the confluence with Berry Creek.
            (46) Pacific creek.--The approximately 4.6-mile segment 
        from the Grand Teton National Park northeast boundary to the 
        confluence with Snake River.
            (47) Pilgrim creek.--The approximately 6.8-mile segment 
        from Grand Teton National Park northeast boundary to Jackson 
        Lake.
            (48) Pilgrim creek east fork.--The approximately .8-mile 
        segment from the Grand Teton National Park northeast boundary 
        to the confluence with Pilgrim Creek.
            (49) Polecat creek.--The approximately 3.9-mile segment 
        from the Yellowstone National Park south boundary to the 
        confluence with Snake River.
            (50) Spread creek.--The approximately 4.3-mile segment, 
        including both channels of Spread Creek, from the Grand Teton 
        National Park east boundary to the Snake River.
    (c) Applicable Waters by Boundaries.--The boundaries of any river 
proposed in subsection (b) shall generally comprise that area measured 
within one-quarter mile from the ordinary high water mark on each side 
of the listed rivers and streams. This subsection shall not be 
construed to limit the scope of the regulation to address areas which 
may lie more than one-quarter mile from the ordinary high water mark on 
each side of the river.
    (d) Applicable Laws.--The regulations required by subsection (a) 
shall be promulgated in accordance with--
            (1) laws, regulations, and policies generally applicable to 
        units of the National Park System; and
            (2) sections 551 through 559 of title 5, United States Code 
        (commonly known as the ``Administrative Procedure Act'').
    (e) Commercial Use.--
            (1) No expansion of use.--The regulations issued under this 
        section shall not consider any expansion of commercial use of 
        hand-propelled vessels in the parks.
            (2) Savings provisions.--Nothing in this Act shall be 
        construed as authorizing the commercial use of hand-propelled 
        vessels.
    (f) Coordination of Recreational Use.--When promulgating 
regulations under this section, the Secretary of the Interior shall 
consult with the Director of the United States Fish and Wildlife 
Service and the Director of the National Park Service to help ensure 
that the regulations provide that recreational use of hand-propelled 
vessels on the Gros Ventre River within the National Elk Refuge 
adjacent to Grand Teton National Park is consistent with the 
requirements of the National Wildlife Refuge System Administration Act 
of 1966 (16 U.S.C. 668dd et seq.).
    (g) Previous Regulations.--Upon issuance of the final regulations 
required by subsection (a), the following regulations shall have no 
force or effect:
            (1) Section 7.13(d)(4)(ii) of title 36, Code of Federal 
        Regulations (regarding vessels on streams and rivers in 
        Yellowstone National Park).
            (2) Section 7.22(e)(3) of title 36, Code of Federal 
        Regulations (regarding vessels on lakes and rivers in Grand 
        Teton National Park).
    (h) Cost Recovery.--The Secretary is authorized to recover all 
costs, in accordance with section 103104 of title 54, United States 
Code, associated with monitoring the use of hand-propelled vessels, 
including the cost of inspecting and decontaminating vessels to prevent 
the introduction or spread of invasive or injurious species in 
Yellowstone National Park, Grand Teton National Park, and the John D. 
Rockefeller, Jr. Memorial Parkway.
                                                 Union Calendar No. 285

114th CONGRESS

  1st Session

                               H. R. 974

                          [Report No. 114-373]

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL

 To direct the Secretary of the Interior to promulgate regulations to 
 allow the use of hand-propelled vessels on certain rivers and streams 
that flow in and through certain Federal lands in Yellowstone National 
Park, Grand Teton National Park, the John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Memorial 
                    Parkway, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

                            December 8, 2015

  Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole 
       House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed