[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