[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 109 (Tuesday, July 29, 1997)]
[Senate]
[Pages S8276-S8277]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. WELLSTONE:
  S. 1085. A bill to improve the management of the Boundary Waters 
Canoe Area Wilderness, and for other purposes; read the first time.


 THE BOUNDARY WATERS CANOE AREA WILDERNESS EXPANSION, PROTECTION, AND 
                           ACCESS ACT OF 1997

  Mr. WELLSTONE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that S. 1085, 
be printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the bill was ordered to be printed in the 
Record, as follows:

                                S. 1085

       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 ``Boundary Waters Canoe Area 
     Wilderness Expansion, Protection, and Access Act of 1997''.

     SEC. 2. MOTORIZED PORTAGES.

       Section 4 of Public Law 95-495 (16 U.S.C. 1132 note; 92 
     Stat. 1650) is amended by striking subsection (g) and 
     inserting the following:
       ``(g) Motorized Portages.--
       ``(1) In general.--Subject to paragraph (2), nothing in 
     this Act shall prevent the operation of a motorized vehicle 
     and associated equipment that is necessary to assist in the 
     transport of a boat across Prairie Portage from the Moose 
     Lake chain to Basswood Lake, and from Lake Vermilion to Trout 
     Lake across the Trout Lake Portage.
       ``(2) Clean and efficient vehicles.--A vehicle operated as 
     permitted under paragraph (1)--
       ``(A) may not exceed the dimensions of a \3/4\ ton pickup 
     truck; and
       ``(B) shall be a clean-emission and energy-efficient 
     vehicle, as determined by the Secretary.
       ``(3) New technology.--The Secretary may require the use of 
     vehicles under paragraph (1) that utilize appropriate cost-
     effective new technology allowing for a cleaner and quieter 
     motorized vehicle as soon as practicable, as determined by 
     the Secretary.
       ``(4) Removal of tow boats.--Not later than 30 days after 
     the date on which the operation of motorized vehicles begins 
     under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall terminate any 
     special use permit for a tow boat in Basswood Lake or South 
     Farm Lake.
       ``(5) Increase in motorboat permits.--The Secretary shall 
     allow an appropriate increase in the number of motorboat 
     permits for September on Basswood Lake to take into account 
     the removal of commercial tow boats on Basswood Lake.
       ``(6) No additional facilities.--Nothing in this subsection 
     permits the building of an overnight facility, building, 
     road, or amenity at a portage site.
       ``(7) No subsidy.--The costs of operating a motorized 
     vehicle under this subsection shall be borne by a 
     concessionaire without subsidy from any government.
       ``(8) Continued operation.--If there is no operation of a 
     motorized vehicle under this subsection by a concessionaire 
     for a significant portion of the ice-free season for 3 
     consecutive years, this subsection shall cease to have 
     effect.''.

     SEC. 3. LAND ADDITIONS TO THE WILDERNESS.

       Section 3 of Public Law 95-495 (16 U.S.C. 1132 note; 92 
     Stat. 1649) is amended--
       (1) by inserting ``(a) In General.--'' after ``Sec. 3.''; 
     and
       (2) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(b) Additional Land.--
       ``(1) In general.--The wilderness shall include the land 
     designated on the map entitled `Boundary Waters Canoe Area--
     Expansion Proposal', dated July 29, 1997, comprising 
     approximately 21,700 acres.
       ``(2) On file.--The map referred to in paragraph (1) shall 
     be on file and available for public inspection in the offices 
     of the Chief of the Forest Service and the Supervisor of the 
     Superior National Forest.
       ``(3) Detailed legal description and map.--
       ``(A) In general.--Not later than 1 year after the date of 
     enactment of this subsection, the Secretary shall publish in 
     the Federal Register a detailed legal description and map 
     showing the new boundaries of the wilderness.
       ``(B) Filing with congress.--The Secretary shall file the 
     legal description and map described in subparagraph (A) with 
     the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the 
     Senate and the Committee on Resources of the House of 
     Representatives.
       ``(C) Force of law.--The legal description and map 
     described in subparagraph (A) shall have the same force and 
     effect as if included in this Act.
       ``(D) Clerical and typographical errors.--The Secretary may 
     correct clerical and typographical errors in the legal 
     description and map described in subparagraph (A) at any 
     time.
       ``(4) Timber access roads.--Any timber access road in the 
     land described in paragraph (1) that is in existence on the 
     date of enactment of this subsection that is needed for 
     operations under a timber sale contract in existence on that 
     date shall remain open only until such time as the operations 
     are completed and the timber sale contract expires.
       ``(5) Land exchanges.--Not later that 2 years after the 
     date of enactment of this subsection, the Secretary shall 
     identify and convey to the State or a county, in exchange for 
     land owned by the State or county in the wilderness area 
     described in paragraph (1), Federal land of approximately 
     comparable value, taking into consideration factors such as 
     the timber species, the volume of timber, and the 
     accessibility of timber on the land.''.

     SEC. 4. MOTORBOATS ON CANOE LAKE.

       Section 4(c)(2) of Public Law 95-495 (16 U.S.C. 1132 note; 
     92 Stat. 1650) is amended by striking ``; Canoe, Cook 
     County''.

     SEC. 5. USE OF PISTON BULLY.

       Section 4(i) of Public Law 95-495 (16 U.S.C. 1132 note; 92 
     Stat. 1652) is amended by adding at the end the following: 
     ``The Secretary shall allow the use of a piston bully or 
     similar device to groom the portion of the maintained ski 
     trail on the east end of Flour Lake.''.

     SEC. 6. PERMIT RESERVATION SYSTEM.

       Section 4 of Public Law 95-495 (16 U.S.C. 1132 note; 92 
     Stat. 1652) is amended by adding at the end the following:
       ``(j) Permit Reservation System.--It is the sense of 
     Congress that the Secretary should take steps, if feasible, 
     to move the permit reservation system for the wilderness to 
     northeastern Minnesota. In taking such steps, the Secretary 
     should give preference to a contractor located in a county in 
     which part of the wilderness lies.''.

     SEC. 7. ANNUAL GRANTS.

       Section 16 of Public Law 95-495 (16 U.S.C. 1132 note; 92 
     Stat. 1658) is amended by adding at the end the following:
       ``(c) Annual Grants.--Of the amounts made available under 
     section 21, the Secretary shall make a portion available each 
     year to the State of Minnesota to be used by the Department 
     of Natural Resources to be used to pay the costs of providing 
     employees and equipment in the wilderness (in addition to the 
     employees and equipment being provided before the date of 
     enactment of this subsection) for activities such as--
       ``(1) campsite restoration;
       ``(2) trail and campsite maintenance;
       ``(3) law enforcement;
       ``(4) monitoring of the management plan described in 
     section 20;
       ``(5) user education; and
       ``(6) other appropriate activities, as determined by the 
     Secretary.''.

     SEC. 8. AIRSPACE RESERVATION.

       The provisions of Executive Order No. 10092 (14 Fed. Reg. 
     7637) shall be applicable to the areas depicted as wilderness 
     on the map referred to in the amendments made by section 3.

[[Page S8277]]

     SEC. 9. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

       Section 21 of Public Law 95-495 (16 U.S.C. 1132 note; 92 
     Stat. 1659) is amended to read as follows:

     ``SEC. 21. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

       ``In addition to any other funds authorized to be 
     appropriated for the wilderness, there are authorized to be 
     appropriated to carry out this Act--
       ``(1) $3,500,000 for fiscal year 1998; and
       ``(2) such sums as are necessary for each fiscal year 
     thereafter.''.

     SEC. 10. EFFECTIVE DATE.

       This Act and the amendments made by this Act take effect on 
     January 1, 1998.

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