[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 173 (Monday, November 24, 2003)]
[Senate]
[Pages S15865-S15867]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    WILD SKY WILDERNESS ACT OF 2003

  The Senate proceeded to consider the bill (S. 391) to enhance 
ecosystem protection and the range of outdoor opportunities protected 
by statute in the Skykomish River valley of the State of Washington by 
designating certain lower-elevation Federal lands as wilderness, and 
for other purposes, which had been reported from the Committee on 
Energy and Natural Resources, with amendments, as follows:
  [Strike the parts shown in black brackets and insert the parts shown 
in italic.]

                                 S. 391

       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 ``Wild Sky Wilderness Act of 
     2003''.

     [SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND STATEMENT OF POLICY.

       [(a) Findings.--Congress finds the follwing:
       [(1) Americans cherish the continued existence of diverse 
     wilderness ecosystems and wildlife found on their Federal 
     lands and share a strong sense of moral responsibility to 
     protect their wilderness heritage as an enduring resource to 
     cherish, protect, and bequeath undisturbed to future 
     generations of Americans.
       [(2) The values of an area of wilderness offer to this and 
     future generations of Americans are greatly enhanced to the 
     degree that the area is diverse in topography, elevation, 
     life zones and ecosystems, and to the extent that it offers a 
     wide range of outdoor recreational and educational 
     opportunities accessible in all seasons of the year.
       [(3) Large blocks of wildlands embracing a wide range of 
     ecosystems and topography, including low-elevation forests, 
     have seldom remained undisturbed due to many decades of 
     development.
       [(4) Certain wildlands on the western slope of the Cascade 
     Range in the Skykomish River valley of the State of 
     Washington offer an outstanding representation of the 
     original character of the forested landscape, ranging from 
     high alpine meadows and extremely rugged peaks to low-
     elevation mature and old-growth forests, including groves 
     with some of the largest and most spectacular

[[Page S15866]]

     trees in Washington, with diameters of eight feet and larger.
       [(5) These diverse, thickly forested mountain slopes and 
     valleys of mature and old-growth trees in the Skykomish River 
     valley harbor nearly the full complement of the original 
     wildlife and fish species found by settlers of the 19th 
     century, including mountain goats, bald eagles, black bear, 
     pine marten, black-tailed deer, as well as rare and 
     endangered wildlife such as northern spotted owls and 
     goshawks, Chinook and Coho salmon, and steelhead and bull 
     trout.
       [(6) An ecologically and topographically diverse wilderness 
     area in the Skykomish River valley accessible in all seasons 
     of the year will be enjoyable to users of various kinds, such 
     as hikers, horse riders, hunters, anglers, and educational 
     groups, but also to the many who cherish clean water and 
     clean air, fish and wildlife (including endangered species 
     such as wild salmon), and pristine mountain and riverside 
     scenery.
       [(b) Statement of Policy.--Congress hereby declares that it 
     is the policy of the United States:
       [(1) to better serve the diverse wilderness and 
     environmental education needs of the people of the State of 
     Washington and its burgeoning metropolitan regions by 
     granting wilderness protection to certain lower elevation 
     wildlands in the Skykomish River valley of the State of 
     Washington; and
       [(2) to protect additional lands adjacent to the Henry M. 
     Jackson Wilderness designated by the Washington Wilderness 
     Act of 1984 (Public Law 98-339), in further tribute to the 
     ecologically enlightened vision of the distinguished Senator 
     from the State of Washington and former Chairman of the 
     Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources (formerly 
     the Senate Interior and Insular Affairs Committee).]

     SEC. [3] 2. ADDITIONS TO THE NATIONAL WILDERNESS PRESERVATION 
                   SYSTEM.

       (a) Additions.--The following Federal lands in the State of 
     Washington are hereby designated as wilderness and, 
     therefore, as components of the National Wilderness 
     Preservation System: certain lands which comprise 
     approximately 106,000 acres, as generally depicted on a map 
     entitled ``Wild Sky Wilderness Proposal'', ``Map #1'', 
     and dated January 7, 2003, which shall be known as the 
     Wild Sky Wilderness.
       (b) Maps and Legal Descriptions.--As soon as practicable 
     after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of 
     Agriculture shall file a map and a legal description for the 
     wilderness area designated under this Act with the Committee 
     on Energy and Natural Resources of the United States Senate 
     and the Committee on Resources of the United States House of 
     Representatives. The map and description shall have the same 
     force and effect as if included in this Act, except that the 
     Secretary of Agriculture may correct clerical and 
     typographical errors in the legal description and map. The 
     map and legal description shall be on file and available for 
     public inspection in the office of the Chief of the Forest 
     Service, Department of Agriculture.

     SEC. [4] 3. ADMINISTRATION PROVISIONS.

       (a) In General.--
       (1) Subject to valid existing rights, lands designated as 
     wilderness by this Act shall be managed by the Secretary of 
     Agriculture 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 
     shall be deemed to be a reference to the date of enactment of 
     this Act.
       (2) To fulfill the purposes of this Act and the Wilderness 
     Act and to achieve administrative efficiencies, the Secretary 
     of Agriculture may manage the area designated by this Act as 
     a comprehensive part of the larger complex of adjacent and 
     nearby wilderness areas.
       (b) New Trails.--
       (1) The Secretary of Agriculture shall consult with 
     interested parties and shall establish a trail plan for 
     Forest Service lands in order to develop:
       (a) a system of hiking and equestrian trails within the 
     wilderness designated by this Act in a manner consistent with 
     the Wilderness Act, Public Law 88-577 (16 U.S.C. 1131 et 
     seq.); and
       (b) a system of [trail] trails adjacent to or to provide 
     access to the wilderness designated by this Act.
       (2) Within two years after the date of enactment of this 
     Act, the Secretary of Agriculture shall complete a report on 
     the implementation of the trail plan required under this Act. 
     This report shall include the identification of priority 
     trail for development.
       (c) Repeater Site.--Within the Wild Sky Wilderness, the 
     Secretary of Agriculture is authorized to use helicopter 
     access to construct and maintain a joint Forest Service and 
     Snohomish County telecommunications repeater site, in 
     compliance with a Forest Service approved communications site 
     plan, for the purposes of improving communications for 
     safety, health, and emergency services.
       (d) Float Plane Access.--As provided by section 4(d)(1) of 
     the Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. 1133(d)(1)), the use of 
     floatplanes on Lake Isabel, where such use has already become 
     established, shall be permitted to continue subject to such 
     reasonable restrictions as the Secretary of Agriculture 
     determines to be desirable.
       (e) Evergreen Mountain Lookout.--The designation under this 
     Act shall not preclude the operation and maintenance of the 
     existing Evergreen Mountain Lookout in the same manner and 
     degree in which the operation and maintenance of such lookout 
     was occurring as of the date of enactment of this Act.

     SEC. [5] 4. AUTHORIZATION FOR LAND ACQUISITION.

       (a) In General.--The Secretary of Agriculture is authorized 
     to acquire lands and interests therein, by purchase, 
     donation, or exchange, and shall give priority consideration 
     to those lands identified as ``Priority Acquisition Lands'' 
     on the map described in [section 3(a)(1)] section 2(a)(1). 
     The boundaries of the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest 
     and the Wild Sky Wilderness shall be adjusted to encompass 
     any lands acquired pursuant to this section.
       (b) Access.--Consistent with section 5(a) of the Wilderness 
     Act (Public Law 88-577; 16 U.S.C. 1134(a)), the Secretary of 
     Agriculture shall [assure] ensure adequate access to private 
     inholdings within the Wild Sky Wilderness.
       (c) Appraisal.--Valuation of private lands shall be 
     determined without reference to any restrictions on access or 
     use which arise out of designation as a wilderness area as a 
     result of this Act.

     SEC. [6] 5. LAND EXCHANGES.

       The Secretary of Agriculture shall exchange lands and 
     interests in lands, as generally depicted on a map entitled 
     Chelan County Public Utility District Exchange and dated May 
     22, 2002, with the Chelan County Public Utility District in 
     accordance with the following provisions:
       (1) If the Chelan County Public Utility District, within 
     ninety days after the date of enactment of this Act, offers 
     to the Secretary of Agriculture approximately 371.8 acres 
     within the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest in the State 
     of Washington, the Secretary shall accept such lands.
       (2) Upon acceptance of title by the Secretary of 
     Agriculture to such lands and interests therein, the 
     Secretary of Agriculture shall convey to the Chelan County 
     Public Utility District a permanent easement, including 
     helicopter access, consistent with such levels as used as of 
     date of enactment, to maintain an existing [snowtel site] 
     telemetry site to monitor snow pack on 1.82 acres on the 
     Wenatchee National Forest in the State of Washington.
       (3) The exchange directed by this Act shall be consummated 
     if Chelan County Public Utility District conveys title 
     acceptable to the Secretary and provided there is no 
     hazardous material on the site, which is objectionable to the 
     Secretary.
       (4) In the event Chelan County Public Utility District 
     determines there is no longer a need to maintain a [snowtel] 
     telemetry site to monitor the snow pack for calculating 
     expected runoff into the Lake Chelan hydroelectric project 
     and the hydroelectric projects in the Columbia River Basin, 
     the [secretary] Secretary shall be notified in writing and 
     the easement shall be extinguished and all rights conveyed by 
     this exchange shall revert to the United States.

  The committee amendments were agreed to.
  The bill (S. 391), as amended, was read the third time and passed, as 
follows:

                                 S. 391

       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 ``Wild Sky Wilderness Act of 
     2003''.

     SEC. 2. ADDITIONS TO THE NATIONAL WILDERNESS PRESERVATION 
                   SYSTEM.

       (a) Additions.--The following Federal lands in the State of 
     Washington are hereby designated as wilderness and, 
     therefore, as components of the National Wilderness 
     Preservation System: certain lands which comprise 
     approximately 106,000 acres, as generally depicted on a map 
     entitled ``Wild Sky Wilderness Proposal'', ``Map #1'', and 
     dated January 7, 2003, which shall be known as the Wild Sky 
     Wilderness.
       (b) Maps and Legal Descriptions.--As soon as practicable 
     after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of 
     Agriculture shall file a map and a legal description for the 
     wilderness area designated under this Act with the Committee 
     on Energy and Natural Resources of the United States Senate 
     and the Committee on Resources of the United States House of 
     Representatives. The map and description shall have the same 
     force and effect as if included in this Act, except that the 
     Secretary of Agriculture may correct clerical and 
     typographical errors in the legal description and map. The 
     map and legal description shall be on file and available for 
     public inspection in the office of the Chief of the Forest 
     Service, Department of Agriculture.

     SEC. 3. ADMINISTRATION PROVISIONS.

       (a) In General.--
       (1) Subject to valid existing rights, lands designated as 
     wilderness by this Act shall be managed by the Secretary of 
     Agriculture 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 
     shall be deemed to be a reference to the date of enactment of 
     this Act.

[[Page S15867]]

       (2) To fulfill the purposes of this Act and the Wilderness 
     Act and to achieve administrative efficiencies, the Secretary 
     of Agriculture may manage the area designated by this Act as 
     a comprehensive part of the larger complex of adjacent and 
     nearby wilderness areas.
       (b) New Trails.--
       (1) The Secretary of Agriculture shall consult with 
     interested parties and shall establish a trail plan for 
     Forest Service lands in order to develop:
       (a) a system of hiking and equestrian trails within the 
     wilderness designated by this Act in a manner consistent with 
     the Wilderness Act, Public Law 88-577 (16 U.S.C. 1131 et 
     seq.); and
       (b) a system of trails adjacent to or to provide access to 
     the wilderness designated by this Act.
       (2) Within two years after the date of enactment of this 
     Act, the Secretary of Agriculture shall complete a report on 
     the implementation of the trail plan required under this Act. 
     This report shall include the identification of priority 
     trail for development.
       (c) Repeater Site.--Within the Wild Sky Wilderness, the 
     Secretary of Agriculture is authorized to use helicopter 
     access to construct and maintain a joint Forest Service and 
     Snohomish County telecommunications repeater site, in 
     compliance with a Forest Service approved communications site 
     plan, for the purposes of improving communications for 
     safety, health, and emergency services.
       (d) Float Plane Access.--As provided by section 4(d)(1) of 
     the Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. 1133(d)(1)), the use of 
     floatplanes on Lake Isabel, where such use has already become 
     established, shall be permitted to continue subject to such 
     reasonable restrictions as the Secretary of Agriculture 
     determines to be desirable.
       (e) Evergreen Mountain Lookout.--The designation under this 
     Act shall not preclude the operation and maintenance of the 
     existing Evergreen Mountain Lookout in the same manner and 
     degree in which the operation and maintenance of such lookout 
     was occurring as of the date of enactment of this Act.

     SEC. 4. AUTHORIZATION FOR LAND ACQUISITION.

       (a) In General.--The Secretary of Agriculture is authorized 
     to acquire lands and interests therein, by purchase, 
     donation, or exchange, and shall give priority consideration 
     to those lands identified as ``Priority Acquisition Lands'' 
     on the map described in section 2(a)(1). The boundaries of 
     the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest and the Wild Sky 
     Wilderness shall be adjusted to encompass any lands acquired 
     pursuant to this section.
       (b) Access.--Consistent with section 5(a) of the Wilderness 
     Act (Public Law 88-577; 16 U.S.C. 1134(a)), the Secretary of 
     Agriculture shall ensure adequate access to private 
     inholdings within the Wild Sky Wilderness.
       (c) Appraisal.--Valuation of private lands shall be 
     determined without reference to any restrictions on access or 
     use which arise out of designation as a wilderness area as a 
     result of this Act.

     SEC. 5. LAND EXCHANGES.

       The Secretary of Agriculture shall exchange lands and 
     interests in lands, as generally depicted on a map entitled 
     Chelan County Public Utility District Exchange and dated May 
     22, 2002, with the Chelan County Public Utility District in 
     accordance with the following provisions:
       (1) If the Chelan County Public Utility District, within 
     ninety days after the date of enactment of this Act, offers 
     to the Secretary of Agriculture approximately 371.8 acres 
     within the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest in the State 
     of Washington, the Secretary shall accept such lands.
       (2) Upon acceptance of title by the Secretary of 
     Agriculture to such lands and interests therein, the 
     Secretary of Agriculture shall convey to the Chelan County 
     Public Utility District a permanent easement, including 
     helicopter access, consistent with such levels as used as of 
     date of enactment, to maintain an existing telemetry site to 
     monitor snow pack on 1.82 acres on the Wenatchee National 
     Forest in the State of Washington.
       (3) The exchange directed by this Act shall be consummated 
     if Chelan County Public Utility District conveys title 
     acceptable to the Secretary and provided there is no 
     hazardous material on the site, which is objectionable to the 
     Secretary.
       (4) In the event Chelan County Public Utility District 
     determines there is no longer a need to maintain a telemetry 
     site to monitor the snow pack for calculating expected runoff 
     into the Lake Chelan hydroelectric project and the 
     hydroelectric projects in the Columbia River Basin, the 
     Secretary shall be notified in writing and the easement shall 
     be extinguished and all rights conveyed by this exchange 
     shall revert to the United States.

                          ____________________