[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 129 (Wednesday, November 15, 2006)]
[House]
[Pages H8646-H8649]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
NEW ENGLAND WILDERNESS ACT OF 2006
Mrs. DRAKE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
Senate bill (S. 4001) to designate certain land in New England as
wilderness for inclusion in the National Wilderness Preservation System
and certain land as a National Recreation Area, and for other purposes.
The Clerk read as follows:
S. 4001
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS.
(a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``New
England Wilderness Act of 2006''.
(b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents of this Act
is as follows:
Section 1. Short title; table of contents
Sec. 2. Definition of Secretary
TITLE I--NEW HAMPSHIRE
Sec. 101. Definition of State
Sec. 102. Designation of wilderness areas
Sec. 103. Map and description
Sec. 104. Administration
TITLE II--VERMONT
Sec. 201. Definitions
Subtitle A--Designation of Wilderness Areas
Sec. 211. Designation
Sec. 212. Map and description
Sec. 213. Administration
Subtitle B--Moosalamoo National Recreation Area
Sec. 221. Designation
Sec. 222. Map and description
Sec. 223. Administration of National Recreation Area
SEC. 2. DEFINITION OF SECRETARY.
In this Act, the term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary of
Agriculture, acting through the Chief of the Forest Service.
TITLE I--NEW HAMPSHIRE
SEC. 101. DEFINITION OF STATE.
In this title, the term ``State'' means the State of New
Hampshire.
SEC. 102. DESIGNATION OF WILDERNESS AREAS.
In accordance with the Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. 1131 et
seq.), the following Federal land in the State is designated
as wilderness and as components of the National Wilderness
Preservation System:
(1) Certain Federal land managed by the Forest Service,
comprising approximately 23,700 acres, as generally depicted
on the map entitled ``Proposed Wild River Wilderness--White
Mountain National Forest'', dated February 6, 2006, which
shall be known as the ``Wild River Wilderness''.
(2) Certain Federal land managed by the Forest Service,
comprising approximately 10,800 acres, as generally depicted
on the map entitled ``Proposed Sandwich Range Wilderness
Additions--White Mountain National Forest'', dated February
6, 2006, and which are incorporated in the Sandwich Range
Wilderness, as designated by the New Hampshire Wilderness Act
of 1984 (Public Law 98-323; 98 Stat. 259).
SEC. 103. MAP AND DESCRIPTION.
(a) In General.--As soon as practicable after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall file a map and a
legal description of each wilderness area designated by
section 102 with the committees of appropriate jurisdiction
in the Senate and the House of Representatives.
(b) Force and Effect.--A map and legal description filed
under subsection (a) shall have the same force and effect as
if included in this Act, except that the Secretary may
correct clerical and typographical errors in the map and
legal description.
(c) Public Availability.--Each map and legal description
filed under subsection (a) shall be filed and made available
for public inspection in the Office of the Chief of the
Forest Service.
SEC. 104. ADMINISTRATION.
(a) Administration.--Subject to valid existing rights, each
wilderness area designated under this title shall be
administered by the Secretary in accordance with--
(1) the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (43
U.S.C. 1701 et seq.); and
(2) the Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. 1131 et seq.).
(b) Effective Date of Wilderness Act.--With respect to any
wilderness area designated by this title, any reference in
the Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. 1131 et seq.) to the effective
date of the Wilderness Act shall be deemed to be a reference
to the date of enactment of this Act.
(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
title affects any jurisdiction or responsibility of the State
with respect to wildlife and fish in the State.
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(d) Withdrawal.--Subject to valid existing rights, all
Federal land in the wilderness areas designated by section
102 are withdrawn from--
(1) all forms of entry, appropriation, or disposal under
the public land laws;
(2) location, entry, and patent under the mining laws; and
(3) disposition under the mineral leasing laws (including
geothermal leasing laws).
TITLE II--VERMONT
SEC. 201. DEFINITIONS.
In this title:
(1) Management plan.--The term ``Management Plan'' means
the Green Mountain National Forest Land and Resource
Management Plan.
(2) State.--The term ``State'' means the State of Vermont.
Subtitle A--Designation of Wilderness Areas
SEC. 211. DESIGNATION.
In accordance with the Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. 1131 et
seq.), the following areas in the State are designated as
wilderness areas and as components of the National Wilderness
Preservation System:
(1) Certain Federal land managed by the United States
Forest Service, comprising approximately 22,425 acres, as
generally depicted on the map entitled ``Glastenbury
Wilderness--Proposed'', dated September 2006, which shall be
known as the ``Glastenbury Wilderness''.
(2) Certain Federal land managed by the United States
Forest Service, comprising approximately 12,333 acres, as
generally depicted on the map entitled ``Joseph Battell
Wilderness--Proposed'', dated September 2006, which shall be
known as the ``Joseph Battell Wilderness''.
(3) Certain Federal land managed by the United States
Forest Service, comprising approximately 3,757 acres, as
generally depicted on the map entitled ``Breadloaf Wilderness
Additions--Proposed'', dated September 2006, which shall be
known as the ``Breadloaf Wilderness''.
(4) Certain Federal land managed by the United States
Forest Service, comprising approximately 2,338 acres, as
generally depicted on the map entitled ``Lye Brook Wilderness
Additions--Proposed'', dated September 2006, which shall be
known as the ``Lye Brook Wilderness''.
(5) Certain Federal land managed by the United States
Forest Service, comprising approximately 752 acres, as
generally depicted on the map entitled ``Peru Peak Wilderness
Additions--Proposed'', dated September 2006, which shall be
known as the ``Peru Peak Wilderness''.
(6) Certain Federal land managed by the United States
Forest Service, comprising approximately 47 acres, as
generally depicted on the map entitled ``Big Branch
Wilderness Additions--Proposed'', dated September 2006, which
shall be known as the ``Big Branch Wilderness''.
SEC. 212. MAP AND DESCRIPTION.
(a) In General.--As soon as practicable after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall file a map and a
legal description of each wilderness area designated by
section 211 with--
(1) the Committee on Resources of the House of
Representatives;
(2) the Committee on Agriculture of the House of
Representatives; and
(3) the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry
of the Senate.
(b) Force of Law.--A map and legal description filed under
subsection (a) shall have the same force and effect as if
included in this Act, except that the Secretary may correct
clerical and typographical errors in the map and legal
description.
(c) Public Availability.--Each map and legal description
filed under subsection (a) shall be filed and made available
for public inspection in the Office of the Chief of the
Forest Service.
SEC. 213. ADMINISTRATION.
(a) Administration.--Subject to valid rights in existence
on the date of enactment of this Act, each wilderness area
designated under this subtitle and in the Green Mountain
National Forest (as of the date of enactment of this Act)
shall be administered by the Secretary in accordance with the
Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. 1131 et seq.).
(b) Fish and Wildlife.--Nothing in this subtitle affects
the jurisdiction of the State with respect to wildlife and
fish on the public land located in the State, including the
stocking of fish in rivers and streams in the State to
support the Connecticut River Atlantic Salmon Restoration
Program.
(c) Trails.--The Forest Service shall allow the continuance
of--
(1) the Appalachian National Scenic Trail;
(2) the Long Trail;
(3) the Catamount Trail; and
(4) the marking and maintenance of associated trails and
trail structures of the Trails referred to in this
subsection, consistent with the management direction
(including objectives, standards, guidelines, and agreements
with partners) established for the Appalachian National
Scenic Trail, Long Trail, and Catamount Trail under the
Management Plan.
Subtitle B--Moosalamoo National Recreation Area
SEC. 221. DESIGNATION.
Certain Federal land managed by the United States Forest
Service, comprising approximately 15,857 acres, as generally
depicted on the map entitled ``Moosalamoo National Recreation
Area--Proposed'', dated September 2006, is designated as the
``Moosalamoo National Recreation Area''.
SEC. 222. MAP AND DESCRIPTION.
(a) In General.--As soon as practicable after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall file a map and a
legal description of the national recreation area designated
by section 221 with--
(1) the Committee on Resources of the House of
Representatives;
(2) the Committee on Agriculture of the House of
Representatives; and
(3) the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry
of the Senate.
(b) Force of Law.--A map and legal description filed under
subsection (a) shall have the same force and effect as if
included in this subtitle, except that the Secretary may
correct clerical and typographical errors in the map and
legal description.
(c) Public Availability.--Each map and legal description
filed under subsection (a) shall be filed and made available
for public inspection in the Office of the Chief of the
Forest Service.
SEC. 223. ADMINISTRATION OF NATIONAL RECREATION AREA.
(a) In General.--Subject to valid rights existing on the
date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall administer
the Moosalamoo National Recreation Area in accordance with--
(1) laws (including rules and regulations) applicable to
units of the National Forest System; and
(2) the management direction (including objectives,
standards, and guidelines) established for the Moosalamoo
Recreation and Education Management Area under the Management
Plan.
(b) Fish and Wildlife.--Nothing in this subtitle affects
the jurisdiction of the State with respect to wildlife and
fish on the public land located in the State.
(c) Escarpment and Ecological Areas.--Nothing in this
subtitle prevents the Secretary from managing the Green
Mountain Escarpment Management Area and the Ecological
Special Areas, as described in the Management Plan.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from
Virginia (Mrs. Drake) and the gentleman from West Virginia (Mr. Rahall)
each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Virginia.
General Leave
Mrs. DRAKE. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may
have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include
extraneous material on the bill under consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentlewoman from Virginia?
There was no objection.
Mrs. DRAKE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
S. 4001 would designate 34,500 acres of wilderness in the White
Mountain National Forest in New Hampshire and 41,652 acres of
wilderness in the Green Mountain National Forest in Vermont.
The Resources Committee supports the wilderness designation in the
White Mountain National Forest. This designation was developed with the
Forest Service through its forest planning process and with substantial
input and involvement from the public and local interest groups. It
boasts the strong support of New Hampshire's citizens, environmental
groups, the forest products industry, elected officials, the Forest
Service and the administration.
With that said, the committee is somewhat troubled with the Vermont
wilderness designation within S. 4001. The Forest Service's publicly
vetted and collaborative forest plan recommends only 27,000 acres of
wilderness. However, considering the few days remaining in this
Congress and the support of this bill by the entire Vermont delegation,
the Resources Committee will defer to Vermont's elected officials and
pass the bill today.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. RAHALL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
(Mr. RAHALL asked and was given permission to revise and extend his
remarks.)
Mr. RAHALL. Mr. Speaker, I would simply note that this legislation,
which would designate Federal wilderness areas on national forest
system lands within the States of New Hampshire and Vermont, is before
us in part due to the efforts of our colleague, Bernie Sanders, and for
that, I commend the gentleman from Vermont for his dedication,
persistence and willingness to work with us on this legislation. He
will soon become a member of the other body, but we shall still
maintain our friendship. I salute him for his tenacity in ensuring that
his State's interests are included in this measure.
[[Page H8648]]
I would also observe that the wilderness designations made by the
pending measure are clean, and by that, I refer to the fact that they
are not coupled with other matters which have nothing to do with
wilderness.
Wilderness standing on its own here, the benefits of wilderness
designation to the local economy, to hunters and fishermen, and to our
heritage and future generations of Americans, is on display for all to
see.
It is not being coupled or being debased with other matters such as
the disposal of public lands as the price of obtaining some wilderness
designation as we have seen with a number of other bills considered by
this body in recent months.
So I am pleased to support the measure.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mrs. DRAKE. Mr. Speaker, I yield as much time as he may consume to
the gentleman from New Hampshire (Mr. Bradley).
Mr. BRADLEY of New Hampshire. Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the
leadership of the Resources Committee on both sides of the aisle, as
well as the leadership on both sides of the aisle in the House, for
allowing myself, Congressman Bass and Congressman Sanders to have
another opportunity to debate this bill today.
What we have before us is a compromise in true New England fashion,
with both States' delegations and Governors of both States having
worked together to bring before the House a consensus package that
represents the best interests of my colleague's State of Vermont and
the best interests of my State of New Hampshire.
As someone who is an avid hiker and someone who will have a little
bit more time now to hike, I can attest to all Members of the House,
this wilderness designation makes sense for New Hampshire. I have hiked
in both regions of the proposed wilderness designation. They are worthy
of this additional protection of wilderness designation.
In the case of New Hampshire, myself and Congressman Bass, Senator
Gregg and Senator Sununu, the sponsors of this measure, have worked
extensively with all sides that were interested in this legislation,
both environmental groups, logging interests, snowmobiling groups to
make sure that we had a plan that mirrored the interests of Tom Wagner,
who is the administrator of the White Mountain National Forest, and his
very capable group of people that proposed the White Mountain National
Forest plan and the wilderness designation.
As a side note, the White Mountain National Forest plan, despite all
the comments that came in after the plan was published, in particular
comments about wilderness designation, was not challenged in court by
any of the various interests, which is a tribute to how hard New
Hampshire interests worked on the compromise that you see before you
today.
So, as somebody who has spent extensive time hiking in the White
Mountain National Forest, including in these two proposed wilderness
designations, the Sandwich designation, as well as the Wild River
designation, I thank again my colleagues on both sides of the aisle for
allowing this bill to come forward. I thank the leadership on both
sides for allowing this bill to come forward. It is truly going to
protect both the Green Mountain National Forest and the White Mountain
National Forest, and I would welcome all of you to come join me in
hiking in these two wilderness designations once they have been signed
into law.
Mr. RAHALL. Mr. Speaker, I now yield such time as he may consume to
our distinguished colleague from Vermont (Mr. Sanders) and again
congratulate him on his ascension into the other body.
Mr. SANDERS. Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend from West Virginia.
This has been a somewhat long and unusual path to get here to where
we are today, and I want to thank the gentlewoman and I want to thank
the committee for their support and I want to thank my colleagues, Mr.
Bradley and Mr. Bass from New Hampshire, for their very hard work on
this, and the New Hampshire delegation in the Senate and Senator Leahy
and Senator Jeffords for where we are today.
{time} 1030
I rise, obviously, in very strong support of this legislation which
would designate wilderness areas in both Vermont and New Hampshire.
This legislation passed the Senate unanimously in September, and I hope
this body will pass it today in similar fashion.
I should point out that the New England Wilderness Act not only has
the unanimous support of the New Hampshire delegation and the Vermont
delegation but the Governor of the State of Vermont and the Governor of
the State of New Hampshire as well.
Mr. Speaker, the Green Mountain National Forest is integral to the
State of Vermont. Established in 1932, the forest includes almost
400,000 acres stretching across two-thirds the length of the State. As
you might imagine, the forest looms large on the minds of Vermonters.
My constituents have high expectations about the stewardship of the
resources within the forest, and the wilderness created in this bill is
something almost all Vermonters eagerly await.
In fact, passage of the New England Wilderness Act would mark a
successful culmination of on-the-ground efforts in both Vermont and New
Hampshire. In Vermont, this has involved roughly 5 years of discussions
as well as cooperation with the U.S. Forest Service as they worked to
update the forest management plan which included a significant public
process.
For example, five local planning groups met monthly during the
planning process, and over 70 public meetings occurred during this same
period. Additionally, four educational forums on the future management
of the forest and four open houses on the forest plan also took place.
Mr. Speaker, I can tell you, throughout the whole undertaking, one
message was very clear: Designating wilderness areas in the State of
Vermont has the overwhelming support of the vast majority of the people
in my State.
In closing, Mr. Speaker, I ask for the support of all of my
colleagues to pass this important legislation. Enacting this
legislation into law will provide lasting benefits to current and
future generations of citizens in Vermont and New Hampshire and
throughout the entire United States, and I look forward to celebrating
this important milestone.
Once again, I want to thank the committee and my colleagues from New
Hampshire for their very hard work on this.
Mrs. DRAKE. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the
gentleman from New Hampshire (Mr. Bass).
Mr. BASS. I thank the gentlewoman.
Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the opportunity to stand here before you in
support of S. 4001. As my good friend and colleague from Vermont
mentioned a minute or two ago, this is the culmination of a very
tortuous negotiation process that has taken place over a period of
years. I am very pleased to be able to culminate this process in this
fashion as the last bill that I, as the Representative of the Second
Congressional District, will be speaking in favor of and supporting on
the floor of the House, and probably his last bill as he heads over to
represent his great State of Vermont in the U.S. Senate, and I offer
him my congratulations.
This is a very significant piece of legislation for New Hampshire and
the White Mountain National Forest. It will set aside 34,000 acres in
wilderness designated lands, as we said before, in the Sandwich Range
and Wild River areas of northern New Hampshire. It is, as was said, the
culmination of 5 years of planning on the part of the U.S. Department
of Agriculture, the USDA staff that are on the ground in the area, the
stakeholders in the region, including the towns, environmental groups,
State reps and State legislators. It is the culmination of an open
process in which many, many different points of view were brought into
consideration, and this plan was developed. This is the legislative
initiative that implements that plan, and I fully support it.
The White Mountain National Forest was established in 1911 through
the Weeks Act. It is the most visited national forest in the country. I
believe, although I don't recall the exact number right now, but over 5
million people frequent this national forest. We have
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two ski areas that exist in it. It is a great source of recreation, but
it is also a very diverse ecosystem, and I think that the plan that we
have here before us today represents a reasonable compromise between
the need to preserve key wilderness areas for future generations and
the need to recognize that a national forest is also an economic engine
and is part of the economy for the region and a critical part of that
economy.
So by including the designations in the State of Vermont, New
Hampshire and Vermont are working together, because indeed their
forests and our forests are very close to one another. In a bipartisan
fashion, with the support of both Governors and the whole delegation to
implement this plan, the impact of this designation will not be felt
just this year and next year but forever.
So I just want to say that, as my last bill on the floor of the
House, I think it is as important a bill as I have ever had because its
impact will last long after I am gone and everybody else that is here
today. So I want to thank, in closing, all of those who have helped on
the House side and on the Senate side to bring this wonderful jewel to
New Hampshire and preserving 34,000 acres of the White Mountain
National Forest for eternity.
Mr. RAHALL. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mrs. DRAKE. Mr. Speaker, I have no additional speakers, and I yield
back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentlewoman from Virginia (Mrs. Drake) that the House suspend the rules
and pass the Senate bill, S. 4001.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds of those voting having
responded in the affirmative) the rules were suspended and the Senate
bill was passed.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
____________________