[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 79 (Wednesday, May 14, 2008)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4183-S4184]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. LEVIN (for himself and Ms. Stabenow):
  S. 3017. A bill to designate the Beaver Basin Wilderness at Pictured 
Rocks National Lakeshore in the State of Michigan; to the Committee on 
Energy and Natural Resources.
  Mr. LEVIN. Mr. President, today I am introducing with Senator 
Stabenow the Beaver Basin Wilderness Act, which would permanently 
protect 11,740 acres within the Pictured Rocks National Park located in 
Michigan's Upper Peninsula along the south shore of Lake Superior. Also 
known as the Beaver Basin area, this area comprises about 16 percent of 
the national lakeshore. The Wilderness designation would ensure that 
opportunities to appreciate and enjoy nature in a relatively 
undisturbed state at this national lakeshore are preserved for future 
generations.
  The bill responds to many of the concerns expressed during the 5-year 
development of the General Management Plan for Pictured Rocks, which 
included a wilderness study, and involved extensive public involvement. 
Boats powered by electric motors would be allowed on Little Beaver and 
Beaver Lakes within the Wilderness area. All motor boats would be 
allowed to access the miles of the Lake Superior shoreline, as the 
wilderness area does not include the Lake Superior surface water.

[[Page S4184]]

Also, the access road to Beaver Lakes and Little Beaver campground is 
not included in the wilderness area, so vehicles would still have 
access to this popular area. Importantly, the Wilderness designation 
would not change the fundamental way this land has been managed since 
1981, ensuring continued public access, use, and enjoyment of this 
land.
  It is critical that the highly valued, pristine natural features of 
the Beaver Basin area remain the treasure they are today. This area 
provides a unique and distinct landscape that highlights one of the 
most beautiful backdrops of the Great Lakes, and it is vital that we do 
all we can to protect it. Significantly, several miles of the North 
Country National Scenic Trail, also known as the Lakeshore Trail, run 
through this wilderness area. This bill would help preserve the serene 
quality of this segment of the trail, and protect the outstanding 
scenery along the shoreline. The wilderness designation will benefit 
current and future generations by protecting this natural and 
undisturbed landscape for the enjoyment of thousands of people in 
Michigan and across the Nation.
  Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be 
printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the text of the bill was ordered to be 
printed in the Record, as follows:

                                S. 3017

       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 ``Beaver Basin Wilderness 
     Act''.

     SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

       Congress finds that--
       (1) since 1981, the National Park Service has managed the 
     land designated as the Beaver Basin Wilderness by section 
     4(a) as a backcountry and wilderness area;
       (2) the land designated by section 4(a) as the Wilderness 
     comprises approximately 16 percent of the area of Pictured 
     Rocks National Lakeshore;
       (3) the decision to propose this portion of the National 
     Lakeshore as wilderness was made after 5 years of planning, 
     which involved extensive public involvement and culminated in 
     the approval of a new general management plan in 2004; and
       (4) the fundamental manner in which the land designated as 
     Wilderness by section 4(a) is managed for purposes of access, 
     public use, and enjoyment will not change as a result of this 
     designation.

     SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

       In this Act:
       (1) Line of demarcation.--The term ``line of demarcation'' 
     means the point on the bank or shore at which the surface 
     waters of Lake Superior meet the land or sand beach, 
     regardless of the level of Lake Superior.
       (2) Map.--The term ``map'' means the map entitled 
     ``Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore Beaver Basin Wilderness 
     Boundary'', numbered 625/80,051, and dated April 10, 2007.
       (3) National lakeshore.--The term ``National Lakeshore'' 
     means the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore.
       (4) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
     of the Interior.
       (5) Wilderness.--The term ``Wilderness'' means the Beaver 
     Basin Wilderness designated by section 4(a).

     SEC. 4. DESIGNATION OF BEAVER BASIN WILDERNESS.

       (a) In General.--In accordance with the Wilderness Act (16 
     U.S.C. 1131 et seq.), the land described in subsection (b) is 
     designated as wilderness and as a component of the National 
     Wilderness Preservation System, to be known as the ``Beaver 
     Basin Wilderness''.
       (b) Description of Land.--The land referred to in 
     subsection (a) is the land and inland water comprising 
     approximately 11,740 acres within the National Lakeshore, as 
     generally depicted on the map.
       (c) Boundary.--
       (1) Line of demarcation.--The line of demarcation shall be 
     the boundary for any portion of the Wilderness that is 
     bordered by Lake Superior.
       (2) Surface water.--The surface water of Lake Superior, 
     regardless of the fluctuating lake level, shall be considered 
     to be outside the boundary of the Wilderness.
       (d) Map and Legal Description.--
       (1) Availability of map.--The map shall be on file and 
     available for public inspection in the appropriate offices of 
     the National Park Service.
       (2) Legal description.--As soon as practicable after the 
     date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to 
     the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate 
     and the Committee on Natural Resources of the House of 
     Representatives a legal description of the boundary of the 
     Wilderness.
       (3) Force and effect.--The map and the legal description 
     submitted under paragraph (2) shall have the same force and 
     effect as if included in this Act, except that the Secretary 
     may correct any clerical or typographical errors in the map 
     and legal description.

     SEC. 5. ADMINISTRATION.

       (a) Management.--Subject to valid existing rights, the 
     Wilderness shall be administered by the Secretary in 
     accordance with the Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. 1131 et seq.), 
     except that--
       (1) any reference in that Act to the effective date of that 
     Act shall be considered to be a reference to the date of 
     enactment of this Act; and
       (2) with respect to land administered by the Secretary, any 
     reference in that Act to the Secretary of Agriculture shall 
     be considered to be a reference to the Secretary.
       (b) Use of Electric Motors.--The use of boats powered by 
     electric motors on Little Beaver and Big Beaver Lakes may 
     continue, subject to any applicable laws (including 
     regulations).

     SEC. 6. EFFECT.

       Nothing in this Act--
       (1) modifies, alters, or affects any treaty rights;
       (2) alters the management of the water of Lake Superior 
     within the boundary of the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore 
     in existence on the date of enactment of this Act; and
       (3) prohibits--
       (A) the use of motors on the surface water of Lake Superior 
     adjacent to the Wilderness; or
       (B) the beaching of motorboats at the line of demarcation.

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