[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 45 (Thursday, March 9, 2023)]
[Senate]
[Pages S746-S747]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. KAINE (for himself and Mr. Warner):
  S. 745. A bill to designate additions to the Rough Mountain 
Wilderness and the Rich Hole Wilderness of the George Washington 
National Forest, and for other purposes; to the Committee on 
Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
  Mr. KAINE. Madam President, this bill authorizes additions to two 
existing wilderness areas within the George Washington National Forest 
in Bath County, VA. This text represents years of negotiation and 
compromise among Virginia stakeholders who rely on the GW Forest.
  In many parts of America, Federal land management is controversial. 
Some may view these lands as repositories for timber, energy, or 
minerals. Others may enjoy using recreational trails through them. 
Others may believe that they should be left undisturbed. The truth, of 
course, is that all of these uses are important; the conflict lies in 
deciding which lands are best suited to which purposes.
  In the lead-up to the latest multiyear GW Forest Management Plan, 
various forest users came together to see if they could find reasonable 
compromises that would avoid years of unproductive disagreement and 
litigation. This group, known as the George

[[Page S747]]

Washington National Forest Stakeholder Collaborative, ultimately 
succeeded and made joint recommendations to the U.S. Forest Service for 
forest management and protection. Preservation advocates consented to 
timber harvesting and other active forest restoration and management in 
certain areas, while forest products interests consented to wilderness 
and light management in other areas. Following this fruitful 
collaboration, the Forest Service convened the Lower Cowpasture 
Restoration and Management Project, bringing together the collaborative 
and other stakeholders to help develop management activities on this 
particular part of GW Forest in Bath County. Everyone got some of what 
they wanted, and everyone gave some ground.
  The collaborative has now come together to support the wilderness 
additions in this bill, which designates 4,600 acres to be added to the 
Rich Hole Wilderness Area and 1,000 acres to be added to the Rough 
Mountain Wilderness Area. I am proud to once again partner with Senator 
Mark Warner and follow the path blazed by Senator John Warner and 
Representative Rick Boucher, who led the original Virginia Wilderness 
Act in 1984. I am also proud that this bill has passed the Senate in 
previous Congresses, including by unanimous consent. I will be pushing 
to include this bill as part of the 2023 farm bill, and I hope that we 
can bring this effort to the finish line soon.
  Taking care of our Nation's public lands is good for the environment 
and good for the economy. Land disputes may often be contentious, but 
these efforts in the GW Forest show they don't have to be. When 
everyone comes to the table and invests the necessary time, we can find 
common ground. I hope this will be a lesson for us in other tough 
policy challenges, and I encourage my Senate colleagues to support this 
bill.
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