[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 131 (Wednesday, July 30, 2025)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4907-S4908]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
By Mr. DURBIN:
S. 2548. A bill to designate the Camp Hutchins Wilderness and
establish Special Management Areas in the Shawnee National Forest in
the State of Illinois, and for other purposes; to the Committee on
Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
Mr. DURBIN. 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. 2548
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 ``Shawnee National Forest
Conservation Act of 2025''.
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Designated natural area.--The term ``designated natural
area'' means an area determined to be of exceptional
ecological, botanical, geologic, scenic, or archeological
value by--
(A) the Secretary; and
(B)(i) the State of Illinois; or
(ii) the Secretary of the Interior, acting through the
Director of the National Park Service.
(2) Designated research natural area.--The term
``designated research natural area'' means an area that has
been selected by the Secretary, and is managed by the Forest
Service, for scientific research value.
(3) Map.--The term ``Map'' means the map prepared by the
Environmental Law and Policy Center entitled ``Camp Hutchins
Wilderness Area and Special Management Area'' and dated
November 23, 2023.
(4) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of Agriculture, acting through the Chief of the Forest
Service.
(5) Special management area.--The term ``Special Management
Area'' means a Special Management Area established by section
4(a).
SEC. 3. CAMP HUTCHINS WILDERNESS.
(a) Addition to the National Wilderness Preservation
System.--In accordance with the Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C.
1131 et seq.), certain land in the Shawnee National Forest in
the State of Illinois managed by the Forest Service,
comprising approximately 750 acres and generally depicted on
the Map as ``Camp Hutchins Wilderness Area - Proposed'', is
designated as wilderness and as a component of the National
Wilderness Preservation System, and shall be known as the
``Camp Hutchins Wilderness''.
(b) Management.--Subject to valid existing rights, the Camp
Hutchins Wilderness shall be administered by the Secretary in
accordance with the Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. 1131 et seq.),
except that any reference in that Act to the effective date
shall be considered to be a reference to the date of
enactment of this Act.
(c) Hiking Trail.--Forest Road 211 shall be closed to
public vehicular traffic and shall be maintained as a hiking
trail, including the eastern extension of Forest Road 211
formerly known as the ``Hutchins Creek Spur'' up to the area
known as ``Hutchins Creek Corridor'', as generally depicted
on the Map.
(d) Withdrawal.--Subject to valid existing rights, all
Federal land within the Camp Hutchins Wilderness, including
any land or interest in land that is acquired by the United
States within the Camp Hutchins Wilderness after the date of
enactment of this Act, is withdrawn from--
(1) entry, appropriation, or disposal under the public land
laws;
(2) location, entry, and patent under the mining laws; and
(3) operation of the mineral leasing, mineral materials,
and geothermal leasing laws.
(e) Map and Legal Description.--
(1) In general.--As soon as practicable after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall file a map and
legal description of the Camp Hutchins Wilderness with--
(A) the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry
of the Senate; and
[[Page S4908]]
(B) the Committee on Agriculture of the House of
Representatives.
(2) Effect.--The map and legal description filed under
paragraph (1) 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.
(3) Availability.--The map and legal description filed
under paragraph (1) shall be on file and available for public
inspection in the appropriate office of the Secretary and on
the Forest Service website.
SEC. 4. ESTABLISHMENT OF SPECIAL MANAGEMENT AREAS.
(a) Establishment.--Subject to valid existing rights, the
following Special Management Areas within the Shawnee
National Forest in the State of Illinois are established:
(1) Camp hutchins special management area.--Certain Federal
land managed by the Forest Service, comprising approximately
2,953 acres and generally depicted on the Map as ``Camp
Hutchins Special Management Area - Proposed'', which shall be
known as the ``Camp Hutchins Special Management Area''.
(2) Ripple hollow special management area.--Certain Federal
land managed by the Forest Service, comprising approximately
3,445 acres and generally depicted as ``Ripple Hollow Special
Management Area - Proposed'' on the map prepared by the
Environmental Law and Policy Center entitled ``Ripple Hollow
Special Management Area'' and dated November 23, 2023, which
shall be known as the ``Ripple Hollow Special Management
Area''.
(3) Burke branch special management area.--Certain Federal
land managed by the Forest Service, comprising approximately
6,310 acres and generally depicted as ``Burke Branch Special
Management Area - Proposed'', on the map prepared by the
Environmental Law and Policy Center entitled ``Burke Branch
Special Management Area'' and dated November 23, 2023, which
shall be known as the ``Burke Branch Special Management
Area''.
(b) Purposes.--The purposes of the Special Management Areas
are--
(1) to conserve, protect, and enhance the ecological,
scenic, wildlife, recreational, cultural, historic,
educational, and scientific resources of the Special
Management Areas for the benefit and enjoyment of present and
future generations;
(2) to promote biodiversity and control invasive species;
and
(3) to allow for the continuation of restoration efforts
and scientific study of the designated natural areas and
designated research natural areas within the Special
Management Areas.
SEC. 5. ADMINISTRATION OF SPECIAL MANAGEMENT AREAS.
(a) In General.--The Secretary shall administer the Special
Management Areas--
(1) in a manner that conserves, protects, and enhances the
purposes for which the Special Management Areas are
established; and
(2) in accordance with--
(A) this section; and
(B) other applicable laws.
(b) Management Plan.--Not later than 3 years after the date
of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall develop a
comprehensive management plan for the long-term protection
and management of the Special Management Areas.
(c) Uses.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary shall allow only uses of the
Special Management Areas that are consistent with the
purposes for which the Special Management Areas are
established.
(2) Prescribed fire.--The Secretary may use prescribed fire
to sustain the ecological structure and composition of the
Special Management Areas to sustain the biodiversity of the
Special Management Areas.
(3) Management tools.--
(A) In general.--The Secretary may use herbicides,
insecticides, and mechanized equipment in the control of
fire, insects, disease, and invasive species, including the
use of chainsaws, drones, aircraft, pickup trucks, all-
terrain vehicles, and rubber and tracked vehicles to carry
out management of the Special Management Areas approved by
the Secretary.
(B) Requirement.--In carrying out management of the Special
Management Areas, the Secretary shall use the best available
technology and science.
(4) Motorized vehicles.--Except in cases in which motorized
vehicles are needed for administrative purposes, emergency
response, or access on established roads accessing
trailheads, or are essential to provide off-road access for
ecosystem management of habitat, the use of motor vehicles in
the Special Management Areas shall be prohibited.
(5) Roads.--The Secretary shall decommission and remove
roads within the Special Management Areas, except roads
needed for management or access to trailheads, as soon as
practicable.
(6) Timber.--
(A) In general.--Commercial timber harvesting, except as
needed for fire, insect, and disease control, and for visitor
and administrative safety, in the Special Management Areas
shall be prohibited.
(B) Activities permitted.--Thinning of trees and other
vegetation in the Special Management Areas shall be permitted
for restoration of the designated natural areas and
designated research natural areas and to further the
management objectives described in this section.
(7) Inholdings.--
(A) In general.--Access to private inholdings in the
Special Management Areas shall be preserved.
(B) Acquisitions.--The Secretary shall acquire any private
inholdings in the Special Management Areas by purchase or
exchange as soon as feasible.
(8) Hunting and trapping.--
(A) Hunting.--Hunting shall be permitted in the Special
Management Areas as permitted by the State of Illinois and in
accordance with regulations of the State of Illinois and
regulations of the Forest Service.
(B) Trapping.--Trapping shall not be permitted in the
Special Management Areas.
(C) Access by motorized vehicles.--Access within the
Special Management Areas by hunters in motorized vehicles
shall be prohibited.
(9) Volunteer restoration and research.--
(A) Volunteers.--The Secretary shall allow organized groups
of volunteers to participate in ecological restoration
activities under the guidance of Forest Service ecologists
and botanists within the Special Management Areas through
cooperative agreements.
(B) Access for research purposes.--The Secretary shall
allow access to the Special Management Areas for scientific
research by qualified individuals and organizations, as
determined by the Secretary.
(10) Ongoing management decisions.--The Supervisor of the
Shawnee National Forest shall have the authority, without
requiring the permission of the Secretary, to make management
decisions concerning any designated natural area or
designated research natural area within the Special
Management Areas pursuant to the land and resource management
plan for the Shawnee National Forest.
(d) Withdrawal.--Subject to valid existing rights, all
Federal land within the Special Management Areas, including
any land or interest in land that is acquired by the United
States within the Special Management Areas after the date of
enactment of this Act, is withdrawn from--
(1) entry, appropriation, or disposal under the public land
laws;
(2) location, entry, and patent under the mining laws; and
(3) operation of the mineral leasing, mineral materials,
and geothermal leasing laws.
(e) Maps and Legal Descriptions.--
(1) In general.--As soon as practicable after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall file a map and
legal description of each Special Management Area with--
(A) the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the
Senate; and
(B) the Committee on Natural Resources of the House of
Representatives.
(2) Effect.--The maps and legal descriptions filed under
paragraph (1) 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 maps and legal
descriptions.
(3) Availability.--The maps and legal descriptions filed
under paragraph (1) shall be on file and available for public
inspection in the appropriate office of the Secretary and on
the Forest Service website.
(f) Public Information.--Annually, the Secretary shall make
publicly available on the website of the Shawnee National
Forest information describing the progress in achieving the
management objectives described in this section.
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