[Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 49 (Wednesday, March 18, 2026)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1247-S1248]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
SA 4531. Mr. WYDEN submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by
him to the bill S. 1383, to establish the Veterans Advisory Committee
on Equal Access, and for other purposes; which was ordered to lie on
the table; as follows:
At the appropriate place, insert the following:
SEC. ____. ROGUE CANYON AND MOLALLA RECREATION AREAS, OREGON.
(a) Designation of Rogue Canyon and Molalla Recreation
Areas.--For the purposes of protecting, conserving, and
enhancing the unique and nationally important recreational,
ecological, scenic, cultural, watershed, and fish and
wildlife values of the areas, the following areas in the
State of Oregon (referred to in this section as the
``State'') are designated as recreation areas for management
by the Secretary of the Interior (referred to in this section
as the ``Secretary'') in accordance with subsection (c):
(1) Rogue canyon recreation area.--The approximately 98,150
acres of Bureau of Land Management land within the boundary
generally depicted as the ``Rogue Canyon Recreation Area'' on
the map entitled ``Rogue Canyon Recreation Area Wild Rogue
Wilderness Additions'' and dated November 19, 2019, which is
designated as the ``Rogue Canyon Recreation Area''.
(2) Molalla recreation area.--The approximately 29,884
acres of Bureau of Land Management land within the boundary
generally depicted on the map entitled ``Molalla Recreation
Area'' and dated September 26, 2018, which is designated as
the ``Molalla Recreation Area''.
(b) Maps and Legal Descriptions.--
(1) In general.--As soon as practicable after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall prepare a map and
legal description of each recreation area designated by
subsection (a).
(2) Effect.--The maps and legal descriptions prepared under
paragraph (1) shall have the same force and effect as if
included in this section, except that the Secretary may
correct any minor errors in the maps and legal descriptions.
(3) Public availability.--The maps and legal descriptions
prepared under paragraph (1) shall be available for public
inspection in the appropriate offices of the Bureau of Land
Management.
(c) Administration.--
(1) Applicable law.--The Secretary shall administer each
recreation area designated by subsection (a)--
(A) in a manner that conserves, protects, and enhances the
purposes for which the recreation area is established; and
(B) in accordance with--
(i) this section;
(ii) the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (43
U.S.C. 1701 et seq.); and
(iii) other applicable laws.
(2) Uses.--The Secretary shall only allow those uses of a
recreation area designated by subsection (a) that are
consistent with the purposes for which the recreation area is
established.
(3) Wildfire risk assessment.--Not later than 280 days
after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary, in
consultation with the Oregon Governor's Council on Wildfire
Response, shall conduct a wildfire risk assessment that
covers--
(A) the recreation areas designated by subsection (a);
(B) the Wild Rogue Wilderness; and
(C) any Federal land adjacent to an area described in
subparagraph (A) or (B).
(4) Wildfire mitigation plan.--
(A) In general.--Not later than 1 year after the date on
which the wildfire risk assessment is conducted under
paragraph (3), the Secretary shall develop a wildfire
mitigation plan, based on the wildfire risk assessment, that
identifies, evaluates, and prioritizes treatments and other
management activities that can be implemented on the Federal
land covered by the wildfire risk assessment (other than
Federal land designated as a unit of the National Wilderness
Preservation System) to mitigate wildfire risk to communities
located near the applicable Federal land.
(B) Plan components.--The wildfire mitigation plan
developed under subparagraph (A) shall include--
(i) vegetation management projects (including mechanical
treatments to reduce hazardous fuels and improve forest
health and resiliency);
(ii) evacuation routes for communities located near the
applicable Federal land, which shall be developed in
consultation with State and local fire agencies; and
(iii) strategies for public dissemination of emergency
evacuation plans and routes.
(C) Applicable law.--The wildfire mitigation plan under
subparagraph (A) shall be developed in accordance with--
(i) this section; and
(ii) any other applicable law.
(5) Road construction.--
(A) In general.--Except as provided in subparagraph (B) or
as the Secretary determines necessary for public safety, no
new permanent or temporary roads shall be constructed (other
than the repair and maintenance of existing roads) within a
recreation area designated by subsection (a).
(B) Temporary roads.--Consistent with the purposes of this
section, the Secretary may construct temporary roads within a
recreation area designated by subsection (a) to implement the
wildfire mitigation plan developed under paragraph (4),
unless the
[[Page S1248]]
temporary road would be within an area designated as a unit
of the National Wilderness Preservation System.
(C) Effect.--Nothing in this paragraph affects the
administration by the Secretary of the Molalla Forest Road in
accordance with applicable resource management plans.
(6) Effect on wildfire management.--Nothing in this section
alters the authority of the Secretary (in cooperation with
other Federal, State, and local agencies, as appropriate) to
conduct wildland fire operations within a recreation area
designated by subsection (a), consistent with the purposes of
this section.
(7) Withdrawal.--Subject to valid existing rights, all
Federal surface and subsurface land within a recreation area
designated by subsection (a) is withdrawn from all forms of--
(A) entry, appropriation, or disposal under the public land
laws;
(B) location, entry, and patent under the mining laws; and
(C) disposition under all laws pertaining to mineral
leasing, geothermal leasing, or mineral materials.
(8) No effect on wilderness areas.--Any wilderness area
located within a recreation area designated by subsection (a)
shall be administered in accordance with the Wilderness Act
(16 U.S.C. 1131 et seq.).
(d) Adjacent Management.--Nothing in this section creates
any protective perimeter or buffer zone around a recreation
area designated by subsection (a).
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