[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 145 (1999), Part 19]
[Senate]
[Page 27845]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]


[[Page 27845]]

                 DUGGER MOUNTAIN WILDERNESS ACT OF 1999

  Mr. HAGEL. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate 
proceed to the immediate consideration of S. 1843, introduced earlier 
today by Senator Sessions.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the bill by title.
  The assistant legislative clerk read as follows:

       A bill (S. 1843) to designate certain Federal land in the 
     Talladega National Forest, Alabama, as the ``Dugger Mountain 
     Wilderness.''

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the bill.
  Mr. HAGEL. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the bill be 
read a third time and passed, the motion to reconsider be laid upon the 
table, and any statement relating to the bill be printed in the Record.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The bill (S. 1843) was read the third time and passed, as follows:

                                S. 1843

       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 ``Dugger Mountain Wilderness 
     Act of 1999''.

     SEC. 2. DESIGNATION OF DUGGER MOUNTAIN WILDERNESS, ALABAMA.

       (a) Designation.--There is designated as wilderness and as 
     a component of the National Wilderness Preservation System, 
     in accordance with the Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. 1131 et 
     seq.), certain Federal land in the Talladega National Forest, 
     Alabama, comprising approximately 9,200 acres, as generally 
     depicted on the map entitled ``Proposed Dugger Mountain 
     Wilderness'', dated July 2, 1999, to be known as the ``Dugger 
     Mountain Wilderness''.
       (b) Map and Description.--
       (1) In general.--As soon as practicable after the date of 
     enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Agriculture (referred 
     to in this Act as the ``Secretary'') shall submit to Congress 
     a map and description of the boundaries of the Dugger 
     Mountain Wilderness.
       (2) Force and effect.--The map and description 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 description.
       (3) Public availability.--A copy of the map and description 
     shall be on file and available for public inspection in the 
     office of--
       (A) the Chief of the Forest Service; and
       (B) the Supervisor of National Forest System land located 
     in the State of Alabama.
       (c) Management.--
       (1) In general.--Subject to valid existing rights, land 
     designated as wilderness by this Act shall be managed by the 
     Secretary in accordance with the applicable provisions of the 
     Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. 1131 et seq.).
       (2) Effective date exception.--With respect to the Dugger 
     Mountain Wilderness, any reference in the Wilderness Act (16 
     U.S.C. 1131 et seq.) to the effective date of that Act shall 
     be considered to be a reference to the date of enactment of 
     this Act.
       (d) Treatment of Dugger Mountain Fire Tower.--
       (1) In general.--Not later 2 years after the date of 
     enactment of this Act, the Forest Service shall disassemble 
     and remove from the Dugger Mountain Wilderness the Dugger 
     Mountain fire tower (including any supporting structures).
       (2) Equipment.--The Forest Service may use ground-based 
     mechanical and motorized equipment to carry out paragraph 
     (1).
       (3) Fire tower road.--
       (A) In general.--The road to the fire tower shall be open 
     to motorized vehicles during the period required to carry out 
     paragraph (1) only for the purpose of removing the tower 
     (including any supporting structures).
       (B) Permanent closure.--After the period referred to in 
     subparagraph (A), the road to the fire tower shall be 
     permanently closed to motorized use.
       (4) Applicable law.--The Forest Service shall carry out 
     paragraph (1) in accordance with the National Historic 
     Preservation Act (16 U.S.C. 470 et seq.).

                          ____________________