[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 149 (2003), Part 16]
[House]
[Page 22667]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




             MOUNT NAOMI WILDERNESS BOUNDARY ADJUSTMENT ACT

  Mr. BISHOP of Utah. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass 
the Senate bill (S. 278) to make certain adjustments to the boundaries 
of the Mount Naomi Wilderness Area, and for other purposes.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                                 S. 278

       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 ``Mount Naomi Wilderness 
     Boundary Adjustment Act''.

     SEC. 2. BOUNDARY ADJUSTMENTS.

       (a) Lands Removed.--The boundary of the Mount Naomi 
     Wilderness is adjusted to exclude the approximately 31 acres 
     of land depicted on the Map as ``Land Excluded''.
       (b) Lands Added.--Subject to valid existing rights, the 
     boundary of the Mount Naomi Wilderness is adjusted to include 
     the approximately 31 acres of land depicted on the Map as 
     ``Land Added''. The Utah Wilderness Act of 1984 (Public Law 
     98-428) shall apply to the land added to the Mount Naomi 
     Wilderness pursuant to this subsection.

      SEC. 3. MAP.

       (a) Definition.--For the purpose of this Act, the term 
     ``Map'' shall mean the map entitled ``Mt. Naomi Wilderness 
     Boundary Adjustment'' and dated May 23, 2002.
       (b) Map on File.--The Map shall be on file and available 
     for inspection in the office of the Chief of the Forest 
     Service, Department of Agriculture.
       (c) Corrections.--The Secretary of Agriculture may make 
     technical corrections to the Map.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Utah (Mr. Bishop) and the gentlewoman from the Virgin Islands (Mrs. 
Christensen) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Utah (Mr. Bishop).
  Mr. BISHOP of Utah. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mount Naomi is located in the Wasatch-Cache National Forest in Utah 
and borders the eastern boundary of the city of Logan in my State. At 
over 44,000 acres, it is clearly one of the largest wilderness areas in 
the State of Utah and was designated in the Wilderness Act of 1984. 
Unfortunately, mysteriously, some utility poles have grown up in this 
wilderness area.
  In reality, when it was created, by an oversight of Congress it 
encompassed an area which has utility corridors, both water and 
electricity. In addition to that utility corridor, there is a section 
of the Bonneville Shoreline Trail system that runs through this 
wilderness area. This is a trail system that connects northern and 
southern Utah. It is extremely popular with bikers, hikers, equestrian 
traffic; and it is the only section of that trail system which actually 
happens to be in a wilderness area.
  Seeing that problem, maintaining that utility corridor as well as 
maintaining that trail system in a wilderness area, the Forest Service 
and the local community have found a solution, which is in this 
particular bill. By taking 31 acres, which is the smallest footprint 
possible, on the western side of this wilderness area, which abuts the 
city of Logan, and transferring that out of the wilderness area and 
then finding on the eastern side of the wilderness area a section by 
the Forest Service 31 other acres which fits the contour of Mount Naomi 
and also has all the characteristics that are required for a wilderness 
area, we have been able to make an exchange which will allow the city 
of Logan to maintain their utility corridor, the State to maintain 
their trail system and also maintain the same acreage of wilderness in 
the State of Utah.
  This has passed this particular House before. I hope to do it a 
second time and then solve this problem for the city of Logan as well 
as for the Forest Service, which has the support of the Forest Service 
and the local community and all other entities that I am aware that 
have an interest in this particular area. It is a good piece of 
legislation.
  I definitely thank my colleagues on the committee for expediting its 
consideration, and I urge adoption of Senate bill 278.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, S. 278 would remove from the wilderness designation 31 
acres of land in one section and would add 31 acres to another portion 
of the Mount Naomi Wilderness Act. Last Congress, the House passed 
identical legislation. S. 278 passed the Senate earlier this year.
  We support this legislation.
  Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers on this bill, and I yield 
back the balance of my time.
  Mr. BISHOP of Utah. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Utah (Mr. Bishop) that the House suspend the rules and 
pass the Senate bill, S. 278.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor 
thereof) the rules were suspended and the Senate bill was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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