Virginia Ridge and Valley Wilderness and National Scenic Areas Act of 2004 - Designates certain lands in the Jefferson National Forest, Virginia (Brush Mountain and Brush Mountain East, Seng Mountain and Raccoon Branch, Stone Mountain, Mountain Lake Additions, Lewis Fork Addition and Little Wilson Creek Additions, Shawvers Run Additions, and Peters Mountain Addition) as wilderness.
Designates Seng Mountain and Raccoon Branch, and Crawfish Valley, as National Scenic Areas (Areas). Establishes such Areas for purposes of: (1) ensuring the protection and preservation of scenic quality, water quality, natural characteristics, and water resources; (2) protecting wildlife and fish habitat; (3) protecting areas that may develop characteristics of old-growth forests; and (4) providing a variety of recreation opportunities.
Directs the Secretary of Agriculture to: (1) administer such Areas in accordance with this Act and the laws and regulations generally applicable to the National Forest System (NFS); (2) develop a management plan for such Areas; and (3) establish a trail for NFS lands to develop hiking and equestrian trails within the wilderness areas and non-motorized recreation trails within the Areas. Sets forth provisions regarding roads, vegetation management, motorized travel, fire, insects and disease, water, and mining and geothermal leasing.
[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4202 Introduced in House (IH)]
108th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 4202
To designate additional National Forest System lands in the State of
Virginia as wilderness, to establish the Seng Mountain and Crawfish
Valley Scenic Areas, to provide for the development of trail plans for
the wilderness areas and scenic areas, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
April 22, 2004
Mr. Boucher (for himself, Mr. Moran of Virginia, and Mr. Tom Davis of
Virginia) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Agriculture, and in addition to the Committee on
Resources, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker,
in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the
jurisdiction of the committee concerned
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To designate additional National Forest System lands in the State of
Virginia as wilderness, to establish the Seng Mountain and Crawfish
Valley Scenic Areas, to provide for the development of trail plans for
the wilderness areas and scenic areas, and for other purposes.
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 ``Virginia Ridge and Valley Wilderness
and National Scenic Areas Act of 2004''.
SEC. 2. DESIGNATION OF ADDITIONAL NATIONAL FOREST SYSTEM LANDS AS
WILDERNESS IN VIRGINIA.
Section 1 of the Act entitled ``An Act to designate certain
National Forest System lands in the States of Virginia and West
Virginia as wilderness areas'', approved June 7, 1988 (Public Law 100-
326; 16 U.S.C. 1132 note), as amended by Public Law 106-471 (114 Stat.
2057), is further amended--
(1) by striking ``and'' at the end of paragraph (7);
(2) by striking the period at the end of paragraph (8) and
inserting a semicolon; and
(3) by adding at the end the following new paragraphs:
``(9) certain lands in the Jefferson National Forest, which
comprise approximately 3,844 acres, as generally depicted on a
map entitled `Brush Mountain and Brush Mountain East', dated
February 12, 2004, and which shall be known as the Brush
Mountain East Wilderness;
``(10) certain lands in the Jefferson National Forest,
which comprise approximately 4,707 acres, as generally depicted
on a map entitled `Brush Mountain and Brush Mountain East',
dated February 12, 2004, and which shall be known as the Brush
Mountain Wilderness;
``(11) certain lands in the Jefferson National Forest,
which comprise approximately 4,384 acres, as generally depicted
on a map entitled `Seng Mountain and Raccoon Branch', dated
February 12, 2004, and which shall be known as the Raccoon
Branch Wilderness;
``(12) certain lands in the Jefferson National Forest,
which comprise approximately 3,300 acres, as generally depicted
on a map entitled `Stone Mountain', dated February 12, 2004,
and which shall be known as the Stone Mountain Wilderness;
``(13) certain lands in the Jefferson National Forest,
which comprise approximately 5,573 acres, as generally depicted
on a map entitled `Mountain Lake Additions', dated February 12,
2004, and which are hereby incorporated in the Mountain Lake
Wilderness;
``(14) certain lands in the Jefferson National Forest,
which comprise approximately 748 acres, as generally depicted
on a map entitled `Lewis Fork Addition and Little Wilson Creek
Additions', dated February 12, 2004, and which are hereby
incorporated in the Lewis Fork Wilderness;
``(15) certain lands in the Jefferson National Forest,
which comprise approximately 1,862 acres, as generally depicted
on a map entitled `Lewis Fork Addition and Little Wilson Creek
Additions', dated February 12, 2004, and which are hereby
incorporated in the Little Wilson Creek Wilderness;
``(16) certain lands in the Jefferson National Forest,
which comprise approximately 2,789 acres, as generally depicted
on a map entitled `Shawvers Run Additions', dated February 12,
2004, and which are hereby incorporated in the Shawvers Run
Wilderness; and
``(17) certain lands in the Jefferson National Forest,
which comprise approximately 1,570 acres, as generally depicted
on a map entitled `Peters Mountain Addition', dated February
12, 2004, and which are hereby incorporated in the Peters
Mountain Wilderness.''.
SEC. 3. SENG MOUNTAIN AND CRAWFISH VALLEY SCENIC AREAS, JEFFERSON
NATIONAL FOREST, VIRGINIA.
(a) Establishment of Scenic Areas.--
(1) Establishment.--The following National Forest System
lands in the State of Virginia are hereby designated as
National Scenic Areas (in this section referred to as the
``scenic areas''):
(A) Certain lands in the Jefferson National Forest,
which comprise approximately 6,455 acres, as generally
depicted on a map entitled ``Seng Mountain and Raccoon
Branch'', dated February12, 2004, and which shall be
known as the Seng Mountain National Scenic Area.
(B) Certain lands in the Jefferson National Forest,
which comprise approximately 5,400 acres, as generally
depicted on a map entitled ``Crawfish Valley'' dated
February 12, 2004, and which shall be known as the
Crawfish Valley National Scenic Area.
(2) Maps and descriptions.--As soon as practicable after
the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of
Agriculture shall file a map and boundary description of the
scenic areas with the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and
Forestry of the Senate and the Committee on Agriculture of the
House of Representatives. 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. The map and boundary
description shall be on file and available for public
inspection in the Office of the Chief of the Forest Service,
Department of Agriculture. In the case of any discrepancy
between the acreage specified in paragraph (1) and the map
filed under this paragraph, the map shall control.
(b) Purposes of Scenic Areas.--The scenic areas are established for
the purposes of--
(1) ensuring the protection and preservation of scenic
quality, water quality, natural characteristics, and water
resources;
(2) protecting wildlife and fish habitat, consistent with
paragraph (1);
(3) protecting areas that may develop characteristics of
old-growth forests; and
(4) providing a variety of recreation opportunities,
consistent with the preceding paragraphs.
(c) Administration.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary of Agriculture shall
administer the scenic areas in accordance with this section and
the laws and regulations generally applicable to the National
Forest System. In the event of conflict between this section
and other laws and regulations, this section shall take
precedence.
(2) Consistent use.--The Secretary shall only allow such
uses of the scenic areas as the Secretary finds will further
the purposes for which the scenic areas are established.
(d) Management Plan.--Within two years after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Agriculture shall develop a
management plan for the scenic areas consistent with this section. The
management plan shall be developed as an amendment to the land and
resource management plan for the Jefferson National Forest, except that
nothing in this section requires the Secretary to revise the land and
resource management plan for the Jefferson National Forest pursuant to
section 6 of the Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources Planning Act
of 1974 (16 U.S.C. 1604).
(e) Roads.--After the date of the enactment of this Act, no roads
shall be established or constructed within the scenic areas, except
that this prohibition shall not be construed to deny access to private
lands or interests therein in the scenic areas.
(f) Vegetation Management.--No timber harvest shall be allowed
within the scenic areas, except as the Secretary of Agriculture finds
necessary in the control of fire, insects, and diseases and to provide
for public safety and trail access. Notwithstanding the preceding
sentence, the Secretary may engage in vegetation manipulation practices
for maintenance of existing wildlife clearings and visual quality.
Firewood may be harvested for personal use along perimeter roads under
such conditions as the Secretary may impose.
(g) Motorized Travel.--Motorized travel shall not be permitted
within the scenic areas, except that the Secretary of Agriculture may
authorize motorized travel within the scenic area--
(1) as necessary for administrative use in furtherance of
the purposes of this section;
(2) in support of wildlife management projects in existence
as of the date of the enactment of this Act; and
(3) on Forest Development Road 9410 and 84b during deer and
bear hunting seasons.
(h) Fire.--Wildfires in the scenic area shall be suppressed in a
manner consistent with the purposes of this section, using such means
as the Secretary of Agriculture considers appropriate.
(i) Insects and Disease.--Insect and disease outbreaks may be
controlled in the scenic areas to maintain scenic quality, prevent tree
mortality, reduce hazards to visitors, or protect private lands.
(j) Water.--The Secretary of Agriculture shall administer the
scenic areas so as to maintain and enhance water quality.
(k) Mining Withdrawal.--Subject to valid existing rights, all
federally owned lands in the scenic areas are withdrawn from location,
entry, and patent under the mining laws of the United States and from
leasing claims under the mineral and geothermal leasing laws of the
United States, including amendments to such laws.
SEC. 4. TRAIL PLAN AND DEVELOPMENT.
(a) Trail Plan.--The Secretary of Agriculture shall establish, in
consultation with interested parties, a trail plan for National Forest
System lands described in this paragraph in order to develop the
following:
(1) Hiking and equestrian trails within the wilderness
areas designated by the amendments made by section 2, in a
manner consistent with the Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. 1131 et
seq.).
(2) Nonmotorized recreation trails within the scenic areas
designated by section 3.
(b) Implementation Report.--Within two years after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Agriculture shall submit to
Congress a report on the implementation of the trail plan, includ
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the Committee on Agriculture, and in addition to the Committee on Resources, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Referred to the Committee on Agriculture, and in addition to the Committee on Resources, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Referred to the Committee on Agriculture, and in addition to the Committee on Resources, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Forests and Forest Health.
Executive Comment Requested from USDA.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Department Operations, Oversight, Nutrition and Forestry.
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