H.R. 3222 – Reading Mode

112th CONGRESS

1st Session

H. R. 3222

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

October 14, 2011

Mr. Dicks introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources

A BILL

To designate certain National Park System land in Olympic National Park as wilderness or potential wilderness, and for other purposes.

Designation of additional national park system land in Olympic National Park as wilderness or potential wilderness

(a)

Designation

In accordance with the Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. 1131 et seq.), the following lands within Olympic National Park in the State of Washington are designated as wilderness or potential wilderness and incorporated in the Olympic Wilderness designated by section 101(a) of Public Law 100–668 (102 Stat. 3961):

(1)

Certain Federal land comprising approximately 4,100 acres as generally depicted on the map entitled Wilderness Boundary—Lake Crescent Addition, Olympic National Park, Washington, numbered 149/60,471a, and dated May 2010, is hereby designated as wilderness. The boundary along Lake Crescent shall be set back a sufficient distance to allow management of the historic World War I Spruce Railroad grade as the Olympic Discovery Trail, and to allow for operation and maintenance of the existing county road. The World War II Pyramid Peak lookout shall be included in the wilderness and be managed and maintained as a historic structure.

(2)

Certain Federal land comprising approximately 11 acres as generally depicted on the map entitled Wilderness Boundary—Boulder Creek Addition, Olympic National Park, Washington, numbered 149/60,470, and dated May 2009, is hereby designated as a potential wilderness addition.

(b)

Management

Except as provided in subsection (c), and subject to valid existing rights, the Secretary of the Interior (hereafter in this section referred to as the Secretary) shall manage each area designated as wilderness or potential wilderness in accordance with the Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. 1131 et seq.), except that any reference in the Wilderness Act to the effective date of the Wilderness Act shall be considered to be a reference to the date of the enactment of this Act.

(c)

Ecological restoration

For purposes of ecological restoration (including the elimination of nonnative species, removal of decommissioned roads, and any other activity necessary to restore the natural ecosystems in the potential wilderness area) and construction of a foot/stock trail, the Secretary may use motorized equipment and mechanized transport in the potential wilderness area until the date on which the potential wilderness area is incorporated into the Olympic Wilderness, whereupon wilderness minimum requirement practices shall be implemented in accordance with the Wilderness Act.

(d)

Boulder creek addition wilderness designation

The Boulder Creek Addition, consisting of the Boulder Creek Trail and the Boulder Creek campground potential wilderness area, approximately 15 acres as shown on the map titled Wilderness Boundary—Boulder Creek Addition, Olympic National Park, Washington, numbered 149/60,470, and dated May 2009, shall be designated as wilderness and incorporated in the Olympic Wilderness on the date on which the Secretary publishes notice in the Federal Register that conditions in the potential wilderness areas that are incompatible with the Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. 1131 et seq.) have been removed.

(e)

Map and legal description

(1)

Submission of map and legal description

As soon as practicable, after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall file a map and legal description of each area designated as wilderness and potential wilderness by this subtitle with—

(A)

the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources; and

(B)

the House Committee on Natural Resources.

(2)

Force and effect

The map and legal description filed under paragraph (1) shall have the same force and effect as if included in this subtitle, except that the Secretary may correct any clerical or typographical errors in the map or legal description.

(3)

Public availability

The map and legal description filed under paragraph (1) shall be on file and available for public inspection in the Office of the Secretary.