Wild Olympics Wilderness and Wild and Scenic Rivers Act
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Progress
Where this bill stands in the legislative process.
- Introduced
- Passed House
- Passed Senate
- To President
- Became Law
Overview
This bill designates and expands wilderness areas within the Olympic National Forest in Washington State, protecting approximately 126,554 acres as wilderness areas including Lost Creek, Rugged Ridge, Alckee Creek, Gates of the Elwha, Green Mountain, The Brothers, Mount Skokomish, Wonder Mountain, Moonlight Dome, South Quinault Ridge, Colonel Bob, Sams River, and Canoe Creek Wildernesses. Additionally, the bill designates certain rivers – including the Elwha, Dungeness, Big Quilcene, Dosewallips, Duckabush, Hamma Hamma, South Fork Skokomish, Middle Fork Satsop, West Fork Satsop, Wynoochee, Sol Duc, Lyre, and Queets – as wild and scenic rivers. It also includes provisions for river restoration and updates to land management plans. Finally, the bill protects existing rights and withdraws federal land within the designated areas from various forms of development.
Key provisions
- Designates new wilderness areas within the Olympic National Forest.
- Designates specific rivers as wild and scenic rivers.
- Incorporates existing wilderness areas (Buckhorn, The Brothers, Mount Skokomish, Wonder Mountain) into the National Wilderness Preservation System.
- Authorizes river restoration projects consistent with the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act.
- Requires updates to forest management plans to reflect the new designations.
- Protects existing water rights and land use agreements.
- Withdraws federal land within designated river areas from mineral and geothermal leasing.
- Addresses treaty rights of Indian Tribes.
Who is affected
- Federal Government (specifically the Forest Service and Department of the Interior)
Bill text
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Sponsors
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1 on record
Primary sponsor
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