The Congressional Record is a unique source of public documentation. It started in 1873, documenting nearly all the major and minor policies being discussed and debated.
“MOUNT NEBO WILDERNESS BOUNDARY ADJUSTMENT ACT” mentioning the U.S. Dept of Agriculture was published in the House of Representatives section on pages H4381-H4382 on July 23, 2001.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
MOUNT NEBO WILDERNESS BOUNDARY ADJUSTMENT ACT
Mr. GIBBONS. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 451) to make certain adjustments to the boundaries of the Mount Nebo Wilderness Area, and for other purposes, as amended.
The Clerk read as follows:
H.R. 451
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 Nebo Wilderness Boundary Adjustment Act''.
SEC. 2. BOUNDARY ADJUSTMENTS.
(a) Lands Removed.--The boundary of the Mount Nebo Wilderness is adjusted to exclude the following:
(1) Monument springs.--The approximately 8.4 acres of land depicted on the Map as ``Monument Springs''.
(2) Gardner canyon.--The approximately 177.8 acres of land depicted on the Map as ``Gardner Canyon''.
(3) Birch creek.--The approximately 5.0 acres of land depicted on the Map as ``Birch Creek''.
(4) Ingram canyon.--The approximately 15.4 acres of land depicted on the Map as ``Ingram Canyon''.
(5) Willow north a.--The approximately 3.4 acres of land depicted on the Map as ``Willow North A''.
(6) Willow north b.--The approximately 6.6 acres of land depicted on the Map as ``Willow North B''.
(7) Willow south.--The approximately 21.5 acres of land depicted on the Map as ``Willow South''.
(8) Mendenhall canyon.--The approximately 9.8 acres of land depicted on the Map as ``Mendenhall Canyon''.
(9) Wash canyon.--The approximately 31.4 acres of land depicted on the Map as ``Wash Canyon''.
(b) Lands Added.--Subject to valid existing rights, the boundary of the Mount Nebo Wilderness is adjusted to include the approximately 293.2 acres of land depicted on the Map for addition to the Mount Nebo Wilderness. The Utah Wilderness Act of 1984 (Public Law 94-428) shall apply to the land added to the Mount Nebo 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. Nebo Wilderness Boundary Adjustment'', numbered 531, and dated May 29, 2001.
(b) Map on File.--The Map and the final document entitled
``Mount Nebo, Proposed Boundary Adjustments, Parcel Descriptions (See Map #531)'' and dated June 4, 2001, 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.
SEC. 4. TECHNICAL BOUNDARY ADJUSTMENT.
The boundary of the Mount Nebo Wilderness is adjusted to exclude the approximately 21.26 acres of private property located in Andrews Canyon, Utah, and depicted on the Map as
``Dale''.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from Nevada (Mr. Gibbons) and the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. McGovern) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Nevada (Mr. Gibbons).
Mr. GIBBONS. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Madam Speaker, H.R. 451, the Mount Nebo Wilderness Boundary Adjustment Act, was introduced by the gentleman from Utah (Mr. Hansen), who also serves as the chairman for the Committee on Resources, to resolve an ongoing dispute over access to several small water systems located in a Forest Service wilderness area in Juab County, Utah.
In 1984, Congress passed the Utah Wilderness Act, which designated 800,000 acres of wilderness on Forest Service lands in Utah. One of those areas was the Mount Nebo wilderness area. Unfortunately, due to a clerical error, several small water systems, springs, pipelines, and collection boxes were erroneous included in the wilderness boundary. These water systems supplied the towns of Nephi and Mona, Utah, with most of its culinary water. Because of the wilderness designation, access to these systems was restricted, even for routine maintenance. Since that time, these systems have deteriorated due to lack of that very needed maintenance.
After years of trying to reach a solution through administrative means, Juab County and the Forest Service concluded that a legislative boundary adjustment was necessary to exclude these water developments and the private inholdings in that area. This bill, Madam Speaker, accomplishes that purpose.
In the Committee on Resources an amendment was accepted which reduced the number of acres impacted by nearly one-third. The committee also removed water language that some found objectionable. The committee made additional adjustments to include roadless Forest Service lands as wilderness to compensate for the lands removed, resulting in a net increase of 13 acres to the 800,000 acre previously designated wilderness area. The end result is that Nehi City and the Town of Mona will have access to their historic water developments, private inholdings have been removed from the wilderness area, and the Forest Service will have a wilderness area with less human intrusion and fewer access issues.
Madam Speaker, I urge the passage of H.R. 451.
Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. McGOVERN. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
(Mr. McGOVERN asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)
Mr. McGOVERN. Madam Speaker, H.R. 451 would adjust the boundaries of the Mount Nebo wilderness on the Uinta National Forest in Utah by removing approximately 279 acres and adding approximately 293 acres. The nine parcels to be excluded from wilderness include mines, private property, and water transmission and storage facilities.
Under existing law, water system operator permittees must get permission from the Regional Forester to maintain their systems by motorized access. Complying with stringent guidelines for wilderness management, the Forest Service has not routinely granted these requests. H.R. 451 addresses the difficulties encountered by these operators by ``cherry stemming'' these areas out of the wilderness.
While amendments in committee significantly improve the bill, it still lacks language that would restrict motorized use in areas removed from wilderness to repairing or maintaining existing facilities operating under current special use permits. Without this language, H.R. 451 could lead to more widespread use of motorized vehicles in and around the wilderness and make boundary management difficult.
We believe changes to wilderness boundaries and management should not be made lightly or done routinely. Wilderness bills are the result of lengthy, carefully crafted negotiations. Areas included and excluded from wilderness are rarely accidental. Legislation that overrides the Wilderness Act undermines the Act and degrades wilderness value. H.R. 451 addresses a unique situation, and we will not object to it. However, we hope it will not serve as precedent for future modifications to congressionally designated wilderness boundaries. We also hope that, rather than moving bills that remove land from the National Wilderness Preservation System, the committee will focus on moving bills that add significant acreage of wilderness to the system.
Madam Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. GIBBONS. Madam Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the gentleman from Nevada (Mr. Gibbons) that the House suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 451, as amended.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor thereof) the rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
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