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.
“WILD SKY WILDERNESS ACT OF 2003” mentioning the U.S. Dept of Agriculture was published in the Senate section on pages S15865-S15867 on Nov. 24, 2003.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
WILD SKY WILDERNESS ACT OF 2003
The Senate proceeded to consider the bill (S. 391) to enhance ecosystem protection and the range of outdoor opportunities protected by statute in the Skykomish River valley of the State of Washington by designating certain lower-elevation Federal lands as wilderness, and for other purposes, which had been reported from the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, with amendments, as follows:
[Strike the parts shown in black brackets and insert the parts shown in italic.]
S. 391
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 ``Wild Sky Wilderness Act of 2003''.
[SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND STATEMENT OF POLICY.
[(a) Findings.--Congress finds the follwing:
[(1) Americans cherish the continued existence of diverse wilderness ecosystems and wildlife found on their Federal lands and share a strong sense of moral responsibility to protect their wilderness heritage as an enduring resource to cherish, protect, and bequeath undisturbed to future generations of Americans.
[(2) The values of an area of wilderness offer to this and future generations of Americans are greatly enhanced to the degree that the area is diverse in topography, elevation, life zones and ecosystems, and to the extent that it offers a wide range of outdoor recreational and educational opportunities accessible in all seasons of the year.
[(3) Large blocks of wildlands embracing a wide range of ecosystems and topography, including low-elevation forests, have seldom remained undisturbed due to many decades of development.
[(4) Certain wildlands on the western slope of the Cascade Range in the Skykomish River valley of the State of Washington offer an outstanding representation of the original character of the forested landscape, ranging from high alpine meadows and extremely rugged peaks to low-elevation mature and old-growth forests, including groves with some of the largest and most spectacular trees in Washington, with diameters of eight feet and larger.
[(5) These diverse, thickly forested mountain slopes and valleys of mature and old-growth trees in the Skykomish River valley harbor nearly the full complement of the original wildlife and fish species found by settlers of the 19th century, including mountain goats, bald eagles, black bear, pine marten, black-tailed deer, as well as rare and endangered wildlife such as northern spotted owls and goshawks, Chinook and Coho salmon, and steelhead and bull trout.
[(6) An ecologically and topographically diverse wilderness area in the Skykomish River valley accessible in all seasons of the year will be enjoyable to users of various kinds, such as hikers, horse riders, hunters, anglers, and educational groups, but also to the many who cherish clean water and clean air, fish and wildlife (including endangered species such as wild salmon), and pristine mountain and riverside scenery.
[(b) Statement of Policy.--Congress hereby declares that it is the policy of the United States:
[(1) to better serve the diverse wilderness and environmental education needs of the people of the State of Washington and its burgeoning metropolitan regions by granting wilderness protection to certain lower elevation wildlands in the Skykomish River valley of the State of Washington; and
[(2) to protect additional lands adjacent to the Henry M. Jackson Wilderness designated by the Washington Wilderness Act of 1984 (Public Law 98-339), in further tribute to the ecologically enlightened vision of the distinguished Senator from the State of Washington and former Chairman of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources (formerly the Senate Interior and Insular Affairs Committee).]
SEC. [3] 2. ADDITIONS TO THE NATIONAL WILDERNESS PRESERVATION
SYSTEM.
(a) Additions.--The following Federal lands in the State of Washington are hereby designated as wilderness and, therefore, as components of the National Wilderness Preservation System: certain lands which comprise approximately 106,000 acres, as generally depicted on a map entitled ``Wild Sky Wilderness Proposal'', ``Map #1'', and dated January 7, 2003, which shall be known as the Wild Sky Wilderness.
(b) Maps and Legal Descriptions.--As soon as practicable after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Agriculture shall file a map and a legal description for the wilderness area designated under this Act with the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the United States Senate and the Committee on Resources of the United States House of Representatives. The map and description shall have the same force and effect as if included in this Act, except that the Secretary of Agriculture may correct clerical and typographical errors in the legal description and map. The map and legal description shall be on file and available for public inspection in the office of the Chief of the Forest Service, Department of Agriculture.
SEC. [4] 3. ADMINISTRATION PROVISIONS.
(a) In General.--
(1) Subject to valid existing rights, lands designated as wilderness by this Act shall be managed by the Secretary of Agriculture in accordance with the Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. 1131 et seq.) and this Act, except that, with respect to any wilderness areas designated by this Act, any reference in the Wilderness Act to the effective date of the Wilderness Act shall be deemed to be a reference to the date of enactment of this Act.
(2) To fulfill the purposes of this Act and the Wilderness Act and to achieve administrative efficiencies, the Secretary of Agriculture may manage the area designated by this Act as a comprehensive part of the larger complex of adjacent and nearby wilderness areas.
(b) New Trails.--
(1) The Secretary of Agriculture shall consult with interested parties and shall establish a trail plan for Forest Service lands in order to develop:
(a) a system of hiking and equestrian trails within the wilderness designated by this Act in a manner consistent with the Wilderness Act, Public Law 88-577 (16 U.S.C. 1131 et seq.); and
(b) a system of [trail] trails adjacent to or to provide access to the wilderness designated by this Act.
(2) Within two years after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Agriculture shall complete a report on the implementation of the trail plan required under this Act. This report shall include the identification of priority trail for development.
(c) Repeater Site.--Within the Wild Sky Wilderness, the Secretary of Agriculture is authorized to use helicopter access to construct and maintain a joint Forest Service and Snohomish County telecommunications repeater site, in compliance with a Forest Service approved communications site plan, for the purposes of improving communications for safety, health, and emergency services.
(d) Float Plane Access.--As provided by section 4(d)(1) of the Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. 1133(d)(1)), the use of floatplanes on Lake Isabel, where such use has already become established, shall be permitted to continue subject to such reasonable restrictions as the Secretary of Agriculture determines to be desirable.
(e) Evergreen Mountain Lookout.--The designation under this Act shall not preclude the operation and maintenance of the existing Evergreen Mountain Lookout in the same manner and degree in which the operation and maintenance of such lookout was occurring as of the date of enactment of this Act.
SEC. [5] 4. AUTHORIZATION FOR LAND ACQUISITION.
(a) In General.--The Secretary of Agriculture is authorized to acquire lands and interests therein, by purchase, donation, or exchange, and shall give priority consideration to those lands identified as ``Priority Acquisition Lands'' on the map described in [section 3(a)(1)] section 2(a)(1). The boundaries of the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest and the Wild Sky Wilderness shall be adjusted to encompass any lands acquired pursuant to this section.
(b) Access.--Consistent with section 5(a) of the Wilderness Act (Public Law 88-577; 16 U.S.C. 1134(a)), the Secretary of Agriculture shall [assure] ensure adequate access to private inholdings within the Wild Sky Wilderness.
(c) Appraisal.--Valuation of private lands shall be determined without reference to any restrictions on access or use which arise out of designation as a wilderness area as a result of this Act.
SEC. [6] 5. LAND EXCHANGES.
The Secretary of Agriculture shall exchange lands and interests in lands, as generally depicted on a map entitled Chelan County Public Utility District Exchange and dated May 22, 2002, with the Chelan County Public Utility District in accordance with the following provisions:
(1) If the Chelan County Public Utility District, within ninety days after the date of enactment of this Act, offers to the Secretary of Agriculture approximately 371.8 acres within the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest in the State of Washington, the Secretary shall accept such lands.
(2) Upon acceptance of title by the Secretary of Agriculture to such lands and interests therein, the Secretary of Agriculture shall convey to the Chelan County Public Utility District a permanent easement, including helicopter access, consistent with such levels as used as of date of enactment, to maintain an existing [snowtel site] telemetry site to monitor snow pack on 1.82 acres on the Wenatchee National Forest in the State of Washington.
(3) The exchange directed by this Act shall be consummated if Chelan County Public Utility District conveys title acceptable to the Secretary and provided there is no hazardous material on the site, which is objectionable to the Secretary.
(4) In the event Chelan County Public Utility District determines there is no longer a need to maintain a [snowtel] telemetry site to monitor the snow pack for calculating expected runoff into the Lake Chelan hydroelectric project and the hydroelectric projects in the Columbia River Basin, the [secretary] Secretary shall be notified in writing and the easement shall be extinguished and all rights conveyed by this exchange shall revert to the United States.
The committee amendments were agreed to.
The bill (S. 391), as amended, was read the third time and passed, as follows:
S. 391
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 ``Wild Sky Wilderness Act of 2003''.
SEC. 2. ADDITIONS TO THE NATIONAL WILDERNESS PRESERVATION
SYSTEM.
(a) Additions.--The following Federal lands in the State of Washington are hereby designated as wilderness and, therefore, as components of the National Wilderness Preservation System: certain lands which comprise approximately 106,000 acres, as generally depicted on a map entitled ``Wild Sky Wilderness Proposal'', ``Map #1'', and dated January 7, 2003, which shall be known as the Wild Sky Wilderness.
(b) Maps and Legal Descriptions.--As soon as practicable after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Agriculture shall file a map and a legal description for the wilderness area designated under this Act with the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the United States Senate and the Committee on Resources of the United States House of Representatives. The map and description shall have the same force and effect as if included in this Act, except that the Secretary of Agriculture may correct clerical and typographical errors in the legal description and map. The map and legal description shall be on file and available for public inspection in the office of the Chief of the Forest Service, Department of Agriculture.
SEC. 3. ADMINISTRATION PROVISIONS.
(a) In General.--
(1) Subject to valid existing rights, lands designated as wilderness by this Act shall be managed by the Secretary of Agriculture in accordance with the Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. 1131 et seq.) and this Act, except that, with respect to any wilderness areas designated by this Act, any reference in the Wilderness Act to the effective date of the Wilderness Act shall be deemed to be a reference to the date of enactment of this Act.
(2) To fulfill the purposes of this Act and the Wilderness Act and to achieve administrative efficiencies, the Secretary of Agriculture may manage the area designated by this Act as a comprehensive part of the larger complex of adjacent and nearby wilderness areas.
(b) New Trails.--
(1) The Secretary of Agriculture shall consult with interested parties and shall establish a trail plan for Forest Service lands in order to develop:
(a) a system of hiking and equestrian trails within the wilderness designated by this Act in a manner consistent with the Wilderness Act, Public Law 88-577 (16 U.S.C. 1131 et seq.); and
(b) a system of trails adjacent to or to provide access to the wilderness designated by this Act.
(2) Within two years after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Agriculture shall complete a report on the implementation of the trail plan required under this Act. This report shall include the identification of priority trail for development.
(c) Repeater Site.--Within the Wild Sky Wilderness, the Secretary of Agriculture is authorized to use helicopter access to construct and maintain a joint Forest Service and Snohomish County telecommunications repeater site, in compliance with a Forest Service approved communications site plan, for the purposes of improving communications for safety, health, and emergency services.
(d) Float Plane Access.--As provided by section 4(d)(1) of the Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. 1133(d)(1)), the use of floatplanes on Lake Isabel, where such use has already become established, shall be permitted to continue subject to such reasonable restrictions as the Secretary of Agriculture determines to be desirable.
(e) Evergreen Mountain Lookout.--The designation under this Act shall not preclude the operation and maintenance of the existing Evergreen Mountain Lookout in the same manner and degree in which the operation and maintenance of such lookout was occurring as of the date of enactment of this Act.
SEC. 4. AUTHORIZATION FOR LAND ACQUISITION.
(a) In General.--The Secretary of Agriculture is authorized to acquire lands and interests therein, by purchase, donation, or exchange, and shall give priority consideration to those lands identified as ``Priority Acquisition Lands'' on the map described in section 2(a)(1). The boundaries of the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest and the Wild Sky Wilderness shall be adjusted to encompass any lands acquired pursuant to this section.
(b) Access.--Consistent with section 5(a) of the Wilderness Act (Public Law 88-577; 16 U.S.C. 1134(a)), the Secretary of Agriculture shall ensure adequate access to private inholdings within the Wild Sky Wilderness.
(c) Appraisal.--Valuation of private lands shall be determined without reference to any restrictions on access or use which arise out of designation as a wilderness area as a result of this Act.
SEC. 5. LAND EXCHANGES.
The Secretary of Agriculture shall exchange lands and interests in lands, as generally depicted on a map entitled Chelan County Public Utility District Exchange and dated May 22, 2002, with the Chelan County Public Utility District in accordance with the following provisions:
(1) If the Chelan County Public Utility District, within ninety days after the date of enactment of this Act, offers to the Secretary of Agriculture approximately 371.8 acres within the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest in the State of Washington, the Secretary shall accept such lands.
(2) Upon acceptance of title by the Secretary of Agriculture to such lands and interests therein, the Secretary of Agriculture shall convey to the Chelan County Public Utility District a permanent easement, including helicopter access, consistent with such levels as used as of date of enactment, to maintain an existing telemetry site to monitor snow pack on 1.82 acres on the Wenatchee National Forest in the State of Washington.
(3) The exchange directed by this Act shall be consummated if Chelan County Public Utility District conveys title acceptable to the Secretary and provided there is no hazardous material on the site, which is objectionable to the Secretary.
(4) In the event Chelan County Public Utility District determines there is no longer a need to maintain a telemetry site to monitor the snow pack for calculating expected runoff into the Lake Chelan hydroelectric project and the hydroelectric projects in the Columbia River Basin, the Secretary shall be notified in writing and the easement shall be extinguished and all rights conveyed by this exchange shall revert to the United States.
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