Upper Missisquoi and Trout Wild and Scenic Rivers Act

Summary: (This measure has not been amended since it was reported to the House on June 30, 2014.  Upper Missisquoi and Trout Wild and Scenic Rivers Act - (Sec. 2) Amends the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act to designate specified segments of the Missisquoi River and Trout River in Vermont as components of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System.  (Sec. 3) Requires the river segments designated by this Act to be managed in accordance with the Upper Missisquoi and Trout Rivers Management Plan and any amendments meeting certain criteria.  Requires the Secretary of the Interior to coordinate the management responsibilities with the Upper Missisquoi and Trout Rivers Wild and Scenic Committee.  Authorizes the Secretary to enter into cooperative agreements for the protection, preservation, and enhancement of the river segments with: (1) the state of Vermont; (2) specific municipalities; and (3) local, regional, statewide, or multi-state planning, environmental, or recreational organizations.  States that the designation of the river segments does not: (1) preclude the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) from licensing, relicensing, or otherwise authorizing the operation of specified hydroelectric projects; or (2) limit the modernization, upgrades, or other changes to the projects. Prohibits resource protection, mitigation, or enhancement measures required by FERC hydropower proceedings from being considered project works under this Act. Permits such measures within the segments. Prohibits resource protection, mitigation, or enhancement measures required by FERC hydropower proceedings from being considered project works under this Act. Permits such measures within the segments. Considers zoning ordinances adopted by specific towns as satisfying provisions in the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act that prohibit the Secretary from acquiring lands by condemnation within a designated Wild and Scenic River boundary when certain local zoning ordinances are in place.  Limits the authority of the Secretary to acquire lands under this Act to acquisition by donation or exchange and subject to additional management plan criteria.  Prohibits the Secretary from acquiring by condemnation any land or interest in land within the boundaries of the river segments designated by this Act.  Bars the inclusion of any private or non-federal public property within the boundaries of such river segments without the owner's written consent.  Bars the Missisquoi and Trout Rivers from being administered as part of the National Park System.  Declares that nothing in this Act or the Upper Missisquoi and Trout Rivers Management Plan shall be construed to create buffer zones outside the river segment boundaries designated by this Act. 

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Upper Missisquoi and Trout Wild and 
Scenic Rivers Act''.

SEC. 2. DESIGNATION OF WILD AND SCENIC RIVER SEGMENTS.

    Section 3(a) of the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act (16 U.S.C. 1274(a)) 
is amended by adding at the end the following:
            ``(208) Missisquoi river and trout river, vermont.--The 
        following segments in the State of Vermont, to be administered 
        by the Secretary of the Interior as a recreational river:
                    ``(A) The 20.5-mile segment of the Missisquoi River 
                from the Lowell/Westfield town line to the Canadian 
                border in North Troy, excluding the property and 
                project boundary of the Troy and North Troy 
                hydroelectric facilities.
                    ``(B) The 14.6-mile segment of the Missisquoi River 
                from the Canadian border in Richford to the upstream 
                project boundary of the Enosburg Falls hydroelectric 
                facility in Sampsonville.
                    ``(C) The 11-mile segment of the Trout River from 
                the confluence of the Jay and Wade Brooks in Montgomery 
                to where the Trout River joins the Missisquoi River in 
                East Berkshire.''.

SEC. 3. MANAGEMENT.

    (a) Management.--
            (1) In general.--The river segments designated by paragraph 
        (208) of section 3(a) of the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act (16 
        U.S.C. 1274(a)) shall be managed in accordance with--
                    (A) the Upper Missisquoi and Trout Rivers 
                Management Plan developed during the study described in 
                section 5(b)(19) of the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act (16 
                U.S.C. 1276(b)(19)) (referred to in this section as the 
                ``management plan''); and
                    (B) such amendments to the management plan as the 
                Secretary determines are consistent with this Act and 
                as are approved by the Upper Missisquoi and Trout 
                Rivers Wild and Scenic Committee (referred to in this 
                section as the ``Committee'').
            (2) Comprehensive management plan.--The management plan, as 
        finalized in March 2013, and as amended, shall be considered to 
        satisfy the requirements for a comprehensive management plan 
        pursuant to section 3(d) of the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act (16 
        U.S.C. 1274(d)).
    (b) Committee.--The Secretary shall coordinate management 
responsibility of the Secretary of the Interior under this Act with the 
Committee, as specified in the management plan.
    (c) Cooperative Agreements.--
            (1) In general.--In order to provide for the long-term 
        protection, preservation, and enhancement of the river segments 
        designated by paragraph (208) of section 3(a) of the Wild and 
        Scenic Rivers Act (16 U.S.C. 1274(a)), the Secretary of the 
        Interior may enter into cooperative agreements pursuant to 
        sections 10(e) and 11(b)(1) (16 U.S.C. 1281(e), 1282(b)(1)) of 
        the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act with--
                    (A) the State of Vermont;
                    (B) the municipalities of Berkshire, Enosburg 
                Falls, Enosburgh, Montgomery, North Troy, Richford, 
                Troy, and Westfield; and
                    (C) appropriate local, regional, statewide, or 
                multi-state planning or recreational organizations 
                consistent with the management plan.
            (2) Consistency.--Each cooperative agreement entered into 
        under this section shall be consistent with the management plan 
        and may include provisions for financial or other assistance 
        from the United States.
    (d) Effect on Existing Hydroelectric Facilities.--
            (1) In general.--The designation of the river segments by 
        paragraph (208) of section 3(a) of the Wild and Scenic Rivers 
        Act (16 U.S.C. 1274(a)), does not--
                    (A) preclude, prohibit, or restrict the Federal 
                Energy Regulatory Commission from licensing, 
                relicensing, or otherwise authorizing the operation or 
                continued operation of the Troy Hydroelectric, North 
                Troy, or Enosburg Falls hydroelectric project under the 
                terms of licenses or exemptions in effect on the date 
                of enactment of this Act; or
                    (B) limit modernization, upgrade, or other changes 
                to the projects described in paragraph (1).
            (2) Hydropower proceedings.--Resource protection, 
        mitigation, or enhancement measures required by Federal Energy 
        Regulatory Commission hydropower proceedings--
                    (A) shall not be considered to be project works for 
                purposes of this Act; and
                    (B) may be located within the river segments 
                designated by paragraph (208) of section 3(a) of the 
                Wild and Scenic Rivers Act (16 U.S.C. 1274(a)).
    (e) Land Management.--
            (1) Zoning ordinances.--For the purpose of the segments 
        designated in paragraph (208) of section 3(a) of the Wild and 
        Scenic Rivers Act (16 U.S.C. 1274(a)), the zoning ordinances 
        adopted by the towns of Berkshire, Enosburg Falls, Enosburgh, 
        Montgomery, North Troy, Richford, Troy, and Westfield in the 
        State of Vermont, including provisions for conservation of 
        floodplains, wetlands, and watercourses associated with the 
        segments, shall be considered to satisfy the standards and 
        requirements of section 6(c) of the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act 
        (16 U.S.C. 1277(c)).
            (2) Acquisitions of land.--The authority of the Secretary 
        to acquire land for the purposes of the segments designated in 
        paragraph (208) of section 3(a) of the Wild and Scenic Rivers 
        Act (16 U.S.C. 1274(a)) shall be--
                    (A) limited to acquisition by donation or exchange; 
                and
                    (B) subject to the additional criteria set forth in 
                the management plan.
            (3) No condemnation.--The Secretary of the Interior may not 
        acquire by condemnation any land or interest in land within the 
        boundaries of the river segments designated by paragraph (208) 
        of section 3(a) of the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act (16 U.S.C. 
        1274(a)).
            (4) Written consent of owner required.--No private property 
        or non-Federal public property shall be included within the 
        boundaries of the river segments designated by paragraph (208) 
        of section 3(a) of the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act (16 U.S.C. 
        1274(a)) without the written consent of the owner of that 
        property.
    (f) Relation to National Park System.--Notwithstanding section 
10(c) of the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act (16 U.S.C. 1281(c)), the 
Missisquoi and Trout Rivers shall not be administered as part of the 
National Park System or be subject to regulations that govern the 
National Park System.
    (g) No Buffer Zone Created.--Nothing in this Act or the Upper 
Missisquoi and Trout Rivers Management Plan shall be construed to 
create buffer zones outside the designated river segment boundaries 
designated by paragraph (208) of section 3(a) of the Wild and Scenic 
Rivers Act (16 U.S.C. 1274(a)). That activities or uses can be seen, 
heard, or detected from areas within the designated river segments 
shall not preclude, limit, control, regulate or determine the conduct 
of management of activities or uses outside those designated river 
segments.

            Passed the House of Representatives September 15, 2014.

            Attest:

                                                 KAREN L. HAAS,

                                                                 Clerk.