39–010 

Calendar No. 19 

109TH CONGRESS REPORT " ! SENATE 1st Session 109–8 

UPPER WHITE SALMON WILD AND SCENIC RIVERS ACT 

FEBRUARY 23, 2005.—Ordered to be printed 

Filed, under authority of the order of the Senate of February 17, 2005 

Mr. DOMENICI, from the Committee on Energy and Natural 

Resources, submitted the following 

R E P O R T 

[To accompany S. 74] 

The Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, to which was 

referred the bill (S. 74) to designate a portion of the White Salmon 

River as a component of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System, having considered the same, reports favorably thereon without 

amendment and recommends that the bill do pass. 

PURPOSE OF THE MEASURE

The purpose of S. 74 is to designate a portion of White Salmon 

River in the State of Washington as a component of the National 

Wild and Scenic Rivers System. 

BACKGROUND AND NEED

The White Salmon River is internationally known for its whitewater rapids, scenery, and abundant fish and wildlife. In 1986, 

nine miles of the lower White Salmon River were added to the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System as part of the Columbia 

River Gorge National Scenic Area Act of 1986 (Pub. Law 99–663). 

At that time, Congress also directed the Forest Service to study the 

Upper White Salmon River for possible inclusion in the Wild and 

Scenic Rivers System. 

The Forest Service released its report in 1997. The Forest Service determined that the Upper White Salmon River and its tributary Cascade Creek were eligible for inclusion in the National Wild 

and Scenic Rivers System based on their ‘‘free-flowing condition’’ 

and ‘‘outstandingly scenic, hydrologic, geologic, wildlife, and whiteVerDate Aug 04 2004 17:26 Feb 24, 2005 Jkt 039010 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6659 Sfmt 6602 E:\HR\OC\SR008.XXX SR008
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water boating values.’’ The Forest Service report recommended designating 38.4 river miles, 6.7 of which would be classified as ‘‘wild’’

(the segments within the Mt. Adams Wilderness) and 31.7 miles of 

which would be ‘‘scenic.’’

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY

S. 74 was introduced on January 24, 2005, by Senator Cantwell 

for herself and Senator Murray. S. 74 is similar to S. 1614, which 

was introduced by Senator Cantwell; Senator Murray is a cosponsor in the 108th Congress. The Subcommittee on Public Lands and 

Forests held a hearing on S. 1614 on July 21, 2004 (S. Hrg. 108–

714). S. 1614 was reported from Committee, with an amendment 

in the nature of a substitute, by a voice vote of a quorum present 

on September 28, 2004. It was passed by the Senate, as amended, 

by unanimous consent on October 10, 2004. 

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, in an 

open business session on February 9, 2005, by a voice vote of a 

quorum present, recommends that the Senate pass S. 74. 

SECTION-BY-SECTION ANALYSIS

Section 1 provides the short title. 

Section 2 amends the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act (16 U.S.C. 

1274(a)) to include four segments of the White Salmon River in 

Washington State (20 miles total). 

Section 3 authorizes appropriation of such sums as are necessary 

to carry out the bill. 

COST AND BUDGETARY CONSIDERATIONS

The following estimate of costs of this measure has been provided 

by the Congressional Budget Office. 

FEBRUARY 14, 2005. 

Hon. PETE V. DOMENICI, 

Chairman, Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, 

U.S. Senate, Washington, DC. 

DEAR MR. CHAIRMAN: The Congressional Budget Office has prepared the enclosed cost estimate for S. 74, the Upper White Salmon 

Wild and Scenic Rivers Act. 

If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be pleased 

to provide them. The CBO staff contacts are Megan Carroll and 

Deborah Reis. 

Sincerely, 

DOUGLAS HOLTZ-EAKIN, 

Director. 

Enclosure. 

S. 74—Upper White Salmon Wild and Scenic Rivers Act 

S. 74 would designate 20 miles of segments of the White Salmon 

River and Cascade Creek in Washington as wild and scenic rivers 

under the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act. CBO estimates that enacting S. 74 would have no significant impact on the federal budget. 

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The bill would not affect direct spending or revenues. S. 74 contains no intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as defined 

in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act and would have no significant impact on the budgets of state, local, or tribal governments. 

The CBO staff contacts for this estimate are Megan Carroll and 

Deborah Reis. This estimate was approved by Peter H. Fontaine, 

Deputy Assistant Director for Budget Analysis. 

REGULATORY IMPACT EVALUATION

In compliance with paragraph 11(b) of rule XXVI of the Standing 

Rules of the Senate, the Committee makes the following evaluation 

of the regulatory impact which would be incurred in carrying out 

S. 74. 

The bill is not a regulatory measure in the sense of imposing 

Government-established standards or significant economic responsibilities on private individuals and businesses. 

No personal information would be collected in administering the 

program. Therefore, there would be no impact on personal privacy. 

Little, if any, additional paperwork would result from the enactment of S. 74. 

EXECUTIVE COMMUNICATIONS

The views of the administration were included in testimony received by the Committee at hearing on S. 1614 on July 21, 2004. 

STATEMENT OF MARK REY, UNDER SECRETARY OF NATURAL

RESOURCES AND THE ENVIRONMENT, FOREST SERVICE, 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Mr. Chairman, thank you for the opportunity to appear 

before you today to provide the Department’s views on 

* * * S. 1614 to designate portions of the Upper White 

Salmon River in the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area as either a wild or a scenic river. 

* * * * * * * 

S. 1614—Upper White Salmon Wild and Scenic Rivers 

Act. This bill would amend section 3(a) of the Wild and 

Scenic Rivers Act (16 U.S.C. 1274(a)) to designate portions 

of the Upper White Salmon River in the State of Washington as a component of the National Wild and Scenic 

Rivers System. The four segments that the bill would designate are located on the Gifford Pinchot National Forest 

and include 6.7 miles in the Mt. Adams Wilderness, classified as wild and 13.3 miles classified as scenic for a total 

of 20 miles. The Department supports S. 1614. 

The Forest Service conducted a study of the Upper 

White Salmon River and its tributary, Cascade Creek, as 

directed by the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Act 

(16 U.S.C. 544 et seq.) and determined their eligibility for 

designation as a component of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System. The ‘‘Upper White Salmon River Wild 

and Scenic River Study Report and Final Legislative Environmental Impact Statement’’ (July 1997) recommended 

the entire 38.4 miles of the Upper White Salmon (includVerDate Aug 04 2004 17:26 Feb 24, 2005 Jkt 039010 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6659 Sfmt 6969 E:\HR\OC\SR008.XXX SR008
4 

ing Cascade Creek) be added to the System. The recommended segments of the Upper White Salmon River 

possess outstanding wildlife, scenery, geology and hydrology, and are highly qualified for designation under the 

Wild and Scenic Rivers Act. 

Although the bill does not designate the 18.4-mile segment of river from the Gifford Pinchot National Forest 

boundary to the confluence with Gilmer Creek, which is 

bounded by non-Federal lands, section 4 does not limit the 

suitability of this segment for future designation. 

* * * * * * * 

This concludes my statement, I would be happy to answer any questions that you may have. 

CHANGES IN EXISTING LAW

In compliance with paragraph 12 of rule XXVI of the Standing 

Rules of the Senate, changes in existing law made by S. 74, as ordered reported, are shown as follows (existing law proposed to be 

omitted is enclosed in black brackets, new matter is printed in 

italic, existing law in which no change is proposed is shown in 

roman): 

A. WILD AND SCENIC RIVERS ACT 

(Public Law 90–542; Approved October 2, 1968) 

AN ACT To provide a National Wild and Scenic Rivers System; and for other 

purposes 

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 

United States of America in Congress assembled, That (a) this Act 

may be cited as the ‘Wild and Scenic Rivers Act’. 

(b) It is hereby declared to be the policy of the United States that 

certain selected rivers of the Nation which, with their immediate 

environments, possess outstandingly remarkable scenic recreational, geologic fish and wildlife, historic, cultural or other similar values, shall be preserved in free-flowing condition, and that 

they and their immediate environments shall be protected for the 

benefit and enjoyment of present and future generations. The Congress declares that the established national policy of dam and other 

construction at appropriate sections of the rivers of the United 

States needs to be complemented by a policy that would preserve 

other selected rivers or sections thereof in their free-flowing condition to protect the water quality of such rivers and to fulfill other 

vital national conservation purposes. 

* * * * * * * 

SEC. 3. (a) The following rivers and the land adjacent thereto are 

hereby designated as components of the national wild and scenic 

rivers system: 

(1) CLEARWATER, MIDDLE FORK, IDAHO.—The Middle Fork 

from the town of Kooskia upstream to the town of Lowell; the 

Lochsa River from its junction with the Selway at Lowell forming the Middle Fork, upstream to the Powell Ranger Station; 

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and the Selway River from Lowell upstream to its origin; to be 

administered by the Secretary of Agriculture. 

* * * * * * * 

( ) WHITE SALMON RIVER, WASHINGTON.—The 20 miles of 

river segments of the main stem of the White Salmon River and 

Cascade Creek, Washington, to be administered by the Secretary of Agriculture in the following classifications: 

(A) The approximately 1.6-mile segment of the main stem 

of the White Salmon River from the headwaters on Mount 

Adams in section 17, township 8 north, range 10 east, 

downstream to the Mount Adams wilderness boundary as 

a wild river. 

(B) The approximately 5.1-mile segment of the Cascade 

Creek from its headwaters on Mount Adams in section 10, 

township 8 north, range 10 east, downstream to the Mount 

Adams Wilderness boundary as a wild river. 

(C) The approximately 1.5-mile segment of Cascade Creek 

from the Mount Adams Wilderness boundary downstream 

to its confluence with the White Salmon River as a scenic 

river. 

(D) The approximately 11.8-mile segment of the main 

stem of the White Salmon River from the Mount Adams 

Wilderness boundary downstream to the Gifford Pinchot 

National Forest boundary as a scenic river. 

* * * * * * * 

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