I 

118TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 10350 

To amend the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act to designate the portion of the 

Myakka River lying within Sarasota County, Florida as a component 

of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

DECEMBER 11, 2024 

Mr. STEUBE (for himself and Mr. BUCHANAN) introduced the following bill; 

which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources 

A BILL 

To amend the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act to designate 

the portion of the Myakka River lying within Sarasota 

County, Florida as a component of the National Wild 

and Scenic Rivers System, and for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Myakka Wild and Sce5 nic River Act of 2024’’. 

6 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

7 The Congress finds the following: 


ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS
2 

•HR 10350 IH

1 (1) Public Law 95–625 amended section 5 of 

2 the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act (16 U.S.C. 1276) to 

3 require the study of the Myakka River for potential 

4 inclusion in the national wild and scenic rivers sys5 tem. 

6 (2) The study determined the Myakka River, 

7 was eligible for inclusion in the National Wild and 

8 Scenic Rivers System. 

9 (3) The State of Florida has demonstrated its 

10 commitment to protecting this river by the enact11 ment of the Myakka River Wild and Scenic Designa12 tion and Protection Act (Florida Statute Chapter 

13 258.501). 

14 (4) The Florida county of Sarasota and the cit15 ies of Venice and North Port have demonstrated 

16 their commitment to protect this river in their com17 prehensive land use plans, local ordinances, and land 

18 development regulations. 

19 (5) The desire for designation of this river as 

20 a component of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers 

21 System has been demonstrated through strong pub22 lic support, State and local agency support, and the 

23 endorsement of designation by the Myakka River 

24 Management Coordinating Council, which represents 

25 a broad cross section of State and local agencies, agVerDate Sep 11 2014 20:37 Jan 10, 2025 Jkt 059200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H10350.IH H10350

ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS
3 

•HR 10350 IH

1 ricultural interests, landowners, environmental, and 

2 nonprofit organizations. 

3 (6) A 12-mile segment of the Myakka River is 

4 within the Myakka River State Park with an addi5 tional 22-mile segment containing conservation lands 

6 held in public ownership or conservation easements 

7 within the Myakka River Watershed. 

8 SEC. 3. DESIGNATION OF MYAKKA RIVER, FLORIDA, AS A 

9 COMPONENT OF THE NATIONAL WILD AND 

10 SCENIC RIVERS SYSTEM. 

11 (a) Section 3(a) of the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act 

12 (16 U.S.C. 1274(a)) is amended by adding at the end the 

13 following new paragraph: 

14 ‘‘(ll) MYAKKA RIVER, FLORIDA.—The 34- 

15 mile segments, within Sarasota County referred to in 

16 this paragraph, to be administered by the Secretary 

17 of the Interior, in partnership with the Myakka 

18 River Management Coordinating Council.’’. 

19 (b) IN GENERAL.—The following segments of the 

20 Myakka River, within Sarasota County, to be administered 

21 in the following classifications: 

22 ‘‘(A) The approximately 8.0-mile segment 

23 from the Manatee County/Sarasota County line 

24 to S.R. 72, as a scenic river. 


ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS
4 

•HR 10350 IH

1 ‘‘(B) The approximately 11.2-mile seg2 ment, from S.R. 72 to Laurel Road, as a wild 

3 river. 

4 ‘‘(C) The approximately 1.9-mile segment, 

5 from Laurel Road to Border Road, as a scenic 

6 river. 

7 ‘‘(D) The approximately 1.5-mile segment, 

8 from Border Road to just south of the I-75 

9 Bridge, as a recreational river. 

10 ‘‘(E) The approximately 1.5-mile segment, 

11 from south of the I-75 Bridge to Snook Haven, 

12 as a scenic river. 

13 ‘‘(F) The approximately 3.2-mile segment, 

14 from Snook Haven to Ramblers Rest, as a wild 

15 river. 

16 ‘‘(G) The approximately 2.7-mile segment, 

17 from Ramblers Rest to U.S. 41, as a scenic 

18 river. 

19 ‘‘(H) The approximately 4.0-mile segment, 

20 from U.S. 41 to the Charlotte County Line, as 

21 a scenic river.’’. 

22 SEC. 4. SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS APPLICABLE TO MYAKKA 

23 RIVER. 

24 (a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section and section 5: 


ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS
5 

•HR 10350 IH

1 (1) MYAKKA RIVER.—The term ‘‘Myakka 

2 River’’ means the segments of the Myakka River in 

3 the State of Florida designated as components of the 

4 National Wild and Scenic Rivers System by para5 graph (l) of section 3(a) of the Wild and Scenic 

6 Rivers Act (16 U.S.C. 1274(a)), as added by this 

7 Act. 

8 (2) COUNCIL.—The term ‘‘Council’’ means the 

9 Myakka River Management Coordinating Council es10 tablished pursuant to Florida Statute Chapter 

11 258.501. 

12 (3) COMPREHENSIVE MANAGEMENT PLAN.— 

13 The terms ‘‘comprehensive management plan’’ and 

14 ‘‘plan’’ mean the Myakka River Wild and Scenic 

15 Management Plan developed by the Council shall be 

16 considered to satisfy the requirements for the com17 prehensive management plan under section 3(d) of 

18 the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act (16 U.S.C. 1274(d)). 

19 (4) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 

20 the Secretary of the Interior. 

21 (b) COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS.— 

22 (1) USE AUTHORIZED.—In order to provide for 

23 the long-term protection, preservation, and enhance24 ment of the Myakka River, the Secretary shall co25 ordinate administration responsibilities under this 


ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS
6 

•HR 10350 IH

1 section, and may enter into cooperative agreements 

2 pursuant to sections 10(e) and 11(b)(1) of the Wild 

3 and Scenic Rivers Act (16 U.S.C. 1281(e), 

4 1282(b)(1)) with the State of Florida Department of 

5 Environmental Protection, Division of Recreation 

6 and Parks, appropriate local political jurisdictions of 

7 the State, the county of Sarasota, City of North 

8 Port, City of Venice and appropriate local planning 

9 and non-profit organizations. 

10 (2) EFFECT OF AGREEMENT.—Administration 

11 of the Myakka River by the Secretary of the Interior 

12 through the use of cooperative agreements shall 

13 not— 

14 (A) constitute National Park Service ad15 ministration of the Myakka River for purposes 

16 of section 10(c) of such Act (U.S.C. 1281(c)); 

17 or 

18 (B) cause the Myakka River to be consid19 ered a unit of the National Park System. 

20 (3) PUBLICLY OWNED LANDS.—Nothing in this 

21 Act or an agreement under this Act shall affect the 

22 management of publicly or privately owned lands 

23 within the boundaries of the Myakka River water24 shed by the agencies having jurisdiction over the 

25 lands, in accordance with the statutory authority of 


ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS
7 

•HR 10350 IH

1 Florida Statute 258.501 and the mission of such 

2 agencies. 

3 (4) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND OTHER SUP4 PORT.—The Secretary may provide technical assist5 ance, staff support, and funding to assist in the up6 dating and implementation of the comprehensive 

7 management plan. 

8 (5) ACQUISITION OF LAND.—The authority of 

9 the Secretary to acquire land for the Myakka River 

10 segments shall be limited to acquisition by donation 

11 or acquisition with the consent of the owner thereof. 

12 (6) NO CONDEMNATION.—No land or interest 

13 in land may be acquired for the Myakka River seg14 ments by condemnation. 

15 SEC. 5. MYAKKA RIVER MANAGEMENT COUNCIL. 

16 (a) EXISTING STRUCTURE.—The Secretary shall co17 ordinate the management responsibilities of the Secretary 

18 with the Council in the updating and implementation of 

19 the comprehensive management plan for the Myakka 

20 River. 

21 (b) REPRESENTATIVE FROM DOI.—The Secretary 

22 shall select a representative who shall be added to the 

23 Council to represent the National Park Service. 


ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS
8 

•HR 10350 IH

1 (c) ADDITIONAL MEMBERS.—Other interested par2 ties may be added to the Council, in accordance with the 

3 statutory authority under Florida Statute 258.501. 

4 (d) COORDINATION WITH COUNCIL.—The Secretary 

5 shall coordinate the management responsibilities with the 

6 Council in the updating and implementation of the man7 agement plan for the Myakka River, to assist the Sec8 retary in carrying out the management responsibilities of 

9 the Secretary under this Act. 

Æ 


ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS