PUBLIC LAW 107–365—DEC. 19, 2002 116 STAT. 3027

Public Law 107–365

107th Congress

An Act

To designate certain waterways in the Caribbean National Forest in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico as components of the 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,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Caribbean National Forest Wild

and Scenic Rivers Act of 2002’’.

SEC. 2. WILD AND SCENIC RIVER DESIGNATIONS, CARIBBEAN

NATIONAL FOREST, PUERTO RICO.

(a) FINDINGS.—The Congress finds the following:

(1) In the revised land and resource management plan

for the Caribbean National Forest/Luquillo Experimental

Forest, approved April 17, 1997, and the environmental impact

statement prepared as part of the plan, the Secretary of Agriculture examined the suitability of rivers within the Caribbean

National Forest/Luquillo Experimental Forest for inclusion in

the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System.

(2) Based on such examination, the Rio Icacos, Rio

Mameyes, and Rio de La Mina were found to be free flowing

waterways and to possess outstandingly remarkable scenic,

recreational, geological, hydrological, biological, historical, and

cultural values, and, therefore, to qualify for addition to the

National Wild and Scenic Rivers System.

(b) DESIGNATIONS.—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 new paragraph:

‘‘(ll) RIVERS OF CARIBBEAN NATIONAL FOREST, PUERTO

RICO.—

‘‘(A) RIO MAMEYES.—The segment of approximately 4.5

miles from its headwaters in the Ban ̃ o de Oro Research Natural

Area to the boundary of the Caribbean National Forest, to

be administered by the Secretary of Agriculture as follows:

‘‘(i) As a wild river from its headwaters in the Ban ̃ o

de Oro Research Natural Area to the crossing point of

Trail No. 24/11 (approximately 500 feet upstream from

the confluence with the Rio de La Mina), a total of approximately 2.1 miles.

‘‘(ii) As a scenic river from the crossing point of Trail

No. 24/11 to the access point of Trail No. 7, a total of

approximately 1.4 miles.

16 USC 1271

note.

Caribbean

National Forest

Wild and Scenic

Rivers Act of

2002.

Dec. 19, 2002

[H.R. 3954]

116 STAT. 3028 PUBLIC LAW 107–365—DEC. 19, 2002

‘‘(iii) As a recreational river from the access point of

Trail No. 7 to the national forest boundary, a total of

approximately 1.0 miles.

‘‘(B) RIO DE LA MINA.—The segment of approximately 2.1

miles from its headwaters to its confluence with the Rio

Mameyes, to be administered by the Secretary of Agriculture

as follows:

‘‘(i) As a recreational river from its headwaters in

the El Yunque Recreation Area downstream to La Mina

Falls, a total of approximately 0.9 miles.

‘‘(ii) As a scenic river from La Mina falls downstream

to its confluence with the Rio Mameyes, a total of approximately 1.2 miles.

‘‘(C) RIO ICACOS.—The segment of approximately 2.3 miles

from its headwaters to the boundary of the Caribbean National

Forest, to be administered by the Secretary of Agriculture as

a scenic river.’’.

(c) SPECIAL MANAGEMENT CONSIDERATIONS.—

(1) CERTAIN PERMITTED ACTIVITIES.—Subject to paragraph

(2), the amendment made by the subsection (b) and the applicability of the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act (16 U.S.C. 1271 et

seq.) to the river segments added to the National Wild and

Scenic Rivers System by the amendment shall not be construed

to prevent any of the following activities within the boundaries

of the river segments:

(A) Installation and maintenance of hydrologic, meteorological, climatological, or atmospheric data collection and

transmission facilities, or any combination of such facilities,

when the Secretary of Agriculture determines that such

facilities are essential to the scientific research purposes

of the Luquillo Experimental Forest.

(B) Construction and maintenance of nesting structures, observation blinds, and population monitoring platforms for threatened and endangered species.

(C) Construction and maintenance of trails to such

facilities as necessary for research purposes and for the

recovery of threatened and endangered species.

(2) CONDITIONS.—The activities authorized by paragraph

(1) shall be subject to such conditions as the Secretary considers

desirable. The Secretary shall ensure that the scale and scope

of such activities within the boundaries of a river segment

added to the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System by the

amendment made by the subsection (b) are not detrimental

to the characteristics of the river segment that merited its

designation as a wild, scenic, or recreational river.

(d) PRESERVATION OF COMMONWEALTH AUTHORITY.—Nothing

in this section or the amendment made by this section shall be

construed to limit the authority of the Commonwealth of Puerto

16 USC 1274

note.

16 USC 1274

note.

PUBLIC LAW 107–365—DEC. 19, 2002 116 STAT. 3029

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY—H.R. 3954:

HOUSE REPORTS: No. 107–441 (Comm. on Resources).

CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 148 (2002):

May 7, considered and passed House.

Nov. 19, considered and passed Senate.

Æ

Rico over waters and natural channels of public domain pursuant

to the laws of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.

Approved December 19, 2002.