II 

112TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. 2324 

To amend the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act to designate a segment of the 

Neches River in the State of Texas for potential addition to the National 

Wild and Scenic River System, and for other purposes. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

APRIL 19, 2012 

Mrs. HUTCHISON introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 

referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources 

A BILL 

To amend the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act to designate 

a segment of the Neches River in the State of Texas 

for potential addition to the National Wild and Scenic 

River 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 ‘‘Upper Neches River 

5 Wild and Scenic Study Act’’. 

mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with BILLS

2 

•S 2324 IS

1 SEC. 2. POTENTIAL ADDITION TO THE NATIONAL WILD AND 

2 SCENIC RIVER SYSTEM. 

3 (a) IN GENERAL.—Section 5(a) of the Wild and Sce4 nic Rivers Act (16 U.S.C. 1276(a)) is amended by adding 

5 at the end the following: 

6 ‘‘(141) NECHES RIVER, TEXAS.—The approxi7 mately 225-mile segment of the main stem of the 

8 Neches River from the dam forming Lake Palestine 

9 in Anderson and Cherokee Counties to the flood pool 

10 elevation of B.A. Steinhagen Reservoir in Jasper 

11 and Tyler Counties, Texas.’’. 

12 (b) STUDY AND REPORT.—Section 5(b) of the Wild 

13 and Scenic Rivers Act (16 U.S.C. 1276(b)) is amended 

14 by adding at the end the following: 

15 ‘‘(20) NECHES RIVER, TEXAS.— 

16 ‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 3 years 

17 after the date of enactment of this paragraph, 

18 the Secretary shall— 

19 ‘‘(i) complete the study of the portion 

20 of the Neches River described in subsection 

21 (a)(141) (referred to in this paragraph as 

22 the ‘study area’); and 

23 ‘‘(ii) submit to the appropriate com24 mittees of Congress a report containing the 

25 results of the study. 

mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with BILLS

3 

•S 2324 IS

1 ‘‘(B) PRIVATE PROPERTY AND RECRE2 ATION.—Nothing in subsection (a)(141) (or the 

3 subsequent inclusion in the National Wild and 

4 Scenic River System of the study area)— 

5 ‘‘(i) authorizes the involuntary taking 

6 or condemnation of private property in the 

7 study area; 

8 ‘‘(ii) authorizes the infringement on 

9 the rights of private property owners in the 

10 study area; 

11 ‘‘(iii) imposes additional regulations 

12 or restrictions on the use and enjoyment of 

13 private property in the study area; 

14 ‘‘(iv) affects access to the study area 

15 for recreational activities otherwise allowed 

16 by law in the study area, including hunt17 ing, fishing, trapping, or boating; or 

18 ‘‘(v) affects the authority, jurisdiction, 

19 or responsibility of the State of Texas with 

20 respect to the management, control, or reg21 ulation of fish and resident wildlife under 

22 State law (including regulations) in the 

23 study area, including the regulation of 

24 hunting, fishing, and trapping. 

25 ‘‘(C) CONSERVATION PRACTICES.— 

mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with BILLS

4 

•S 2324 IS

1 ‘‘(i) IN GENERAL.—Established con2 servation practices shall be encouraged on 

3 a voluntary basis within the study area. 

4 ‘‘(ii) AGREEMENTS.—Agreements for 

5 conservation initiatives in the study may be 

6 entered into on a voluntary basis.’’. 

Æ 

mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with BILLS