S. 1849

One Hundred Sixth Congress

of the

United States of America

AT THE SECOND SESSION

Begun and held at the City of Washington on Monday,

the twenty-fourth day of January, two thousand

An Act

To designate segments and tributaries of White Clay Creek, Delaware and Pennsylvania, as a component of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System.

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 ‘‘White Clay Creek Wild and

Scenic Rivers System Act’’.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

Congress finds that—

(1) Public Law 102–215 (105 Stat. 1664) directed the Secretary of the Interior, in cooperation and consultation with

appropriate State and local governments and affected landowners, to conduct a study of the eligibility and suitability

of White Clay Creek, Delaware and Pennsylvania, and the

tributaries of the creek for inclusion in the National Wild

and Scenic Rivers System;

(2) as a part of the study described in paragraph (1),

the White Clay Creek Wild and Scenic Study Task Force and

the National Park Service prepared a watershed management

plan for the study area entitled ‘‘White Clay Creek and Its

Tributaries Watershed Management Plan’’, dated May 1998,

that establishes goals and actions to ensure the long-term

protection of the outstanding values of, and compatible management of land and water resources associated with, the watershed; and

(3) after completion of the study described in paragraph

(1), Chester County, Pennsylvania, New Castle County, Delaware, Newark, Delaware, and 12 Pennsylvania municipalities

located within the watershed boundaries passed resolutions

that—

(A) expressed support for the White Clay Creek Watershed Management Plan;

(B) expressed agreement to take action to implement

the goals of the Plan; and

(C) endorsed the designation of the White Clay Creek

and the tributaries of the creek for inclusion in the National

Wild and Scenic Rivers System.

SEC. 3. DESIGNATION OF WHITE CLAY CREEK.

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:
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‘‘(162) WHITE CLAY CREEK, DELAWARE AND PENNSYLVANIA.—

The 190 miles of river segments of White Clay Creek (including

tributaries of White Clay Creek and all second order tributaries

of the designated segments) in the States of Delaware and Pennsylvania, as depicted on the recommended designation and classification maps (dated June 2000), to be administered by the Secretary

of the Interior, as follows:

‘‘(A) 30.8 miles of the east branch, including Trout Run,

beginning at the headwaters within West Marlborough township downstream to a point that is 500 feet north of the Borough

of Avondale wastewater treatment facility, as a recreational

river.

‘‘(B) 15.0 miles of the east branch beginning at the southern

boundary line of the Borough of Avondale to a point where

the East Branch enters New Garden Township at the Franklin

Township boundary line, including Walnut Run and Broad

Run outside the boundaries of the White Clay Creek Preserve,

as a recreational river.

‘‘(C) 4.0 miles of the east branch that flow through the

boundaries of the White Clay Creek Preserve, Pennsylvania,

beginning at the northern boundary line of London Britain

township and downstream to the confluence of the middle and

east branches, as a scenic river.

‘‘(D) 6.8 miles of the middle branch, beginning at the headwaters within Londonderry township downstream to a point

that is 500 feet north of the Borough of West Grove wastewater

treatment facility, as a recreational river.

‘‘(E) 14 miles of the middle branch, beginning at a point

that is 500 feet south of the Borough of West Grove wastewater

treatment facility downstream to the boundary of the White

Clay Creek Preserve in London Britain township, as a recreational river.

‘‘(F) 2.1 miles of the middle branch that flow within the

boundaries of the White Clay Creek Preserve in London Britain

township, as a scenic river.

‘‘(G) 17.2 miles of the west branch, beginning at the headwaters within Penn township downstream to the confluence

with the middle branch, as a recreational river.

‘‘(H) 12.7 miles of the main stem, excluding Lamborn Run,

that flow through the boundaries of the White Clay Creek

Preserve, Pennsylvania and Delaware, and White Clay Creek

State Park, Delaware, beginning at the confluence of the east

and middle branches in London Britain township, Pennsylvania, downstream to the northern boundary line of the city

of Newark, Delaware, as a scenic river.

‘‘(I) 5.4 miles of the main stem (including all second order

tributaries outside the boundaries of the White Clay Creek

Preserve and White Clay Creek State Park), beginning at the

confluence of the east and middle branches in London Britain

township, Pennsylvania, downstream to the northern boundary

of the city of Newark, Delaware, as a recreational river.

‘‘(J) 16.8 miles of the main stem beginning at Paper Mill

Road downstream to the Old Route 4 bridge, as a recreational

river.

‘‘(K) 4.4 miles of the main stem beginning at the southern

boundary of the property of the corporation known as United
S. 1849—3

Water Delaware downstream to the confluence of White Clay

Creek with the Christina River, as a recreational river.

‘‘(L) 1.3 miles of Middle Run outside the boundaries of

the Middle Run Natural Area, as a recreational river.

‘‘(M) 5.2 miles of Middle Run that flow within the boundaries of the Middle Run Natural Area, as a scenic river.

‘‘(N) 15.6 miles of Pike Creek, as a recreational river.

‘‘(O) 38.7 miles of Mill Creek, as a recreational river.’’.

SEC. 4. BOUNDARIES.

With respect to each of the segments of White Clay Creek

and its tributaries designated by the amendment made by section

3, in lieu of the boundaries provided for in section 3(b) of the

Wild and Scenic Rivers Act (16 U.S.C. 1274(b)), the boundaries

of the segment shall be 250 feet as measured from the ordinary

high water mark on both sides of the segment.

SEC. 5. ADMINISTRATION.

(a) BY SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR.—The segments designated

by the amendment made by section 3 shall be administered by

the Secretary of the Interior (referred to in this Act as the ‘‘Secretary’’), in cooperation with the White Clay Creek Watershed

Management Committee as provided for in the plan prepared by

the White Clay Creek Wild and Scenic Study Task Force and

the National Park Service, entitled ‘‘White Clay Creek and Its

Tributaries Watershed Management Plan’’ and dated May 1998

(referred to in this Act as the ‘‘Management Plan’’).

(b) REQUIREMENT FOR COMPREHENSIVE MANAGEMENT PLAN.— The Management Plan shall be considered to satisfy the requirements for a comprehensive management plan under section 3(d)

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

(c) COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS.—In order to provide for the

long-term protection, preservation, and enhancement of the segments designated by the amendment made by section 3, the Secretary shall offer to enter into a cooperative agreement pursuant

to sections 10(c) and 11(b)(1) of the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act

(16 U.S.C. 1281(e), 1282(b)(1)) with the White Clay Creek Watershed Management Committee as provided for in the Management

Plan.

SEC. 6. FEDERAL ROLE IN MANAGEMENT.

(a) IN GENERAL.—The Director of the National Park Service

(or a designee) shall represent the Secretary in the implementation

of the Management Plan, this Act, and the Wild and Scenic Rivers

Act with respect to each of the segments designated by the amendment made by section 3, including the review, required under

section 7(a) of the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act (16 U.S.C. 1278(a)),

of proposed federally-assisted water resources projects that could

have a direct and adverse effect on the values for which the segment

is designated.

(b) ASSISTANCE.—To assist in the implementation of the

Management Plan, this Act, and the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act

with respect to each of the segments designated by the amendment

made by section 3, the Secretary may provide technical assistance,

staff support, and funding at a cost to the Federal Government

in an amount, in the aggregate, of not to exceed $150,000 for

each fiscal year.
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(c) COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS.—Any cooperative agreement

entered into under section 10(e) of the Wild and Scenic Rivers

Act (16 U.S.C. 1281(e)) relating to any of the segments designated

by the amendment made by section 3—

(1) shall be consistent with the Management Plan; and

(2) may include provisions for financial or other assistance

from the United States to facilitate the long-term protection,

conservation, and enhancement of the segments.

(d) NATIONAL PARK SYSTEM.—Notwithstanding section 10(c) of

the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act (16 U.S.C. 1281(c)), any portion

of a segment designated by the amendment made by section 3

that is not in the National Park System as of the date of the

enactment of this Act shall not, under this Act—

(1) be considered a part of the National Park System;

(2) be managed by the National Park Service; or

(3) be subject to laws (including regulations) that govern

the National Park System.

SEC. 7. STATE REQUIREMENTS.

State and local zoning laws and ordinances, as in effect on

the date of the enactment of this Act, shall be considered to satisfy

the standards and requirements under section 6(c) of the Wild

and Scenic Rivers Act (16 U.S.C. 1277(c)) with respect to the segment designated by the amendment made by section 3.

SEC. 8. NO LAND ACQUISITION.

The Federal Government shall not acquire, by any means,

any right or title in or to land, any easement, or any other interest

along the segments designated by the amendment made by section

3 for the purpose of carrying out the amendment or this Act.

Speaker of the House of Representatives.

Vice President of the United States and

President of the Senate.