I 

108TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 4202

To designate additional National Forest System lands in the State of Virginia 

as wilderness, to establish the Seng Mountain and Crawfish Valley Scenic 

Areas, to provide for the development of trail plans for the wilderness 

areas and scenic areas, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

APRIL 22, 2004

Mr. BOUCHER (for himself, Mr. MORAN of Virginia, and Mr. TOM DAVIS of 

Virginia) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Agriculture, and in addition to the Committee on Resources, 

for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case 

for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the 

committee concerned 

A BILL

To designate additional National Forest System lands in 

the State of Virginia as wilderness, to establish the Seng 

Mountain and Crawfish Valley Scenic Areas, to provide 

for the development of trail plans for the wilderness 

areas and scenic areas, 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,
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1 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

2 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Virginia Ridge and 

3 Valley Wilderness and National Scenic Areas Act of 

4 2004’’. 

5 SEC. 2. DESIGNATION OF ADDITIONAL NATIONAL FOREST 

6 SYSTEM LANDS AS WILDERNESS IN VIRGINIA. 

7 Section 1 of the Act entitled ‘‘An Act to designate 

8 certain National Forest System lands in the States of Vir9 ginia and West Virginia as wilderness areas’’, approved 

10 June 7, 1988 (Public Law 100–326; 16 U.S.C. 1132 

11 note), as amended by Public Law 106–471 (114 Stat. 

12 2057), is further amended—

13 (1) by striking ‘‘and’’ at the end of paragraph 

14 (7); 

15 (2) by striking the period at the end of para16 graph (8) and inserting a semicolon; and 

17 (3) by adding at the end the following new 

18 paragraphs: 

19 ‘‘(9) certain lands in the Jefferson National 

20 Forest, which comprise approximately 3,844 acres, 

21 as generally depicted on a map entitled ‘Brush 

22 Mountain and Brush Mountain East’, dated Feb23 ruary 12, 2004, and which shall be known as the 

24 Brush Mountain East Wilderness; 

25 ‘‘(10) certain lands in the Jefferson National 

26 Forest, which comprise approximately 4,707 acres, 
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1 as generally depicted on a map entitled ‘Brush 

2 Mountain and Brush Mountain East’, dated Feb3 ruary 12, 2004, and which shall be known as the 

4 Brush Mountain Wilderness; 

5 ‘‘(11) certain lands in the Jefferson National 

6 Forest, which comprise approximately 4,384 acres, 

7 as generally depicted on a map entitled ‘Seng Moun8 tain and Raccoon Branch’, dated February 12, 

9 2004, and which shall be known as the Raccoon 

10 Branch Wilderness; 

11 ‘‘(12) certain lands in the Jefferson National 

12 Forest, which comprise approximately 3,300 acres, 

13 as generally depicted on a map entitled ‘Stone 

14 Mountain’, dated February 12, 2004, and which 

15 shall be known as the Stone Mountain Wilderness; 

16 ‘‘(13) certain lands in the Jefferson National 

17 Forest, which comprise approximately 5,573 acres, 

18 as generally depicted on a map entitled ‘Mountain 

19 Lake Additions’, dated February 12, 2004, and 

20 which are hereby incorporated in the Mountain Lake 

21 Wilderness; 

22 ‘‘(14) certain lands in the Jefferson National 

23 Forest, which comprise approximately 748 acres, as 

24 generally depicted on a map entitled ‘Lewis Fork 

25 Addition and Little Wilson Creek Additions’, dated 
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1 February 12, 2004, and which are hereby incor2 porated in the Lewis Fork Wilderness; 

3 ‘‘(15) certain lands in the Jefferson National 

4 Forest, which comprise approximately 1,862 acres, 

5 as generally depicted on a map entitled ‘Lewis Fork 

6 Addition and Little Wilson Creek Additions’, dated 

7 February 12, 2004, and which are hereby incor8 porated in the Little Wilson Creek Wilderness; 

9 ‘‘(16) certain lands in the Jefferson National 

10 Forest, which comprise approximately 2,789 acres, 

11 as generally depicted on a map entitled ‘Shawvers 

12 Run Additions’, dated February 12, 2004, and 

13 which are hereby incorporated in the Shawvers Run 

14 Wilderness; and 

15 ‘‘(17) certain lands in the Jefferson National 

16 Forest, which comprise approximately 1,570 acres, 

17 as generally depicted on a map entitled ‘Peters 

18 Mountain Addition’, dated February 12, 2004, and 

19 which are hereby incorporated in the Peters Moun20 tain Wilderness.’’. 

21 SEC. 3. SENG MOUNTAIN AND CRAWFISH VALLEY SCENIC 

22 AREAS, JEFFERSON NATIONAL FOREST, VIR23 GINIA. 

24 (a) ESTABLISHMENT OF SCENIC AREAS.—
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1 (1) ESTABLISHMENT.—The following National 

2 Forest System lands in the State of Virginia are 

3 hereby designated as National Scenic Areas (in this 

4 section referred to as the ‘‘scenic areas’’): 

5 (A) Certain lands in the Jefferson Na6 tional Forest, which comprise approximately 

7 6,455 acres, as generally depicted on a map en8 titled ‘‘Seng Mountain and Raccoon Branch’’, 

9 dated February12, 2004, and which shall be 

10 known as the Seng Mountain National Scenic 

11 Area. 

12 (B) Certain lands in the Jefferson Na13 tional Forest, which comprise approximately 

14 5,400 acres, as generally depicted on a map en15 titled ‘‘Crawfish Valley’’ dated February 12, 

16 2004, and which shall be known as the Craw17 fish Valley National Scenic Area. 

18 (2) MAPS AND DESCRIPTIONS.—As soon as 

19 practicable after the date of the enactment of this 

20 Act, the Secretary of Agriculture shall file a map 

21 and boundary description of the scenic areas with 

22 the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and For23 estry of the Senate and the Committee on Agri24 culture of the House of Representatives. The map 

25 and description shall have the same force and effect 
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1 as if included in this Act, except that the Secretary 

2 may correct clerical and typographical errors in the 

3 map and description. The map and boundary de4 scription shall be on file and available for public in5 spection in the Office of the Chief of the Forest 

6 Service, Department of Agriculture. In the case of 

7 any discrepancy between the acreage specified in 

8 paragraph (1) and the map filed under this para9 graph, the map shall control. 

10 (b) PURPOSES OF SCENIC AREAS.—The scenic areas 

11 are established for the purposes of—

12 (1) ensuring the protection and preservation of 

13 scenic quality, water quality, natural characteristics, 

14 and water resources; 

15 (2) protecting wildlife and fish habitat, con16 sistent with paragraph (1); 

17 (3) protecting areas that may develop charac18 teristics of old-growth forests; and 

19 (4) providing a variety of recreation opportuni20 ties, consistent with the preceding paragraphs. 

21 (c) ADMINISTRATION.—

22 (1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Agriculture 

23 shall administer the scenic areas in accordance with 

24 this section and the laws and regulations generally 

25 applicable to the National Forest System. In the 
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1 event of conflict between this section and other laws 

2 and regulations, this section shall take precedence. 

3 (2) CONSISTENT USE.—The Secretary shall 

4 only allow such uses of the scenic areas as the Sec5 retary finds will further the purposes for which the 

6 scenic areas are established. 

7 (d) MANAGEMENT PLAN.—Within two years after the 

8 date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Agri9 culture shall develop a management plan for the scenic 

10 areas consistent with this section. The management plan 

11 shall be developed as an amendment to the land and re12 source management plan for the Jefferson National For13 est, except that nothing in this section requires the Sec14 retary to revise the land and resource management plan 

15 for the Jefferson National Forest pursuant to section 6 

16 of the Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources Plan17 ning Act of 1974 (16 U.S.C. 1604). 

18 (e) ROADS.—After the date of the enactment of this 

19 Act, no roads shall be established or constructed within 

20 the scenic areas, except that this prohibition shall not be 

21 construed to deny access to private lands or interests 

22 therein in the scenic areas. 

23 (f) VEGETATION MANAGEMENT.—No timber harvest 

24 shall be allowed within the scenic areas, except as the Sec25 retary of Agriculture finds necessary in the control of fire, 
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1 insects, and diseases and to provide for public safety and 

2 trail access. Notwithstanding the preceding sentence, the 

3 Secretary may engage in vegetation manipulation prac4 tices for maintenance of existing wildlife clearings and vis5 ual quality. Firewood may be harvested for personal use 

6 along perimeter roads under such conditions as the Sec7 retary may impose. 

8 (g) MOTORIZED TRAVEL.—Motorized travel shall not 

9 be permitted within the scenic areas, except that the Sec10 retary of Agriculture may authorize motorized travel with11 in the scenic area—

12 (1) as necessary for administrative use in fur13 therance of the purposes of this section; 

14 (2) in support of wildlife management projects 

15 in existence as of the date of the enactment of this 

16 Act; and 

17 (3) on Forest Development Road 9410 and 84b 

18 during deer and bear hunting seasons. 

19 (h) FIRE.—Wildfires in the scenic area shall be sup20 pressed in a manner consistent with the purposes of this 

21 section, using such means as the Secretary of Agriculture 

22 considers appropriate. 

23 (i) INSECTS AND DISEASE.—Insect and disease out24 breaks may be controlled in the scenic areas to maintain 
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1 scenic quality, prevent tree mortality, reduce hazards to 

2 visitors, or protect private lands. 

3 (j) WATER.—The Secretary of Agriculture shall ad4 minister the scenic areas so as to maintain and enhance 

5 water quality. 

6 (k) MINING WITHDRAWAL.—Subject to valid existing 

7 rights, all federally owned lands in the scenic areas are 

8 withdrawn from location, entry, and patent under the min9 ing laws of the United States and from leasing claims 

10 under the mineral and geothermal leasing laws of the 

11 United States, including amendments to such laws. 

12 SEC. 4. TRAIL PLAN AND DEVELOPMENT. 

13 (a) TRAIL PLAN.—The Secretary of Agriculture shall 

14 establish, in consultation with interested parties, a trail 

15 plan for National Forest System lands described in this 

16 paragraph in order to develop the following: 

17 (1) Hiking and equestrian trails within the wil18 derness areas designated by the amendments made 

19 by section 2, in a manner consistent with the Wil20 derness Act (16 U.S.C. 1131 et seq.). 

21 (2) Nonmotorized recreation trails within the 

22 scenic areas designated by section 3. 

23 (b) IMPLEMENTATION REPORT.—Within two years 

24 after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary 

25 of Agriculture shall submit to Congress a report on the 
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1 implementation of the trail plan, including the identifica2 tion of priority trails for development. 

3 (c) TRAIL AUTHORIZATION.—The Secretary of Agri4 culture is authorized to develop trails to provide a contin5 uous connection for nonmotorized travel between County 

6 Route 650 and Forest Development Road 4018 along the 

7 old Rye Valley Railroad Grade in Smyth County, Virginia, 

8 as recorded on the map entitled ‘‘Seng Mountain and Rac9 coon Branch’’ and dated February12, 2004.

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