Upper Missisquoi and Trout Wild and Scenic Rivers Act

To amend the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act to designate segments of the Missisquoi River and the Trout River in the State of Vermont, as components of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Upper Missisquoi and Trout Wild and Scenic Rivers Act 2. Designation of Wild and Scenic River Segments Section 3(a) of the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act ( 16 U.S.C. 1274(a) (208) Missisquoi River and Trout River, Vermont The following segments in the State of Vermont, to be administered by the Secretary of the Interior as a recreational river: (A) The 20.5-mile segment of the Missisquoi River from the Lowell/Westfield town line to the Canadian border in North Troy, excluding the property and project boundary of the Troy and North Troy hydroelectric facilities. (B) The 14.6-mile segment of the Missisquoi River from the Canadian border in Richford to the upstream project boundary of the Enosburg Falls hydroelectric facility in Sampsonville. (C) The 11-mile segment of the Trout River from the confluence of the Jay and Wade Brooks in Montgomery to where the Trout River joins the Missisquoi River in East Berkshire. . 3. Management (a) Management (1) In general The river segments designated by paragraph (208) of section 3(a) of the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act ( 16 U.S.C. 1274(a) (A) the Upper Missisquoi and Trout Rivers Management Plan developed during the study described in section 5(b)(19) of the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act ( 16 U.S.C. 1276(b)(19) management plan (B) such amendments to the management plan as the Secretary determines are consistent with this Act and as are approved by the Upper Missisquoi and Trout Rivers Wild and Scenic Committee (referred to in this section as the Committee (2) Comprehensive management plan The management plan, as finalized in March 2013, and as amended, shall be considered to satisfy the requirements for a comprehensive management plan pursuant to section 3(d) of the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act ( 16 U.S.C. 1274(d) (b) Committee The Secretary shall coordinate management responsibility of the Secretary of the Interior under this Act with the Committee, as specified in the management plan. (c) Cooperative agreements (1) In general In order to provide for the long-term protection, preservation, and enhancement of the river segments designated by paragraph (208) of section 3(a) of the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act ( 16 U.S.C. 1274(a) 16 U.S.C. 1281(e) (A) the State of Vermont; (B) the municipalities of Berkshire, Enosburg Falls, Enosburgh, Montgomery, North Troy, Richford, Troy, and Westfield; and (C) appropriate local, regional, statewide, or multi-state planning or recreational organizations consistent with the management plan. (2) Consistency Each cooperative agreement entered into under this section shall be consistent with the management plan and may include provisions for financial or other assistance from the United States. (d) Effect on existing Hydroelectric Facilities (1) In general The designation of the river segments by paragraph (208) of section 3(a) of the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act ( 16 U.S.C. 1274(a) (A) preclude, prohibit, or restrict the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission from licensing, relicensing, or otherwise authorizing the operation or continued operation of the Troy Hydroelectric, North Troy, or Enosburg Falls hydroelectric project under the terms of licenses or exemptions in effect on the date of enactment of this Act; or (B) limit modernization, upgrade, or other changes to the projects described in paragraph (1). (2) Hydropower proceedings Resource protection, mitigation, or enhancement measures required by Federal Energy Regulatory Commission hydropower proceedings— (A) shall not be considered to be project works for purposes of this Act; and (B) may be located within the river segments designated by paragraph (208) of section 3(a) of the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act ( 16 U.S.C. 1274(a) (e) Land management (1) Zoning ordinances For the purpose of the segments designated in paragraph (208) of section 3(a) of the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act ( 16 U.S.C. 1274(a) 16 U.S.C. 1277(c) (2) Acquisitions of land The authority of the Secretary to acquire land for the purposes of the segments designated in paragraph (208) of section 3(a) of the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act ( 16 U.S.C. 1274(a) (A) limited to acquisition by donation or exchange; and (B) subject to the additional criteria set forth in the management plan. (3) No condemnation The Secretary of the Interior may not acquire by condemnation any land or interest in land within the boundaries of the river segments designated by paragraph (208) of section 3(a) of the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act ( 16 U.S.C. 1274(a) (4) Written consent of owner required No private property or non-Federal public property shall be included within the boundaries of the river segments designated by paragraph (208) of section 3(a) of the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act ( 16 U.S.C. 1274(a) (f) Relation to national park system Notwithstanding section 10(c) of the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act ( 16 U.S.C. 1281(c) (g) No buffer zone created Nothing in this Act or the Upper Missisquoi and Trout Rivers Management Plan shall be construed to create buffer zones outside the designated river segment boundaries designated by paragraph (208) of section 3(a) of the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act ( 16 U.S.C. 1274(a) June 30, 2014 Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed

Summary: Upper Missisquoi and Trout Wild and Scenic Rivers Act - (Sec. 2) Amends the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act to designate specified segments of the Missisquoi River and Trout River in Vermont as components of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System. (Sec. 3) Requires the river segments designated by this Act to be managed in accordance with the Upper Missisquoi and Trout Rivers Management Plan and any amendments meeting certain criteria. Requires the Secretary of the Interior to coordinate the management responsibilities with the Upper Missisquoi and Trout Rivers Wild and Scenic Committee. Authorizes the Secretary to enter into cooperative agreements for the protection, preservation, and enhancement of the river segments with: (1) the state of Vermont; (2) specific municipalities; and (3) local, regional, statewide, or multi-state planning, environmental, or recreational organizations. States that the designation of the river segments does not: (1) preclude the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) from licensing, relicensing, or otherwise authorizing the operation of specified hydroelectric projects; or (2) limit the modernization, upgrades, or other changes to the projects. Prohibits resource protection, mitigation, or enhancement measures required by FERC hydropower proceedings from being considered project works under this Act. Permits such measures within the segments. Prohibits resource protection, mitigation, or enhancement measures required by FERC hydropower proceedings from being considered project works under this Act. Permits such measures within the segments. Considers zoning ordinances adopted by specific towns as satisfying provisions in the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act that prohibit the Secretary from acquiring lands by condemnation within a designated Wild and Scenic River boundary when certain local zoning ordinances are in place. Limits the authority of the Secretary to acquire lands under this Act to acquisition by donation or exchange and subject to additional management plan criteria. Prohibits the Secretary from acquiring by condemnation any land or interest in land within the boundaries of the river segments designated by this Act. Bars the inclusion of any private or non-federal public property within the boundaries of such river segments without the owner's written consent. Bars the Missisquoi and Trout Rivers from being administered as part of the National Park System. Declares that nothing in this Act or the Upper Missisquoi and Trout Rivers Management Plan shall be construed to create buffer zones outside the river segment boundaries designated by this Act.