I 
108TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 1501
To designate certain public lands in Humboldt, Del Norte, Mendocino, Lake, 
Napa, and Yolo Counties in the State of California as wilderness, to 
designate certain segments of the Black Butte River in Mendocino Coun-
ty, California as a wild or scenic river, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MARCH 27, 2003
Mr. THOMPSON of California (for himself and Ms. SOLIS) introduced the 
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Resources 
A BILL 
To designate certain public lands in Humboldt, Del Norte, 
Mendocino, Lake, Napa, and Yolo Counties in the State 
of California as wilderness, to designate certain segments 
of the Black Butte River in Mendocino County, Cali-
fornia as a wild or scenic river, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS. 
(a) SHORT TITLE.—This Act may be cited as the 
‘‘Northern California Coastal Wild Heritage Wilderness 
Act’’.
(b) TABLE OF CONTENTS.—The table of contents for 
this Act is as follows:
Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents. 
Sec. 2. Findings. 
TITLE I—DESIGNATION OF WILDERNESS AREAS 
Sec. 101. Designation of wilderness areas to be administered by Bureau of 
Land Management and Forest Service. 
Sec. 102. Administration of wilderness areas. 
Sec. 103. Designation of Elkhorn Ridge potential wilderness area. 
TITLE II—WILD AND SCENIC RIVER DESIGNATIONS 
Sec. 201. Designation of Black Butte River, California, as wild and scenic 
river. 
TITLE III—AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS 
Sec. 301. Wilderness and wild and scenic rivers tourism development. 
Sec. 302. Wilderness and wild and scenic rivers recreation development. 
Sec. 303. Law enforcement. 
Sec. 304. Acquisition of inholdings. 
Sec. 305. Firefighting.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
The Congress finds and declares the following: 
(1) The publicly owned lands and rivers of Cali-
fornia are a wildland resource of extraordinary value 
for this and future generations. 
(2) Increasing pressure from California’s rap-
idly growing population threatens to irrevocably 
harm these remaining wild areas and wild rivers. 
(3) Statutory protection is needed for these 
areas to ensure that they remain a part of our nat-
ural heritage and continue to be a source of solitude 
and inspiration for all Americans. 
(4) Continuation of military activities, including 
overflights, military maneuvers, testing and evalua-
tion, and other activities without limit to frequency, 
is not incompatible with the protection and proper 
management of the wilderness and wild and scenic 
river resources designated by this Act. 
(5) Wildfire management activities necessary to 
protect public health and safety and private property 
are fully allowable in wilderness areas designated by 
this Act, and the Secretary of the Interior and the 
Secretary of Agriculture may take any measures 
deemed necessary to control or prevent fires. 
(6) The wilderness and wild and scenic river re-
sources designated by this Act shall be included in 
the National Wilderness Preservation System and 
the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System, in 
order to—
(A) preserve the unique wild and natural 
features of these landscapes; 
(B) protect a diverse array of ecosystems, 
plants, animals, geologic structures and hydro-
logic features that represent the natural splen-
dor of California; 
(C) protect and preserve historical and cul-
tural archeological sites associated with ancient 
Indian cultures and the settlement of Cali-
fornia;
(D) protect and preserve areas that con-
tinue to be used by Native American tribes for 
spiritual, cultural, or subsistence practices; 
(E) protect watersheds, including those 
that play an essential role in providing munic-
ipal and agricultural water supplies; 
(F) provide opportunities for compatible 
outdoor recreation, including horseback riding 
on saddle and pack stock, hunting and fishing, 
hiking and camping, whitewater rafting, trail 
running, and excursions led by commercial out-
fitters; 
(G) retain and enhance opportunities for 
scientific research in pristine ecosystems; and 
(H) promote the recovery of threatened 
and endangered species, including salmon and 
steelhead.
TITLE I—DESIGNATION OF 
WILDERNESS AREAS 
SEC. 101. DESIGNATION OF WILDERNESS AREAS TO BE AD-
MINISTERED BY BUREAU OF LAND MANAGE-
MENT AND FOREST SERVICE. 
(a) DESIGNATION.—In furtherance of the purposes of 
the Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. 1131 et seq.), the following 
public lands in the State of California are hereby des-
ignated as wilderness, and therefore, as components of the 
National Wilderness Preservation System or as additions 
to existing components of the National Wilderness Preser-
vation System: 
(1) Certain lands in the Mendocino National 
Forest in Lake County, California, which comprise 
approximately 20,960 acres, as generally depicted on 
a map entitled ‘‘Snow Mountain Wilderness Area 
Additions-Proposed’’. 
(2) Certain lands in the Mendocino National 
Forest which comprise approximately 10,160 acres, 
as generally depicted on a map entitled ‘‘Sanhedrin 
Wilderness Area-Proposed’’. 
(3) Certain lands in the Mendocino National 
Forest and certain lands administered by the Arcata 
Field Office of the Bureau of Land Management 
which comprise approximately 51,790 acres, as gen-
erally depicted on a map entitled ‘‘Yuki Wilderness 
Area-Proposed’’. 
(4) Certain lands in the Mendocino National 
Forest which comprise approximately 26,760 acres 
in Mendocino County, California, as generally de-
picted on a map entitled ‘‘Yolla Bolly-Middle Eel 
Wilderness Area Additions-Proposed’’.
(5) Certain lands in the Six Rivers National 
Forest which comprise approximately 5,740 acres, as 
generally depicted on a map entitled ‘‘Mad River 
Buttes Wilderness Area-Proposed’’. 
(6) Certain lands in the Six Rivers National 
Forest which comprise approximately 33,750 acres 
in Del Norte County and 8,440 acres in Humboldt 
County, California, as generally depicted on a map 
entitled ‘‘Siskiyou Wilderness Area Additions-Pro-
posed’’. 
(7) Certain lands in the Six Rivers National 
Forest which comprise approximately 7,100 acres in 
Humboldt County, California, as generally depicted 
on a map entitled ‘‘Mt. Lassic Wilderness Area-Pro-
posed’’. 
(8) Certain lands in the Six Rivers National 
Forest which comprise approximately 26,510 acres 
in Humboldt County, California, as generally de-
picted on a map entitled ‘‘Trinity Alps Wilderness 
Area Additions-Proposed’’. 
(9) Certain lands in the Six Rivers National 
Forest which comprise approximately 3,500 acres as 
generally depicted on a map entitled ‘‘Underwood 
Wilderness Area-Proposed’’.
(10) Certain lands administered by the Ukiah 
Field Office of the Bureau of Land Management 
which comprise approximately 38,960 acres in Lake 
and Napa Counties, California, as generally depicted 
on a map entitled ‘‘Cache Creek Wilderness Area-
Proposed’’. 
(11) Certain lands administered by the Ukiah 
Field Office of the Bureau of Land Management 
which comprise approximately 760 acres in Napa 
County, California, as generally depicted on a map 
entitled ‘‘Blue Ridge Wilderness Area-Proposed’’. 
(12) Certain lands administered by the Ukiah 
Field Office of the Bureau of Land Management 
which comprise approximately 5,880 acres, as gen-
erally depicted on a map entitled ‘‘Cedar Roughs 
Wilderness Area-Proposed’’. 
(13) Certain lands administered by the Arcata 
Field Office of the Bureau of Land Management 
which comprise approximately 41,614 acres, as gen-
erally depicted on a map entitled ‘‘King Range Wil-
derness Area-Proposed’’. 
(14) Certain lands administered by the Arcata 
Field Office of the Bureau of Land Management 
which comprise approximately 14,000 acres, as gen-
erally depicted on a map entitled ‘‘South Fork Eel 
Wilderness Area-Proposed’’. 
(b) SPECIAL
RULE, KING
RANGE
WILDERNESS 
AREA.—With respect to the King Range Wilderness Area 
designated by subsection (a)(13), in case of conflict be-
tween this title and Public Law 91–476 (16 U.S.C. 460y 
et seq.), which established the King Range National Con-
servation Area, the more restrictive provisions shall con-
trol. 
SEC. 102. ADMINISTRATION OF WILDERNESS AREAS. 
(a) MANAGEMENT.—Subject to valid existing rights, 
the wilderness areas designated by this title shall be ad-
ministered by the Secretary of the Interior or the Sec-
retary of Agriculture (in this section referred to as the 
‘‘Secretary’’), whoever has administrative jurisdiction over 
the area, in accordance with the provisions of the Wilder-
ness Act (16 U.S.C. 1131 et seq.) governing areas des-
ignated by that Act as wilderness, except that any ref-
erence in such provisions to the effective date of the Wil-
derness Act (or any similar reference) shall be deemed to 
be a reference to the date of the enactment of this Act. 
(b) MAP AND LEGAL DESCRIPTION.—As soon as 
practicable, but no later than three years after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall file a 
map and a legal description of each wilderness area des-
ignated in this title with the Committee on Energy and 
Natural Resources of the Senate and the Committee on 
Resources of the House of Representatives. Such map and 
description shall have the same force and effect as if in-
cluded in this title, except that the correction of clerical 
and typographical errors in such legal description may be 
made. Copies of such map and legal description shall be 
on file and available for public inspection in the office of 
the Secretary. 
(c) WILDERNESS CHARACTER.—As provided in sec-
tion 4(b) of the Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. 1133(b)), the 
Secretary concerned shall administer the areas designated 
as wilderness in this title so as to preserve their wilderness 
character and to devote them to the public purposes of 
recreational, scenic, scientific, educational, conservation, 
and historical use. All activities in the areas shall be sub-
ject to regulations the Secretary considers necessary to 
fulfill the purposes of the Wilderness Act. 
(d) FIRE MANAGEMENT ACTIVITIES.—
(1) PURPOSE.—The Secretary may take such 
measures in the wilderness areas designated by this 
title as necessary in the control and prevention of 
fire, insects, and diseases, as provided in section 
4(d)(1) 
of 
the 
Wilderness 
Act 
(16 
U.S.C. 
1133(d)(1)) and the report of the Committee on In-
terior and Insular Affairs of the House of Rep-
resentatives to accompany H.R. 1437 of the 98th 
Congress (H. Rept. 98–40). 
(2) AUTHORIZED
ACTIVITIES.—The measures 
authorized by paragraph (1) may include the use of 
mechanized and motorized equipment for fire sup-
pression where necessary to protect public health 
and safety and private property. 
(3) RESPONSE.—Not later than one year after 
the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary 
shall review existing policy to ensure that authorized 
approval procedures for any such measures permit a 
timely and efficient response in case of fire emer-
gencies in the wilderness areas. In areas of extreme 
fire hazard, the Secretary shall consider whether the 
authority to take whatever appropriate actions are 
necessary for fire management shall be delegated to 
the Forest Supervisor or the Bureau of Land Man-
agement District Manager or a field manager. 
(4) SPECIAL RULES FOR CERTAIN DESIGNATED 
WILDERNESS AREAS.—The boundaries of the Snow 
Mountain Wilderness Area, Yolla Bolly-Middle Eel 
Wilderness Area, and the Cache Creek Wilderness 
Area shall be adjusted to allow and encourage me-
chanical fire pre-suppression activities within 600
feet of specific parcels of private land adjacent to 
Class III Wildfire risk areas, as depicted on the 
maps for these areas referenced in paragraphs (1), 
(4), and (10) of section 101(a). 
(e) ACCESS TO PRIVATE PROPERTY.—The Secretary 
shall provide private property owners with adequate access 
to their nonfederally owned land or interests in land within 
the boundaries of the wilderness designated by this title 
to ensure the owner of such land or interest the reasonable 
use and enjoyment thereof. 
(f) MANAGEMENT OF PRIVATE PROPERTY.—Nothing 
in this title shall enlarge or diminish the private property 
rights of non-Federal landowners with property within the 
boundaries of the wilderness areas designated by this title. 
(g) HUNTING AND FISHING.—Nothing in this Act 
shall affect existing hunting and fishing, under applicable 
State and Federal laws and regulations, within the bound-
aries of the wilderness areas designated by this title. 
(h) SNOW SENSORS AND STREAM GAUGES.—Nothing 
in this title shall be construed to prevent the installation 
and maintenance of hydrologic, meteorologic, or climato-
logical facilities or any combination of the foregoing, or 
limited motorized access to such facilities when non-
motorized access means are not reasonably available or 
when time is of the essence, if the Secretary determines
that such facilities or access are essential to flood warning, 
flood control, water supply forecasting, or reservoir oper-
ation purposes. 
(i) MILITARY ACTIVITIES.—Nothing in this title shall 
preclude low-level overflights of military aircraft, testing 
and evaluation, the designation of new units of special use 
airspace, or the use or establishment of military flight 
training routes over wilderness areas designated by this 
title. 
(j) HORSES.—Nothing in this title shall preclude 
horseback riding or the entry of recreational saddle or 
pack stock into wilderness areas designated by this title. 
(k) LIVESTOCK GRAZING.—Grazing of livestock and 
maintenance of existing facilities related to grazing in wil-
derness areas designated by this title, if established before 
the date of the enactment of this Act, shall be permitted 
to continue as provided in section 4(d)(4) of the Wilder-
ness Act (16 U.S.C. 1133(d)(4)) and section 108 of Public 
Law 96–560 (16 U.S.C. 1133 note). 
(l) FISH AND WILDLIFE.—Nothing in this title shall 
be construed as affecting the jurisdiction or responsibil-
ities of the State of California with respect to wildlife and 
fish on the public lands in that State as provided in section 
4(d)(7) of the Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. 1133(d)(7)).
(m) WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT.—In furtherance of 
the purposes and principles of the Wilderness Act, man-
agement activities to maintain or restore fish and wildlife 
populations and the habitats to support such populations 
may be carried out within wilderness areas designated by 
this title, if consistent with relevant wilderness manage-
ment plans, in accordance with appropriate policies and 
guidelines. 
(n) LAW ENFORCEMENT ACTIVITIES.—Nothing in 
this title shall be construed as precluding or otherwise af-
fecting border operations by the Immigration and Natu-
ralization Service, the Drug Enforcement Administration, 
the United States Customs Service, or State and local law 
enforcement agencies within wilderness areas designated 
by this title. 
(o) NATIVE AMERICAN USES AND INTERESTS.—In 
recognition of the past use of wilderness areas designated 
by this title by members of Indian tribes for traditional
cultural and religious purposes, the Secretary shall ensure 
access to such wilderness areas by Indian tribes for such 
traditional cultural and religious purposes. In imple-
menting this section, the Secretary, upon the request of 
an Indian tribe or Indian religious community, shall tem-
porarily close to the general public use of one or more spe-
cific portions of the wilderness area in order to protect
the privacy of traditional cultural and religious activities 
in the area by members of the Indian tribe or Indian reli-
gious community. Any such closure shall be made to affect 
the smallest practicable area for the minimum period nec-
essary for such purposes. Such access shall be consistent 
with the purpose and intent of Public Law 95–341 (42 
U.S.C. 1996; commonly known as the American Indian 
Religious Freedom Act) and the Wilderness Act. 
(p) COMMERCIAL OUTFITTERS.—Nothing in this title 
shall preclude the use by commercial outfitters of the wil-
derness areas designated by this title. 
(q) AREAS ADJACENT TO WILDERNESS AREAS.—
Nothing in this title shall be construed to create protective 
perimeters or buffer zones around wilderness areas des-
ignated by this title. Activities or uses of nonwilderness 
areas that can be seen or heard within wilderness areas 
designated by this title shall not be precluded as a result 
of this title. 
(r) WATER RESOURCES PROJECTS.—Nothing in this 
title shall preclude relicensing of, assistance to, or oper-
ation and maintenance of, developments below or above 
a wilderness area designated by this title or on any stream 
tributary thereto which will not invade the area or unrea-
sonably diminish the wilderness, scenic, recreational, and
fish and wildlife values present in the area as of the date 
of the enactment of this Act.
SEC. 103. DESIGNATION OF ELKHORN RIDGE POTENTIAL 
WILDERNESS AREA. 
(a) DESIGNATION.—In furtherance of the provisions 
of the Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. 1131 et seq.), certain 
public lands in the State of California administered by the 
Arcata Field Office of the Bureau of Land Management, 
which comprise approximately 8,000 acres, as generally 
depicted on a map entitled ‘‘Elkhorn Ridge Potential Wil-
derness Area-Proposed’’ are designated as a potential wil-
derness area. 
(b) MANAGEMENT.—Subject to valid existing rights, 
the Secretary of the Interior shall manage the potential 
wilderness area designated by this section as wilderness 
(except as provided in subsection (c)) until such time as 
the lands are designated as wilderness under subsection 
(d). 
(c) ECOLOGICAL RESTORATION.—For purposes of ec-
ological restoration, including the elimination of non-na-
tive species, removal of illegal, unused or decommissioned 
roads, repair of skid tracks, and other actions necessary 
to restore the natural ecosystems in the potential wilder-
ness area designated by this section, the Secretary of the 
Interior may use motorized equipment and mechanized
transport until such time as the potential wilderness area 
is designated as wilderness. To the maximum extent prac-
ticable, the Secretary shall seek to use the minimum tool 
or administrative practice necessary to accomplish nec-
essary ecological restoration with the least amount of ad-
verse impact on wilderness character and resources. 
(d) WILDERNESS DESIGNATION.—Upon removal of 
conditions incompatible with the Wilderness Act and pub-
lication by the Secretary of the Interior in the Federal 
Register of notice of such removal or 5 years after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, whichever comes first, 
the potential wilderness area designated by this section 
shall be designated as wilderness, and therefore, as a com-
ponent of the National Wilderness Preservation System. 
(e) AUTHORIZATION
OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 
are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of the 
Interior for each of the fiscal years 2004 through 2007 
$1,250,000 to carry out ecological restoration activities 
under subsection (c). 
TITLE II—WILD AND SCENIC 
RIVER DESIGNATIONS 
SEC. 201. DESIGNATION OF BLACK BUTTE RIVER, CALI-
FORNIA, AS WILD AND SCENIC RIVER. 
(a) DESIGNATION.—In order to preserve and protect 
for present and future generations the outstanding scenic,
natural, wildlife, fishery, recreational, scientific, historic, 
and ecological values of the following rivers in the State 
of California, 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: 
‘‘( ) BLACK BUTTE RIVER, CALIFORNIA.—The 16 
miles of Black Butte River from the Mendocino County 
line to its confluence with Jumpoff Creek, to be adminis-
tered by the Secretary of Agriculture as a wild river. The 
3.5 miles of Black Butte River from its confluence with 
Jumpoff Creek to its confluence with Middle Eel River, 
to be administered by the Secretary of Agriculture as a 
scenic river. The 1.5 miles of Cold Creek from the 
Mendocino County line to its confluence with Black Butte 
River, to be administered by the Secretary of Agriculture 
as a wild river.’’.
(b) PLAN AND REPORTING REQUIREMENTS.—Within 
18 months after the date of the enactment of this Act, 
the Secretary of Agriculture shall submit to Congress a 
fire management plan and report on the cultural and his-
toric resources within the Black Butte River segments des-
ignated by the amendment made by subsection (a). The 
Secretary shall provide a copy of the plan and report to 
the board of supervisors of Mendocino County, California.
(c) WATER RESOURCES PROJECTS.—Nothing in this 
title shall preclude relicensing of, assistance to, or oper-
ation and maintenance of, developments below or above 
a wild, scenic, or recreational river area or on any stream 
tributary thereto which will not invade the area or unrea-
sonably diminish the scenic, recreational, and fish and 
wildlife values present in the area as of the date of the 
enactment of this Act. 
(d) NATIVE AMERICAN USES AND INTERESTS.—In 
recognition of the past use of the areas designated by this 
title as wild, scenic, and recreational rivers by members 
of Indian tribes for traditional cultural and religious pur-
poses, the Secretary of Agriculture shall ensure access to 
such wild, scenic, and recreational rivers by Indian tribes 
for such traditional cultural and religious purposes. In im-
plementing this section, the Secretary, upon the request 
of an Indian tribe or Indian religious community, shall 
temporarily close to the general public use of one or more 
specific portions of the wild, scenic, or recreational river 
to protect the privacy of traditional cultural and religious 
activities in those portions by members of the Indian tribe 
or Indian religious community. Any such closure shall be 
made to affect the smallest practicable area for the min-
imum period necessary for such purposes. Such access 
shall be consistent with the purpose and intent of Public
Law 95–341 (42 U.S.C. 1996; commonly known as the 
American Indian Religious Freedom Act) and the Wilder-
ness Act. 
TITLE III—AUTHORIZATION OF 
APPROPRIATIONS 
SEC. 301. WILDERNESS AND WILD AND SCENIC RIVERS 
TOURISM DEVELOPMENT. 
There is authorized to be appropriated for each fiscal 
year $2,500,000 to the Secretary of Agriculture and 
$2,500,000 to the Secretary of the Interior to establish 
a program to provide grants to communities surrounded 
by, or adjacent to, wilderness areas or wild, scenic, or rec-
reational rivers designated by this Act, to be used for the 
purpose of creating and promoting wilderness- and recre-
ation-related jobs, developing visitors centers, informa-
tional brochures, and kiosks regarding the wilderness 
areas or wild, scenic, or recreational rivers, or other devel-
oping other methods to promote wilderness and wild and 
scenic river tourism. 
SEC. 302. WILDERNESS AND WILD AND SCENIC RIVERS 
RECREATION DEVELOPMENT. 
There is authorized to be appropriated for each fiscal 
year $1,750,000 to the Secretary of Agriculture and 
$1,750,000 to the Secretary of the Interior to be used in 
wilderness areas and wild, scenic, or recreational rivers
designated by this Act to develop trails and other facilities 
that will promote and enhance wilderness or wild, scenic, 
or recreational river recreation experiences. 
SEC. 303. LAW ENFORCEMENT. 
There is authorized to be appropriated for each fiscal 
year $1,000,000 to the Secretary of Agriculture and 
$1,000,000 to the Secretary of the Interior to be used in 
wilderness areas and wild, scenic, or recreational rivers 
designated by this Act to support law enforcement activi-
ties necessary to protect visitors and the natural resources 
of these wild areas. 
SEC. 304. ACQUISITION OF INHOLDINGS. 
There is authorized to be appropriated for each fiscal 
year $2,500,000 to the Secretary of Agriculture and 
$2,500,000 to the Secretary of the Interior to be used for 
the purpose of acquiring inholdings in the wilderness areas 
and wild, scenic, or recreational rivers designated by this 
Act. 
SEC. 305. FIREFIGHTING. 
There is authorized to be appropriated for each fiscal 
year $5,000,000 to the Secretary of Agriculture and 
$5,000,000 to the Secretary of the Interior to be used in 
wilderness areas and wild, scenic, or recreational rivers 
designated by this Act to support firefighting activities.
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