I
104TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 2799
To designate certain National Forest lands in the State of Montana as
wilderness, to release other National Forest lands in the State of Mon-
tana for multiple use management, and for other purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
DECEMBER 15, 1995
Mr. WILLIAMS introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com-
mittee on Resources, and in addition to the Committee on Agriculture,
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 certain National Forest lands in the State
of Montana as wilderness, to release other National For-
est lands in the State of Montana for multiple use man-
agement, 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.
This Act may be referred to as ‘‘The Montana Wil-
derness Act of 1995’’.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSES.
(a) FINDINGS.—The Congress finds that:
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(17) Certain lands in the Helena National For-
est, which comprise approximately 22,900 acres, as
generally depicted on a map entitled ‘‘Camas Creek
Wilderness—Proposed’’, dated March 1994, and
which shall be known as the Camas Creek Wilder-
ness.
(18) Certain lands in the Helena National For-
est, which comprise approximately 15,000 acres, as
generally depicted on a map entitled ‘‘Mount Baldy
Wilderness—Proposed’’, dated March 1994, and
which shall be known as the Mount Baldy Wilder-
ness.
(19) Certain lands in the Helena National For-
est, Montana, which comprise approximately 10,000
acres, as generally depicted on a map entitled
‘‘Gates of the Mountains Wilderness Additions—
Proposed’’ (Big Log), dated March 1994, and which
are hereby incorporated in and shall be deemed to
be part of the Gates of the Mountain Wilderness.
(20) Certain lands in the Helena National For-
est, which comprise approximately 10,700 acres, as
generally depicted on a map entitled ‘‘Black Moun-
tain Wilderness—Proposed’’, dated March 1994, and
which shall be known as the Black Mountain Unit
of the Howard Zahniser Great Divide Wilderness.
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(21) Certain lands in the Kootenai National
Forest, which comprise approximately 39,620 acres,
as generally depicted on a map entitled ‘‘Cabinet
Mountains Wilderness Additions—Proposed’’, dated
March 1994, and which are hereby incorporated in
and shall be deemed to be part of the Cabinet Moun-
tains Wilderness.
(22) Certain lands in the Kaniksu and Kootenai
National Forest, which comprise approximately
52,000 acres, as generally depicted on a map enti-
tled ‘‘Scotchman Peaks Wilderness—Proposed’’,
dated March 1994, which shall be known as the
Scotchman Peaks Wilderness.
(23) Certain lands in the Kootenai National
Forest which comprise approximately 42,000 acres,
as generally depicted on a map entitled ‘‘Yaak Wil-
derness—Proposed’’ (Roderick Mountain, Grizzly
Peak, Dark Mountain), dated March 1994, which
shall be known as the Yaak Wilderness.
(24) Certain lands in the Kootenai and Lolo
National Forests, which comprise approximately
17,900 acres, as generally depicted on a map enti-
tled ‘‘Cataract Peak Wilderness—Proposed’’, dated
March 1994, which shall be known as the Cataract
Peak Wilderness.
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(25) Certain lands in the Lolo National Forest,
which comprise approximately 19,400 acres, as gen-
erally depicted on a map entitled ‘‘Cube Iron/Mount
Silcox Wilderness—Proposed’’, dated March 1994,
which shall be known as the Cube Iron/Mount Silcox
Wilderness.
(26) Certain lands in the Lolo National Forest,
which comprise approximately 94,700 acres, as gen-
erally depicted on a map entitled ‘‘Great Burn Wil-
derness—Proposed’’, dated March 1994, which shall
be known as the Great Burn Wilderness.
(27) Certain lands in the Lolo National Forest,
which comprise approximately 60,100 acres, as gen-
erally depicted on a map entitled ‘‘Quigg Peak Wil-
derness—Proposed’’, dated March 1994, which shall
be known as the Quigg Peak Wilderness.
(28) Certain lands in the Kootenai National
Forest, which comprise approximately 24,600 acres,
as generally depicted on a map entitled ‘‘Trout
Creek Wilderness—Proposed’’, dated March 1994,
and which shall be known as the Trout Creek Wil-
derness.
(29) Certain lands in the Helena National For-
est, which comprise approximately 21,700 acres, as
generally depicted on a map entitled ‘‘Nevada Moun-
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tain Wilderness—Proposed’’, dated March 1994, and
which shall be known as the Nevada Mountain Unit
of the Howard Zahnizer Great Divide Wilderness.
(30) Certain lands in the Helena National For-
est, which comprise approximately 56,100 acres, as
generally depicted on a map entitled ‘‘Elkhorn Wil-
derness—Proposed’’, dated March 1994, and which
shall be known as the Elkhorn Wilderness.
(31) Certain lands in the Gallatin National
Forest, which comprise approximately 500 acres, as
generally depicted on a map entitled ‘‘North Absa-
roka 
Wilderness 
Addition—Proposed 
(Republic
Mountain)’’, dated March 1994, and which are here-
by incorporated in and shall be deemed a part of the
North Absaroka Wilderness.
(32) Certain lands in the Beaverhead National
Forest, which comprises approximately 90,000 acres,
as generally depicted on a map entitled ‘‘Snowcrest
Wilderness—Proposed’’, dated March 1994 and
shall be known as the Snowcrest Wilderness.
(33) Certain lands in the Beaverhead National
Forest, which comprise approximately 4,700 acres,
as generally depicted on a map entitled ‘‘Mount Jef-
ferson Wilderness—Proposed’’, dated March 1994
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and shall be known as the Mount Jefferson Unit of
the Howard Zahnizer Great Divide Wilderness.
(34) Certain lands in the Deerlodge National
Forest which comprise about 30,300 acres, as gen-
erally, depicted on a map entitled ‘‘Flint Creek Wil-
derness—Proposed’’, dated March 1994 and shall be
known as the Flint Creek Wilderness.
(35) Certain lands in the Gallatin and Lewis
and Clark National Forests, which comprise approxi-
mately 34,800 acres, as generally depicted on a map
entitled ‘‘Crazy Mountain Wilderness—Proposed’’,
dated March 1994 and shall be known as the Crazy
Mountain Wilderness.
(36) Certain lands in the Beaverhead and
Deerlodge National Forests, which comprise approxi-
mately 19,500 acres, as generally depicted on a map
entitled ‘‘Tobacco Roots Wilderness—Proposed’’,
dated March 1994, and shall be known as the To-
bacco Roots Wilderness.
(b) MAPS AND DESCRIPTIONS.—(1) The Secretary of
Agriculture (hereinafter referred to as the ‘‘Secretary’’)
shall file the maps referred to in this section and legal
descriptions of each wilderness area designated by this
section with the Committee on Energy and Natural Re-
sources of the United States Senate and the Committee
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on Resources of the United States House of Representa-
tives, and each such map and legal description shall have
the same force and effect as if included in this Act.
(2) The Secretary may correct clerical and typo-
graphical errors in the maps and legal descriptions sub-
mitted pursuant to this section.
(3) Each map and legal description referred to in this
section shall be on file and available for public inspection
in the office of the Chief of the Forest Service, Washing-
ton, D.C. and at the office of the Regional Forester of
the Northern Region.
(c) ADMINISTRATION.—Subject to valid existing
rights, each wilderness area designated by this section
shall be administered by the Secretary of Agriculture in
accordance with the provisions of the Wilderness Act of
1964, except that, with respect to any area designated in
this section, any reference to the effective date of the Wil-
derness Act shall be deemed to be a reference to the date
of enactment of this Act.
(d) WILDERNESS
AREA
PERIMETERS.—Congress
does not intend that the designation of wilderness areas
in this section will lead to the creation of protective perim-
eters or buffer zones around such areas. The fact that
nonwilderness activities or uses can be seen or heard from
areas within a wilderness area shall not, of itself, preclude
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such activities or uses up to the boundary of the wilder-
ness area.
(e) GRAZING.—The grazing of livestock, where estab-
lished prior to the date of enactment of this Act, in wilder-
ness areas designated in this section shall be administered
in accordance with section 4(d)(4) of the Wilderness Act
of 1964 and section 108 of an Act entitled ‘‘An Act to
designate certain National Forest System Lands in the
States of Colorado, South Dakota, Missouri, South Caro-
lina, and Louisiana for inclusion in the National Wilder-
ness Preservation System, and for other purposes’’ (94
Stat. 3271; 16 U.S.C. 1133 note).
(f) STATE FISH AND GAME AUTHORITY.—In accord-
ance with section 4(d)(7) of the Wilderness Act of 1964,
nothing in this Act shall be construed as affecting the ju-
risdiction or responsibilities of the State of Montana with
respect to wildlife and fish in the national forests of Mon-
tana.
(g) HUNTING.—Nothing in this Act or the Wilder-
ness Act of 1964 shall be construed to prohibit hunting
within the wilderness areas designated in this section.
(h) COLLECTION DEVICES.—(1) Within the wilder-
ness areas designated in this section, maintenance and re-
placement of essential hydrological, meteorological, or cli-
matological collection devices and ancillary facilities are
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permitted, subject to such conditions as the Secretary
deems desirable.
(2) Access to the devices and facilities described in
paragraph (1) shall be by the least intrusive practicable
means available as determined by the Secretary. Access,
installation, and maintenance shall be compatible with the
provisions of the Wilderness Act.
(i) FACA.—The provisions of the Federal Advisory
Committee Act notwithstanding, the wilderness managing
agencies are hereby authorized to use citizen advisory
groups, task forces, and ad hoc committees among the
public involvement techniques employed to assist the agen-
cies in the development of wilderness management direc-
tion.
SEC. 4. WATER.
(a) FINDINGS, PURPOSES, AND DEFINITIONS.—(1)
The Congress finds that—
(A) the lands designated as wilderness by this
Act are located at the headwaters of the streams
and rivers on those lands, with no actual or pro-
posed water resource facilities located upstream
from such lands and no opportunities for diversion,
storage, or other uses of water occurring outside
such lands that would adversely affect the wilderness
values of such lands;
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(B) the lands designated as wilderness by this
Act are not suitable for use for development of new
water resource facilities, or for the expansion of ex-
isting water resource facilities; and
(C) therefore, it is possible to provide for prop-
er management and protection of the water-related
wilderness values of such lands in ways different
from those utilized in other legislation designating
as wilderness lands not sharing the attributes of the
lands designated as wilderness by this Act.
(2) The purpose of this section is to protect the
water-related wilderness values of the lands designated as
wilderness by this Act by means other than those based
on a Federal reserved water right.
(3) As used in this section—
(A) the term ‘‘water resource facility’’ means ir-
rigation and pumping facilities, reservoirs, water
conservation works, aqueducts, canals, ditches, pipe-
lines, wells, hydropower projects, and transmission
and other ancillary facilities, and other water diver-
sion, storage, and carriage structures; and
(B) the term ‘‘historic’’, used with reference to
rates of flow, quantities of use, or timing or fre-
quency of use of water, means the pattern of actual
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average annual use or operation of a facility prior to
the date of enactment of this Act.
(b) RESTRICTION ON CLAIMS AND CLARIFICATION OF
EFFECT.—(1) Notwithstanding any other provision of
law, no court or agency shall have any jurisdiction under
any Act of Congress (including the ‘‘McCarran Amend-
ment’’, 43 U.S.C. 666) to consider any claim on behalf
of the United States asserted by the Secretary or by any
other person to or for water or water rights in the State
of Montana based on any construction of any portion of
this Act, or the designation of any lands as wilderness by
this Act, as constituting an express or implied reservation
of water or water rights.
(2)(A) Nothing in this Act shall be construed as a
disclaimer, relinquishment, or reduction of any water
rights held or claimed by the United States in the State
of Montana on or before the date of enactment of this
Act.
(B) Nothing in this Act shall be construed as con-
stituting an interpretation of any other Act or any des-
ignation made by or pursuant thereto.
(C) Nothing in this Act shall be construed as estab-
lishing a precedent with regard to any future wilderness
designations.
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(c) 
PROHIBITION
OF
NEW
OR
EXPANDED
PROJECTS.—(1) Notwithstanding any other provision of
law, on and after the date of enactment of this Act neither
the President nor any other officer, employee, or agent
of the United States shall fund, assist, authorize, or issue
a license or permit for, or exempt from licensing or permit-
ting—
(A) the development of any new water resource
facility within the lands designated as wilderness or
for wilderness study by this Act; or
(B) the enlargement of a water resource facility
or the expansion of the historic rate of diversion,
quantity of use, or timing or frequency of use of a
water resource facility that is located within or that
would adversely affect the wilderness values of lands
designated as wilderness or for wilderness study by
this Act.
(2) Except as provided in subsection (d) of this sec-
tion, nothing in this Act shall be construed to affect or
limit operation, maintenance, repair, modification, or re-
placement without enlargement of water resource facilities
in existence on the date of enactment of this Act located
within the boundaries of the lands designated as wilder-
ness or for wilderness study by this Act.
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(d) ACCESS AND OPERATION.—(1) Subject to the
provisions of this subsection, the Secretary shall allow rea-
sonable access to water resource facilities in existence on
the date of enactment of this Act located within lands des-
ignated as wilderness or for wilderness study by this Act,
including motorized access where necessary and customar-
ily employed on routes existing as of the date of enactment
of this Act.
(2) Subject to the provisions of this subsection, the
Secretary, to the extent required for the continued exercise
of any valid water rights associated with such facilities,
shall allow the present diversion, carriage, and storage ca-
pacity of water resource facilities existing on the date of
enactment of this Act located within lands designated as
wilderness or for wilderness study by this Act, and access
routes to such facilities existing and customarily employed
as of such date, to be operated, maintained, repaired, and
replaced as necessary to maintain the present function, de-
sign, and serviceable operation of such facilities and
routes, so long as such activities have no greater adverse
impacts on wilderness values than as of the date of enact-
ment of this Act.
(3) Water resource facilities, and access routes serv-
ing such facilities, existing on the date of enactment of
this Act shall be maintained and repaired when and to
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the extent necessary to prevent increased adverse impacts
on wilderness values.
(4) There shall be no enlargement in the historic rate
of diversion, quantity of use, or timing or frequency of
use of water resource facilities existing on the date of en-
actment of this Act located within lands designated as wil-
derness or for wilderness study by this Act.
(e) MONITORING AND IMPLEMENTATION.—(1) The
Secretary of Agriculture shall monitor the operation of
and access to water resource facilities within the bound-
aries of the lands designated as wilderness and for wilder-
ness study by this Act, and shall take all steps that the
Secretary finds necessary or desirable in order to further
the protection of the resources and values of such lands
and to implement the provisions of this section, including,
to the extent consistent with this Act, the utilization of
any procedures available under Federal or State law, in-
cluding laws of the State of Montana concerning either
the utilization of water or the establishment, adjudication,
and administration of water rights.
(2) In implementing subsection (d)(3), the Secretary
may require the owners of water resource facilities or par-
ties entitled to use access routes to perform necessary
maintenance or repairs, and may require the relocation or
removal of such facilities or such routes if such necessary
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maintenance or repairs are not performed or not feasible
or such facilities or routes are no longer in use.
(f) APPLICATION TO OTHER AREAS.—Solely for pur-
poses of implementation of subsections (c), (d), and (e)
of this section, lands in Montana which as of the date of
enactment of this Act are managed as wilderness study
areas pursuant to Public Law 95–150 shall be deemed to
have been designated for wilderness study by this Act, and
such lands shall be managed pursuant to the provisions
of such subsections in addition to other applicable provi-
sions of law.
SEC. 5. SPECIAL MANAGEMENT AREAS.
(a) DESIGNATIONS.—For the purposes of conserving,
protecting and enhancing the exceptional scenic, fish and
wildlife, biological, educational and recreational values of
certain National Forest System lands in the State of Mon-
tana, the following designations are made:
(1) The Mount Helena National Education and
Recreation Area located in the Helena National For-
est, comprising approximately 5,220 acres, as gen-
erally depicted on a map entitled ‘‘Mount Helena
National Education and Recreation Area—Pro-
posed’’, dated March 1994.
(2) The Hyalite National Education and Recre-
ation Area located in the Gallatin National Forest,
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comprising approximately 18,900 acres, as generally
depicted on a map entitled ‘‘Hyalite National Edu-
cation and Recreation Area—Proposed’’, dated
March 1994.
(3) The Northwest Peak National Recreation
Area located in the Kaniksu and Kootenai National
Forests, comprising approximately 16,700 acres, as
generally depicted on a map entitled ‘‘Northwest
Peak National Recreation and Scenic Area—Pro-
posed’’, dated March 1994.
(4) The Buckhorn Ridge National Recreation
Area located in the Kaniksu and Kootenai National
Forests, comprising approximately 22,600 acres, as
generally depicted on a map entitled ‘‘Buckhorn
Ridge National Recreation Area—Proposed’’, dated
March 1994.
(5) The West Big Hole National Recreation
Area located in the Beaverhead National Forest,
comprising approximately 90,000 acres, as generally
depicted on a map entitled ‘‘West Big Hole National
Recreation Area—Proposed’’, dated March 1994,
and which shall be known as the West Big Hole Na-
tional Recreation Area.
(6) The LeBeau Natural Area located on the
Kootenai and Flathead National Forests comprising
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approximately 5,350 acres, as generally depicted on
a map entitled ‘‘LeBeau Natural Area—Proposed’’,
dated March 1994.
(7) The Ross Creek Cedars Natural Area lo-
cated on the Kootenai National Forest comprising
approximately 700 acres, as generally depicted on a
map entitled ‘‘Ross Creek Cedars Natural Area—
Proposed’’, dated March 1994.
(8) The McIntire Natural Area located on the
Kootenai National Forest comprising approximately
75,000 acres, as generally depicted on a map enti-
tled ‘‘McIntire Natural Area—Proposed’’, dated
March 1994.
(b) MAPS AND BOUNDARY DESCRIPTIONS.—The Sec-
retary shall file a map and boundary description for each
area referred to in this section with the Committee on En-
ergy and Natural Resources, United States Senate, and
the Committee on Resources, United States House of Rep-
resentatives, and each such map and boundary description
shall have the same force and effect as if included in this
Act: Provided, That the Secretary may correct clerical and
typographical errors in such maps and boundary descrip-
tions. Each such map and boundary description shall be
on file and available for public inspection in the office of
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the Chief of the Forest Service and the office of the Re-
gional Forester of the Northern Region.
(c) MANAGEMENT.—(1) Except as otherwise may be
provided in this subsection, the Secretary shall administer
the areas designated in subsection (a) so as to achieve the
purposes of their designation and in accordance with the
laws and regulations applicable to the National Forest
System.
(2) Subject to valid existing rights, all federally
owned lands within the areas designated in subsection (a)
are hereby withdrawn from all forms of entry, appropria-
tion and disposal under the mining and public land laws,
and disposition under the geothermal and mineral leasing
laws.
(3) Commercial timber harvesting is prohibited in the
areas designated by this section with the following excep-
tions:
(A) Nothing in this Act shall preclude such
measures which the Secretary, in his discretion,
deems necessary in the event of fire, or infestation
of insects or disease.
(B) Fuel wood, post and pole gathering may be
permitted.
(C) Commercial timber harvesting may be per-
mitted in the Hyalite National Recreation and Edu-
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cation Area, but must be compatible with the pur-
poses of its designation.
(4) Where the Secretary determines that such use is
compatible with the purposes for which an area is des-
ignated, the use of motorized equipment may be permitted
in the areas subject to applicable law and applicable land
and resource management plans.
(5) The grazing of livestock, where established prior
to the date of enactment of this Act may be permitted
to continue subject to applicable law and regulations of
the Secretary.
(d) NATIONAL EDUCATION AND RECREATION AREAS
AND NATURAL AREAS.—(1) The Secretary shall manage
the Mount Helena and Hyalite National Education and
Recreation Areas with a focus on education. All manage-
ment activities shall be conducted in a manner that pro-
vides the public with an opportunity to become better in-
formed about natural resource protection and manage-
ment.
(2) The Secretary shall manage the LeBeau,
McIntire and Ross Creek Cedars Natural Areas for the
enhancement of biodiversity and scientific study. These
forests’ unique natural qualities are to be the focus of the
area’s management.
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SEC. 7. BADGER-TWO MEDICINE AREA.
(a) WITHDRAWAL.—(1) Subject to valid existing
rights including rights held by the Blackfeet Nation under
existing treaties and statute, all federally owned lands as
depicted on a map entitled ‘‘Badger-Two Medicine Area’’,
dated September 1991, comprising approximately 116,600
acres, are withdrawn from all forms of entry, appropria-
tion, and disposal under the mining and public land laws
and from disposition under the geothermal and mineral
leasing laws. Until otherwise directed by Congress, the
Secretary shall manage this area so as to protect its wil-
derness qualities.
(2) Nothing in this section shall preclude the gather-
ing of timber by the Blackfeet Nation in exercise of and
consistent with valid treaty rights within the Badger-Two
Medicine Area.
(3)(A) With respect to oil and gas leases on Federal
lands within the Badger-Two Medicine Area, no surface
disturbance shall be permitted pursuant to such leases
until Congress determines otherwise.
(B) Notwithstanding any other law, the term of any
oil and gas lease subject to the limitations imposed by this
section shall be extended for a period of time equal to the
term that such limitation remains in effect.
(b) REVIEW.—The Secretary shall conduct a review
of the area referred to in subsection (a) as to its availabil-
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ity for inclusion in the National Wilderness Preservation
System and in accordance with the provisions of this sub-
section. Not later than 5 years after the date of enactment
of this Act, the Secretary shall report to Congress. In con-
ducting this review:
(1) The Secretary shall establish a committee
composed of 2 representatives from the Blackfeet
Nation, as well as one representative from the Na-
tional Park Service, one representative from the
Forest Service, and representatives of various con-
cerned user groups, including proportional represen-
tation for environmental groups, industry groups
and other interested parties. The Committee shall
not exceed eleven members. The Blackfeet Tribal
Business Council shall choose the 2 Tribal rep-
resentatives. The Blackfeet Tribal Business Council
shall conduct a public meeting to receive rec-
ommendations of the community regarding the selec-
tion of these members. The committee shall regu-
larly advise the Secretary during the preparation of
the report required in this subsection and submit its
findings to Congress concurrently with those of the
Secretary.
(2) Special consideration shall be given to the
religious, wilderness and wildlife uses of the area,
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taking into account any treaties the United States
has entered into with the Blackfeet Nation.
(3) In consultation with the committee, the Sec-
retary shall establish a process to provide informa-
tion to the Blackfeet Nation and interested public
about options for future designation of the Badger-
Two Medicine Area.
(c) RIGHTS.—Nothing in this section shall be con-
strued to diminish, prejudice, add to, or otherwise affect
the treaty rights of the Blackfeet Nation or the rights of
the United States.
(d) MAP AND BOUNDARY DESCRIPTION.—(1) The
Secretary shall file a map and boundary description of the
area designated by this section with the Committee on En-
ergy and Natural Resources, United States Senate and
Committee on Resources of the United States House of
Representatives and such map and boundary description
shall have the same force and effect as if included in this
Act.
(2) The Secretary may correct clerical and typo-
graphical errors in the map and boundary description sub-
mitted pursuant to this section.
(3) The map and boundary description referred to in
this section shall be on file and available for public inspec-
tion in the office of the Chief of the Forest Service and
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the office of the Regional Forester of the Northern Re-
gion.
SEC. 8. LANDS ADMINISTERED BY BUREAU OF LAND MAN-
AGEMENT.
(a) FINDINGS.—The Congress has reviewed the suit-
ability of a portion of the Axolotl Lakes Wilderness Study
Area (MT–076–069, BLM Wilderness Study Number) as
generally depicted on a map entitled ‘‘Released portion of
Axolotl Lakes WSA’’, dated September 1992, for wilder-
ness designation and finds that this portion has been suffi-
ciently studied for wilderness pursuant to section 603 of
the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976
(43 U.S.C. 1782).
(b) DIRECTION.—The area described in subsection
(a) shall no longer be subject to the requirement of section
603(c) of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act
of 1976 pertaining to management in a manner that does
not impair suitability for preservation as wilderness.
(c) ADMINISTRATIVE JURISDICTION.—Those lands
designated as wilderness pursuant to section 3(a) of this
Act, which, as of the date of enactment of this Act, are
administered by the Secretary of the Interior as public
lands (as defined in the Federal Land Policy and Manage-
ment Act of 1976), are hereby transferred to the jurisdic-
tion of the Secretary of Agriculture, and shall be added
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to and managed as part of the National Forest System,
and the boundaries of the adjacent National Forests are
hereby modified to include such lands.
(d) LAND AND WATER CONSERVATION FUND.—For
purposes of section 7 of the Land and Water Conservation
Fund Act of 1965 (16 U.S.C. 4601–9), the boundaries
of affected National Forests, as modified by this section,
shall be considered to be the boundaries of such National
Forests as if they were the boundaries of the National
Forests as of January 1, 1965. Money appropriated from
the Land and Water Conservation Fund shall be available
for the acquisition of lands, waters, and interests therein
in furtherance of the purposes of this Act.
SEC. 9. MONTANA ECOSYSTEM AND ECONOMICS STUDY.
(a) DEFINITIONS.—For the purposes of this section:
(1) The term ‘‘ecosystem’’ means a dynamic
complex of plant, animal and microorganism commu-
nities and their nonliving environment interacting as
a functional unit.
(2) The term ‘‘Northern Rockies’’ means Fed-
eral lands and resources in the State of Montana.
(3) The term ‘‘Panel’’ means the independent
scientific panel for the study of the Northern Rock-
ies ecosystem established under subsection (b).
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(b) INDEPENDENT SCIENTIFIC PANEL
FOR
THE
STUDY OF THE NORTHERN ROCKIES ECOSYSTEM.—
(1) ESTABLISHMENT.—The President shall es-
tablish an independent scientific panel for the study
of the Northern Rockies. The Panel shall conduct
the study and submit the reports and recommenda-
tions required by subsection (c).
(2) MEMBERSHIP.—(A) The Panel established
under this subsection shall be composed of 11 mem-
bers, appointed by the President, from a list of can-
didates to be developed and submitted to the Presi-
dent by the National Academy of Sciences and lists
from well-established professional societies with an
interest in the environmental sciences.
(B) Each member of the Panel shall be a recog-
nized expert in the field for which the member is
considered for appointment and shall be free of eco-
nomic conflict of interest with regard to the subject
of this section. Each member also shall have re-
search experience in the Northern Rockies region or
otherwise be familiar with the issues and ecology of
the region. As a whole, membership of the Panel
shall represent an appropriately broad diversity of
disciplines, and members shall have recognized expe-
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rience in natural sciences, economics, and adminis-
trative policy.
(C) The list of candidates provided by the Na-
tional Academy of Sciences shall consist of at least
twice as many nominees as positions available in
each category specified in this section.
(D) The Panel shall work cooperatively with all
relevant State and Federal agencies, university re-
search stations and departments, and Indian tribes.
(E) The Panel may establish, at its discretion,
such subregional review teams and working groups
as it deems necessary to complete its tasks in a
timely and professional manner.
(3) PAY AND EXPENSES.—(A) Except as pro-
vided in subparagraph (B), members of the Panel
established under this subsection shall each be paid
at a rate not to exceed, and consistent with, the rate
paid to employees of the United States performing
similar duties and with similar qualifications for
each day (including travel time) during which they
are engaged in the actual performance of duties
vested in the Panel. While away from their homes or
regular places of business in the performance of
services for the Panel, members of the Panel shall
be allowed travel expenses, including per diem in lieu
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of subsistence, in the same manner as persons em-
ployed intermittently in Government service are al-
lowed expenses under section 5703 of title 5, United
States Code.
(B) Other than reimbursement of expenses pur-
suant to subparagraph (A), members of the Panel
who are full-time officers or employees of the United
States shall receive no additional pay, allowances, or
benefits by reason of their service on the Panel.
(4) CHAIRPERSON.—The Chairperson of the
Panel shall be appointed by the President.
(5) AGENCY ASSISTANCE.—Upon request of the
Panel, the head of any Federal agency shall provide
facilities, equipment, personnel, and other types of
support to the Panel to assist the Panel in carrying
out its duties under this Act.
(6) TERMINATION.—The Panel shall terminate
30 days after the submission of the final report
under subsection (c).
(c) STUDY OF ECOSYSTEMS MANAGEMENT OF THE
NORTHERN ROCKIES.—
(1) STUDY.—(A) The Panel shall define the
boundaries of, and map, the ecosystems of the
Northern Rockies, including any corridors the Panel
deems necessary to connect isolated ecosystems. In
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making the determination of ecosystem boundaries,
the Panel shall consider—
(i) restoration and maintenance of natural
biological diversity;
(ii) productivity on a long-term, sustain-
able basis of essential natural ecological ele-
ments, functions, and successional processes;
(iii) preservation of the integrity of genetic
stocks of native communities of plants and ani-
mals, with an emphasis on areas of high species
richness and endemism;
(iv) restoration or maintenance or protec-
tion of high water quality instream flows and
watersheds (or riparian areas) sufficient to pro-
tect fish and wildlife;
(v) maintaining biological connectivity be-
tween and among physiographic provinces; and
(vi) maintenance of long-term, sustainable
outputs of economically valuable natural re-
sources.
(B)(i) The Panel shall define the essential man-
agement purpose and biological function and desired
condition of the ecosystems defined under subpara-
graph (A). In conjunction with carrying out sub-
paragraph (A), the Panel shall assess the ecological
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status and trends, including, where appropriate, lev-
els of risks associated with applicable management
alternatives of water quality, riparian areas, and
fisheries; uncommon, rare, threatened, and endan-
gered species; rangelands; soils; and late successional
old growth forest.
(ii) The Panel shall analyze the timber quan-
tity, quality, and growth on the existing timber base
as well as the success of reforestation in the region
to date, probable rates of reforestation success in the
future, and their effect on timber supply and related
issues.
(C) The Panel shall gather and display in a
useful form biological data from each of the
ecosystems defined under subparagraph (A).
(D) The Panel shall identify gaps in important
research areas and contract for or otherwise obtain
research necessary in the short term to accomplish
the duties of the Panel under this section.
(E) The Panel shall analyze Federal land own-
ership patterns and associated Federal land manage-
ment mandates and practices within the ecosystems
identified in subparagraph (A) and identify those
mandates and practices which are inconsistent or in-
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compatible with ecosystem management levels of risk
identified under subparagraph (B).
(F) The Panel shall identify opportunities to
encourage sustainable economic use of the natural
resources of the ecosystems identified by the Panel
and the sustainable economic outputs identified in
subparagraph (A)(vi), in a manner consistent with
the goals and purposes of those ecosystems. Special
emphasis shall be placed on the identification of op-
portunities for the maintenance and growth of small
businesses and the establishment of new small busi-
nesses consistent with the goals and purposes of
those ecosystems. In making these recommendations,
the Panel should consider opportunities to improve
environmental conditions that could permit an ex-
pansion of the sustainable contribution of commodity
and noncommodity uses and outputs of natural re-
sources, including but not limited to each of the fol-
lowing:
(i) Increasing desirable natural vegetative
growth through reforestation with native spe-
cies, thinning and other timber stand modifica-
tions, prescribed burning, and seeding or plant-
ing native grasses, forbs, and shrubs.
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(ii) Improving the quality of other biologi-
cal resources (such as species diversity and ani-
mal populations) through habitat restoration,
extended timber rotations, alternative timber
harvesting and bidding systems, and different
standards and methods for road construction,
maintenance, closure, and eradication.
(iii) Enhancing the quality of non-biologi-
cal resources (such as recreation trails and de-
velopments, watersheds and streams), through
site restoration and rehabilitation, demand
management (such as user regulation and en-
forcement, marketing to shift timing and loca-
tion of uses) and investment in recreational use.
(2) RECOMMENDATIONS.—The Panel shall sub-
mit recommendations on each of the following:
(A) Specific, implementable steps for man-
agement of the ecosystems defined under para-
graph (1)(A), including removal of inconsistent
or incompatible mandates and practices identi-
fied under paragraph (1)(E).
(B) Ways to better monitor the resources
within the ecosystems.
(C) Ways to create or improve direct co-
operation between scientists both within and
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without the Federal Government and Federal
land managers.
(D) Methods, including incentives by which
State and private landowners might coopera-
tively manage their lands in a manner compat-
ible with Federal lands located within the
ecosystems.
(E) 
Other 
institutional 
or 
legislative
changes the Panel determines will promote
sound ecosystem management.
(3) REPORTS.—(A) Not later than 6 months
after the date of enactment of this Act, the Panel
shall submit an interim report to the President and
the Congress. The report shall discuss the progress
of the Panel in carrying out this section and shall
include—
(i) a description of any ecosystems defined
and mapped under paragraph (1) (A) and (B);
(ii) summaries of the biological data gath-
ered to date under paragraph (1)(C); and
(iii) the additional research obtained under
paragraph (1)(D).
(B) Not later than 30 months after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Panel shall submit a final
report to the President and the Congress which con-
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tains a description of its activities under this section
and includes the findings, analyses, and rec-
ommendations made under this section.
(C) The reports submitted to the Congress
under this paragraph shall be submitted to the Com-
mittee on Resources of the House of Representatives
and the Committee on Energy and Natural Re-
sources of the Senate.
SEC. 10. MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS.
(a) REDESIGNATION.—(1) Those lands comprising
the Rattlesnake National Recreation Area and Wilderness,
as designated in Public Law 96–476 are hereby redesig-
nated as the ‘‘Rattlesnake National Education and Recre-
ation Area and Wilderness’’.
(2) Those lands comprising 200 acres, as generally
depicted on a map entitled ‘‘West Pioneers Study Dele-
tion—Proposed’’, are hereby released from study under
Public Law 95–150.
(b) WITHDRAWAL.—(1) Those lands comprising ap-
proximately 27,000 acres, as generally depicted on a map
entitled ‘‘Gibson Reservoir Mineral Withdrawal Area—
Proposed’’, dated October 1992, are hereby withdrawn
from all forms of entry, appropriation and disposal under
the mining and public land laws, and disposition under
the geothermal and mineral leasing laws.
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(2) The Secretary shall file a map and boundary de-
scription of the area designated by this subsection with
the committees identified in this subsection and such map
and boundary description shall have the same force and
effect as if included in this Act.
(3) The Secretary may correct clerical and typo-
graphical errors in the map and boundary description sub-
mitted pursuant to this subsection.
(4) The map and boundary description referred to in
this subsection shall be on file and available for public in-
spection in the office of the Chief of the Forest Service
and the office of the Regional Forester of the Northern
Region.
(c) ACREAGES.—All acreages cited in this Act are ap-
proximate and in the event of discrepancies between cited
acreage and the lands depicted on referenced maps, the
maps shall control.
(d) ACCESS.—It is the policy of Congress that the
Forest Service affirm or acquire and maintain reasonable
public access to National Forest System lands in the State
of Montana.
(e) SCAPEGOAT
AND GREAT BEAR WILDERNESS
NAMES.—In order to consolidate existing contiguous wil-
derness areas, those lands comprising the Great Bear Wil-
derness Area designated by Public Law 95–946 and any
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amendments thereto and the Scapegoat Wilderness Area
designated by Public Law 92–395 and any amendments
thereto are hereby incorporated in and deemed to be a
part of the Bob Marshall Wilderness. The designations of
the Great Bear Wilderness and Scapegoat Wilderness
shall refer to units within the Bob Marshall Wilderness.
SEC. 11. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
There are authorized to be appropriated such sums
as are necessary to carry out this Act.
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