I
104TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 852
To designate as wilderness, wild and scenic rivers, national park and preserve
study areas, wild land recovery areas, and biological connecting corridors
certain public lands in the States of Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washing-
ton, and Wyoming, and for other purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
FEBRUARY 7, 1995
Mrs. MALONEY (for herself, Mr. SHAYS, Mr. DELLUMS, Mr. ZIMMER, Mr.
BROWN of California, Mr. BRYANT of Texas, Ms. ESHOO, Mr. SANDERS,
Mr. STARK, Mr. BARRETT of Wisconsin, Mr. WAXMAN, Mr. FARR, Mr.
VELA´ZQUEZ, Mr. BROWN of Ohio, Mr. EVANS, Mr. TORRES, Mr.
GUTIERREZ, Mr. NADLER, Mr. LANTOS, Mr. CARDIN, Ms. NORTON, and
Mr. FILNER) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Resources
A BILL
To designate as wilderness, wild and scenic rivers, national
park and preserve study areas, wild land recovery areas,
and biological connecting corridors certain public lands
in the States of Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington,
and Wyoming, 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 cited as the ‘‘Northern Rockies Eco-
system Protection Act of 1995’’.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSES.
(a) FINDINGS.—The Congress finds as follows:
(1) Many areas of undeveloped National Forest
System lands in the States of Idaho, Montana, Or-
egon, Washington, and Wyoming possess outstand-
ing natural characteristics which give them high val-
ues as wilderness, parks, and wild and scenic rivers
and will, if properly preserved, be an enduring re-
source 
of 
wilderness, 
wild 
land 
areas, 
and
biodiversity for the benefit of the American people.
(2) The bioregion of the Northern Rockies con-
tains the most diverse array of wild lands remaining
south of Canada, providing sanctuary for a host of
species listed as threatened or endangered under sec-
tion 4(c) of the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (16
U.S.C. 1533(c)). These national interest public lands
are among the most popular wild lands in the Na-
tion, embracing major ecosystems and national
treasures such as the Greater Yellowstone, Greater
Glacier/Continental Divide, Greater Hells Canyon,
Greater Salmon/Selway, and Greater Cabinet/Yaak/
Selkirk ecosystems. The headwaters for nearly two-
thirds of the rivers of North America originate in
the Northern Rockies, sending waters to three
oceans and providing critical supplies of clean water
for wildlife and other users.
(3) The wildlife treasures of the Northern
Rockies are of international significance and contain
remarkably intact large mammalian fauna and rare
and unique plant life.
(4) Wildlife habitat fragmentation due to road-
building, timber harvest, mining, oil and gas explo-
ration, lack of interagency cooperation, and other ac-
tivities has severe effects on the wildlife populations
(including those listed as threatened or endangered
under section 4(c) of the Endangered Species Act of
1973 (16 U.S.C. 1533(c)) and their habitat, the
water quality, the ancient forests, and the greater
ecosystems of the Northern Rockies Bioregion. Con-
tinued fragmentation and development of the re-
maining roadless and essentially roadless ecosystems
and biological connectors of the Northern Rockies
would cause a loss to the Nation of an entire wild
land region and of the only remaining areas south
of Canada still pristine enough to support popu-
lations of caribou, gray wolves, grizzly bears, anad-
romous fish, and numerous other rare and endan-
gered plant and animal life all in one intact
bioregion.
(5) Since the 1936 roadless area inventory com-
pleted by Bob Marshall, millions of acres of roadless