II
103D CONGRESS
2D SESSION
H. R. 2942
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
AUGUST 9 (legislative day, AUGUST 8), 1994
Received
AN ACT
To designate certain lands in the Commonwealth of Virginia
as the George Washington National Forest Mount Pleas-
ant Scenic Area.
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 ‘‘George Washington
National Forest Mount Pleasant Scenic Area Act’’.
SEC. 2. PURPOSES.
The purposes of this Act with respect to the George
Washington National Forest Mount Pleasant Scenic Area
are to—
(1) ensure appropriate protection and preserva-
tion of the scenic quality, water quality, natural
characteristics, and water resources;
(2) protect and manage vegetation to provide
wildlife and fish habitat, consistent with paragraph
(1);
(3) provide areas that may develop characteris-
tics of old-growth forests; and
(4) provide a variety of recreation opportunities
that are not inconsistent with the preceding pur-
poses.
SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT OF MOUNT PLEASANT NATIONAL
SCENIC AREA.
(a) IN GENERAL.—
(1) ESTABLISHMENT.—There is hereby estab-
lished in the George Washington National Forest,
Virginia, the George Washington National Forest
Mount Pleasant Scenic Area (in this section referred
to as the ‘‘scenic area’’).
(2) LANDS INCLUDED IN SCENIC AREA.—The
scenic area shall consist of certain lands in the
George Washington National Forest, Virginia, which
comprise approximately seven thousand five hundred
and eighty acres, as generally depicted on a map en-
titled ‘‘Mount Pleasant National Scenic Area—Pro-
posed’’, dated June 21, 1993.
(3) MAPS
AND
DESCRIPTIONS.—As soon as
practicable after the date of the enactment of this
Act, the Secretary shall file a map and boundary de-
scription of the scenic area with the Committee on
Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate
and the Committee on Agriculture of the House of
Representatives. The map and description shall have
the same force and effect as if included in this Act,
except that the Secretary is authorized to correct
clerical and typographical errors in such boundary
description and map. Such map and boundary de-
scription shall be on file and available for public in-
spection in the Office of the Chief of the Forest
Service, Department of Agriculture. In the case of
any discrepancy between the acreage and the map
described in paragraph (2), the map shall control.
(b) ADMINISTRATION.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Agriculture
(in this section referred to as the ‘‘Secretary’’) shall
administer the scenic area in accordance with this
Act and the laws and regulations generally applica-
ble to the National Forest System. In the event of
conflict between this Act and other laws and regula-
tions, this Act shall take precedence.
(2) MANAGEMENT PLAN.—Within three years
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Sec-
retary shall develop a management plan for the sce-
nic area as an amendment to the Land and Re-
source Management Plan for the George Washington
National Forest. Such an amendment shall conform
to the provisions of this Act. Nothing in this Act
shall require the Secretary to revise the Land and
Resource Management Plan for the George Wash-
ington National Forest pursuant to section 6 of the
Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources Plan-
ning Act of 1974 (16 U.S.C. 1604).
(c) ROADS.—After the date of the enactment of this
Act, no new permanent roads shall be constructed within
the scenic area, except that this prohibition shall not be
construed to deny access to private lands or interests
therein in the scenic area.
(d) VEGETATION MANAGEMENT.—No timber harvest
shall be allowed within the scenic area, except as may be
necessary in the control of fire, insects, and diseases and
to provide for public safety and trail access. Notwithstand-
ing the foregoing, the Secretary may engage in vegetation
manipulation practices for maintenance of existing wildlife
clearings and visual quality. Firewood may be harvested
for personal use along perimeter roads under such condi-
tions as the Secretary may impose.
(e) MOTORIZED TRAVEL.—
(1) AUTHORIZED ROUTES.—Motorized travel in
the scenic area shall be allowed on State Route 635.
Subject to such conditions as the Secretary may im-
pose, motorized travel in the scenic area shall also
be allowed on Forest Development Road 51.
(2) OTHER AREAS.—Other than as provided in
paragraph (1), motorized travel shall not be per-
mitted within the scenic area, except that the Sec-
retary may authorize motorized travel within the
scenic area as necessary for administrative use in
furtherance of the purposes of this Act and on tem-
porary routes in support of wildlife management
projects.
(f) FIRE.—Wildfires shall be suppressed in a manner
consistent with the purposes of this Act, using such means
as the Secretary considers appropriate.
(g) INSECTS AND DISEASE.—Insect and disease out-
breaks may be controlled in the scenic area to maintain
scenic quality, prevent tree mortality, reduce hazards to
visitors, or protect private lands.
(h) WATER.—The scenic area shall be administered
so as to maintain or enhance existing water quality.
(i) MINING WITHDRAWAL.—Subject to valid existing
rights, all federally owned lands in the scenic area are
hereby withdrawn from location, entry, and patent under
the mining laws of the United States and from leasing
claims under the mineral and geothermal leasing laws of
the United States, including amendments to such laws.
Passed the House of Representatives August 8,
1994.
Attest:
DONNALD K. ANDERSON,
Clerk.