I 
116TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 1248 
To amend the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act to designate certain river segments 
within the York watershed in the State of Maine as components of 
the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
FEBRUARY 14, 2019 
Ms. PINGREE (for herself and Mr. GOLDEN) introduced the following bill; 
which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources 
A BILL 
To amend the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act to designate 
certain river segments within the York watershed in the 
State of Maine as components of the National Wild 
and Scenic Rivers System, 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 ‘‘York River Wild and 
Scenic River Act of 2019’’. 
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SEC. 2. DESIGNATION OF YORK WILD AND SCENIC RIVERS, 
MAINE. 
Section 3(a) of the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act (16 
U.S.C. 1274(a)) is amended by adding at the end the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(l) YORK RIVER, MAINE.—Segments of the 
main stem and its tributaries in the State of Maine, 
Bass Cove Creek, Cider Hill Creek, Cutts Ridge 
Brook, Dolly Gordon Brook, Libby Brook, Rogers 
Brook, Smelt Brook, totaling approximately 30.8 
miles, to be administered by the Secretary of the In-
terior, as a recreational river: 
‘‘(A) The approximately 0.95-mile segment 
of Bass Cove Creek from the outlet of Boulter 
Pond in York, Maine, and extending down-
stream to its confluence with the York River in 
York, Maine. 
‘‘(B) The approximately 3.77-mile segment 
of Cider Hill Creek from the Middle Pond dam 
in York, Maine, and extending downstream to 
its confluence with the York River in York, 
Maine. 
‘‘(C) The approximately 2.15-mile segment 
of Cutts Ridge Brook from its headwaters in 
Kittery, Maine, and extending downstream to 
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its confluence with the York River in York, 
Maine. 
‘‘(D) The approximately 3.17-mile segment 
of Dolly Gordon Brook from its headwaters in 
York, Maine, and extending downstream to its 
confluence with the York River in York, Maine. 
‘‘(E) The approximately 1.65-mile segment 
of Libby Brook from its headwaters in Kittery, 
Maine, and extending downstream to its con-
fluence with Dolly Gordon Brook in York, 
Maine. 
‘‘(F) The approximately 2.43-mile segment 
of Rogers Brook from its headwaters in Eliot, 
Maine, and extending downstream to its con-
fluence with the York River in York, Maine. 
‘‘(G) The approximately 4.54-mile segment 
of Smelt Brook from the Bell Marsh Reservoir 
dam in York, Maine, and extending downstream 
to its confluence with the York River in York, 
Maine. 
‘‘(H) The approximately 12.14-mile seg-
ment of the York River from the outlet of York 
Pond in Eliot, Maine, and extending down-
stream to the Route 103 Bridge in York, 
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Maine, including Barrell Mill Pond in York, 
Maine.’’. 
SEC. 3. MANAGEMENT. 
(a) PROCESS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The York River, Maine seg-
ments shall be managed in accordance with— 
(A) the stewardship plan; and 
(B) such amendments to the stewardship 
plan as the Secretary determines are consistent 
with this section and as are approved by the 
Stewardship Committee. 
(2) COMPREHENSIVE
MANAGEMENT
PLAN.— 
The stewardship plan shall be considered to satisfy 
the requirements for a comprehensive management 
plan under section 3(d) of the Wild and Scenic Riv-
ers Act (16 U.S.C. 1274(d)). 
(b) COMMITTEE.—The Secretary shall coordinate his 
or her management responsibilities under this Act with the 
Stewardship Committee, as specified in the stewardship 
plan. 
(c) COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—In order to provide for the 
long-term protection, preservation, and enhancement 
of the York River, Maine segments, the Secretary 
may enter into cooperative agreements pursuant to 
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sections 10(e) and 11(b)(1) of the Wild and Scenic 
Rivers Act (16 U.S.C. 1281(e) and 1282(b)(1)) 
with— 
(A) the State of Maine; 
(B) the municipalities of Eliot, Kittery, 
South Berwick, and York in Maine; and 
(C) appropriate local, regional, or State 
planning, environmental, or recreational organi-
zations. 
(2) CONSISTENCY.—Each cooperative agree-
ment entered into under this subsection shall be con-
sistent with the stewardship plan and may include 
provisions for financial or other assistance from the 
United States. 
(d) LAND MANAGEMENT.— 
(1) ZONING ORDINANCES.—For the purpose of 
the York River, Maine segments, the zoning ordi-
nances adopted by the municipalities named in sub-
section (c)(1)(B), including provisions for conserva-
tion of floodplains, wetlands, and watercourses asso-
ciated with the segments, shall be deemed to satisfy 
the standards and requirements of section 6(c) of 
the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act. 
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(2) ACQUISITION OF LANDS.—The authority of 
the Secretary to acquire land for the purposes of the 
York River, Maine segments shall be— 
(A) limited to acquisition by donation or 
acquisition with the consent of the owner of the 
land; and 
(B) subject to the additional criteria set 
forth in the stewardship plan. 
(3) NO CONDEMNATION.—No land or interest 
in land within the watersheds of the York River, 
Maine segments may be acquired by condemnation. 
(e) RELATION TO THE NATIONAL PARK SYSTEM.— 
Notwithstanding section 10(c) of the Wild and Scenic Riv-
ers Act (16 U.S.C. 1281(c)), the York River, Maine seg-
ments shall not— 
(1) be administered as a unit of the National 
Park System; or 
(2) be subject to regulations that govern the 
National Park System. 
(f) DEFINITIONS.—For the purposes of this section: 
(1) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 
the Secretary of the Interior. 
(2) STEWARDSHIP
COMMITTEE.—The term 
‘‘Stewardship Committee’’ means the York River 
Stewardship Committee. 
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(3) STEWARDSHIP PLAN.—The term ‘‘steward-
ship plan’’ means the York River Watershed Stew-
ardship Plan, dated August 2018, developed pursu-
ant to the study described in section 5(b)(21) of the 
Wild and Scenic Rivers Act. 
(4) YORK RIVER, MAINE SEGMENTS.—The term 
‘‘York River, Maine segments’’ means the river seg-
ments designated by the amendment made by sec-
tion 2. 
Æ 
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