I
105TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 2149
To enhance the conservation and protection of the Boundary Waters Canoe
Area Wilderness.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
JULY 10, 1997
Mr. VENTO introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee
on Resources
A BILL
To enhance the conservation and protection of the Boundary
Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.
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 ‘‘BWCA Wilderness
Legacy Act’’.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
The Congress finds that:
(1) The Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilder-
ness is a special natural resource that offers a
unique lakeland experience for the enjoyment and in-
spiration of present and future generations.
(2) The Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilder-
ness is an international, national, and Minnesota
treasure worthy of national preservation and protec-
tion as a wilderness area.
(3) Congress has expressed overwhelming sup-
port for the protection of this resource through its
designation as a wilderness area and by providing
sustained funding to protect and responsibly manage
this national treasure.
(4) Public acceptance and enthusiasm for the
Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness has estab-
lished the area as the most widely used wilderness
unit in the entire national wilderness preservation
system.
(5) The overwhelming majority of Minnesotans
support greater wilderness protections for the
Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.
(6) It is necessary and desirable to further pro-
vide for the orderly administration and management
of public use and enjoyment of this national wilder-
ness while at the same time protecting the special
qualities of the area as a natural forest-lakeland wil-
derness ecosystem of major esthetic, cultural, sci-
entific, recreational, and educational value to the
Nation.
SEC. 3. BOUNDARY WATERS CANOE AREA WILDERNESS
DESIGNATION.
Section 3 of Public Law 94–495 (16 U.S.C. 1132
note) is amended as follows:
(1) By amending the first sentence to read as
follows: ‘‘The areas generally depicted as wilderness
on the map entitled ‘Boundary Waters Canoe Area
Wilderness’ and dated 1997, comprising approxi-
mately 1,094,370 acres, are hereby designated as
the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (here-
inafter referred to as the ‘Wilderness’).’’.
(2) By striking ‘‘one year after the date of en-
actment of this Act’’ and inserting ‘‘one year after
the enactment of the BWCA Wilderness Legacy
Act’’.
(3) By amending the third sentence to read as
follows: ‘‘Such map and description shall be filed
with the Committee on Resources of the United
States House of Representatives and the Committee
on Energy and Natural Resources of the United
States Senate.’’.
SEC. 4. AMENDMENTS TO SECTION 4 OF PUBLIC LAW 95–495.
Section 4 of Public Law 95–495 (16 U.S.C. 1132
note) is amended as follows:
(1) In subsection (c)(2) by striking ‘‘Sea Gull,
that portion generally east of Threemile Island,
Cook County;’’.
(2) In subsection (c)(3) by striking ‘‘that por-
tion generally west of Threemile Island,’’.
(3) In subsection (d) by striking ‘‘Loon Lake,
Saint Louis County; that portion of the Lac La
Croix, Saint Louis County, south of Snow Bay and
east of Wilkins Bay.’’.
(4) By adding the following new subsection
after subsection (i):
‘‘(j) Effective on January 1, 1998, the Secretary shall
terminate all special use permits for towboats; from that
date forward, use of towboats within the wilderness shall
be prohibited, whether for commercial or noncommercial
purposes.’’.
SEC. 5. AIRSPACE RESERVATION.
The provisions of Executive Order 10092 shall be ap-
plicable to the areas depicted as wilderness on the map
referred to in the amendments made by section 3 of this
Act.
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