IB
Union Calendar No. 420
106TH CONGRESS
2D SESSION
H. R. 2773
[Report No. 106–739]
To amend the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act to designate the Wekiva River
and its tributaries of Rock Springs Run and Black Water Creek in
the State of Florida as components of the national wild and scenic
rivers system.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
AUGUST 5, 1999
Mr. MCCOLLUM introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Resources
JULY 17, 2000
Reported with amendments, committed to the Committee of the Whole House
on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed
[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic]
[For text of introduced bill, see copy of bill as introduced on August 5, 1999]
A BILL
To amend the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act to designate
the Wekiva River and its tributaries of Rock Springs
Run and Black Water Creek in the State of Florida
as components of the national wild and scenic rivers
system.
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 ‘‘Wekiva Wild and Scenic
River Act of 2000’’.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
The Congress finds the following:
(1) Public Law 104–311 (110 Stat. 3818)
amended section 5 of the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act
(16 U.S.C. 1276) to require the study of the Wekiva
River and its tributaries of Rock Springs Run and
Seminole Creek for potential inclusion in the national
wild and scenic rivers system.
(2) The study determined that the Wekiva River,
Wekiwa Springs Run, Rock Springs Run, and Black
Water Creek are eligible for inclusion in the national
wild and scenic rivers system.
(3) The State of Florida has demonstrated its
commitment to protecting these rivers and streams by
the enactment of the Wekiva River Protection Act
(Florida Statute chapter 369), by the establishment of
a riparian wildlife protection zone and water quality
protection zone by the St. Johns River Water Man-
agement District, and by the acquisition of lands ad-
jacent to these rivers and streams for conservation
purposes.
(4) The Florida counties of Lake, Seminole, and
Orange have demonstrated their commitment to pro-
tect these rivers and streams in their comprehensive
land use plans and land development regulations.
(5) The desire for designation of these rivers and
streams as components of the national wild and sce-
nic rivers system has been demonstrated through
strong public support, State and local agency sup-
port, and the endorsement of designation by the
Wekiva River Basin Ecosystem Working Group,
which represents a broad cross section of State and
local agencies, landowners, environmentalists, non-
profit organizations, and recreational users.
(6) The entire lengths of the Wekiva River, Rock
Springs Run, and Black Water Creek are held in
public ownership or conservation easements or are de-
fined as waters of the State of Florida.
SEC. 3. DESIGNATION OF WEKIVA RIVER AND TRIBUTARIES,
FLORIDA, AS COMPONENTS OF NATIONAL
WILD AND SCENIC RIVERS SYSTEM.
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 new paragraph:
‘‘(161) WEKIVA RIVER, WEKIWA SPRINGS RUN, ROCK
SPRINGS RUN, AND BLACK WATER CREEK, FLORIDA.—The
41.6-mile segments referred to in this paragraph, to be ad-
ministered by the Secretary of the Interior:
‘‘(A) WEKIVA
RIVER
AND
WEKIWA
SPRINGS
RUN.—The 14.9 miles of the Wekiva River, along
Wekiwa Springs Run from its confluence with the St.
Johns River to Wekiwa Springs, to be administered
in the following classifications:
‘‘(i) From the confluence with the St. Johns
River to the southern boundary of the Lower
Wekiva River State Preserve, approximately 4.4
miles, as a wild river.
‘‘(ii) From the southern boundary of the
Lower Wekiva River State Preserve to the north-
ern boundary of Rock Springs State Reserve at
the Wekiva River, approximately 3.4 miles, as a
recreational river.
‘‘(iii) From the northern boundary of Rock
Springs State Reserve at the Wekiva River to the
southern boundary of Rock Springs State Re-
serve at the Wekiva River, approximately 5.9
miles, as a wild river.
‘‘(iv) From the southern boundary of Rock
Springs State Reserve at the Wekiva River up-
stream along Wekiwa Springs Run to Wekiwa
Springs, approximately 1.2 miles, as a rec-
reational river.
‘‘(B) ROCK SPRINGS RUN.—The 8.8 miles from
the confluence of Rock Springs Run with the Wekiwa
Springs Run forming the Wekiva River to its head-
waters at Rock Springs, to be administered in the fol-
lowing classifications:
‘‘(i) From the confluence with Wekiwa
Springs Run to the western boundary of Rock
Springs Run State Reserve at Rock Springs
Run, approximately 6.9 miles, as a wild river.
‘‘(ii) From the western boundary of Rock
Springs Run State Reserve at Rock Springs Run
to Rock Springs, approximately 1.9 miles, as a
recreational river.
‘‘(C) BLACK
WATER
CREEK.—The 17.9 miles
from the confluence of Black Water Creek with the
Wekiva River to outflow from Lake Norris, to be ad-
ministered in the following classifications:
‘‘(i) From the confluence with the Wekiva
River to approximately .25 mile downstream of
the Seminole State Forest road crossing, ap-
proximately 4.1 miles, as a wild river.
‘‘(ii) From approximately .25 mile down-
stream of the Seminole State Forest road to ap-
proximately .25 mile upstream of the Seminole
State Forest road crossing, approximately .5
mile, as a scenic river.
‘‘(iii) From approximately .25 mile up-
stream of the Seminole State Forest road cross-
ing to approximately .25 mile downstream of the
old railroad grade crossing (approximately River
Mile 9), approximately 4.4 miles, as a wild
river.
‘‘(iv) From approximately .25 mile down-
stream of the old railroad grade crossing (ap-
proximately River Mile 9), upstream to the
boundary of Seminole State Forest (approxi-
mately River Mile 10.6), approximately 1.6
miles, as a scenic river.
‘‘(v) From the boundary of Seminole State
Forest (approximately River Mile 10.6) to ap-
proximately .25 mile downstream of the State
Road 44 crossing, approximately .9 mile, as a
wild river.
‘‘(vi) From approximately .25 mile down-
stream of State Road 44 to approximately .25
mile upstream of the State Road 44A crossing,
approximately .6 mile, as a recreational river.
‘‘(vii) From approximately .25 mile up-
stream of the State Road 44A crossing to ap-
proximately .25 mile downstream of the Lake
Norris Road crossing, approximately 4.7 miles,
as a wild river.
‘‘(viii) From approximately .25 mile down-
stream of the Lake Norris Road crossing to the
outflow from Lake Norris, approximately 1.1
miles, as a recreational river.’’.
SEC. 4. SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS APPLICABLE TO WEKIVA
RIVER AND TRIBUTARIES.
(a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section and section 5:
(1) WEKIVA RIVER SYSTEM.—The term ‘‘Wekiva
River system’’ means the segments of the Wekiva
River, Wekiwa Springs Run, Rock Springs Run, and
Black Water Creek in the State of Florida designated
as components of the national wild and scenic rivers
system by paragraph (161) of section 3(a) of the Wild
and Scenic Rivers Act (16 U.S.C. 1274(a)), as added
by this Act.
(2) COMMITTEE.—The term ‘‘Committee’’ means
the Wekiva River System Advisory Management Com-
mittee established pursuant to section 5.
(3) COMPREHENSIVE MANAGEMENT PLAN.—The
terms ‘‘comprehensive management plan’’ and ‘‘plan’’
mean the comprehensive management plan to be de-
veloped pursuant to section 3(d) of the Wild and Sce-
nic Rivers Act (16 U.S.C. 1274(d)).
(4) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means
the Secretary of the Interior.
(b) COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS.—
(1) USE AUTHORIZED.—In order to provide for
the long-term protection, preservation, and enhance-
ment of the Wekiva River system, the Secretary shall
offer to enter into cooperative agreements pursuant to
sections 10(e) and 11(b)(1) of the Wild and Scenic
Rivers Act (16 U.S.C. 1281(e), 1282(b)(1)) with the
State of Florida, appropriate local political jurisdic-
tions of the State, namely the counties of Lake, Or-
ange, and Seminole, and appropriate local planning
and environmental organizations.
(2) EFFECT
OF
AGREEMENT.—Administration
by the Secretary of the Wekiva River system through
the use of cooperative agreements shall not constitute
National Park Service administration of the Wekiva
River system for purposes of section 10(c) of such Act
(10 U.S.C. 1281(c)) and shall not cause the Wekiva
River system to be considered as being a unit of the
National Park System. Publicly owned lands within
the boundaries of the Wekiva River system shall con-
tinue to be managed by the agency having jurisdic-
tion over the lands, in accordance with the statutory
authority and mission of the agency.
(c) COMPLIANCE REVIEW.—After completion of the
comprehensive management plan, the Secretary shall bien-
nially review compliance with the plan and shall promptly
report to the Committee on Resources of the House of Rep-
resentatives and the Committee on Energy and Natural Re-
sources of the Senate any deviation from the plan that could
result in any diminution of the values for which the Wekiva
River system was designated as a component of the national
wild and scenic rivers system.
(d) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND OTHER SUPPORT.—
The Secretary may provide technical assistance, staff sup-
port, and funding to assist in the development and imple-
mentation of the comprehensive management plan.
(e) LIMITATION ON FEDERAL SUPPORT.—Nothing in
this section shall be construed to authorize funding for land
acquisition, facility development, or operations.
SEC. 5. WEKIVA RIVER SYSTEM ADVISORY MANAGEMENT
COMMITTEE.
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary shall establish
an advisory committee, to be known as the Wekiva River
System Advisory Management Committee, to assist in the
development of the comprehensive management plan for the
Wekiva River system.
(b) MEMBERSHIP.—The Committee shall be composed
of a representative of each of the following agencies and or-
ganizations:
(1) The Department of the Interior, represented
by the Director of the National Park Service or the
Director’s designee.
(2) The East Central Florida Regional Planning
Council.
(3) The Florida Department of Environmental
Protection, Division of Recreation and Parks.
(4) The Florida Department of Environmental
Protection, Wekiva River Aquatic Preserve.
(5) The Florida Department of Agriculture and
Consumer Services, Division of Forestry, Seminole
State Forest.
(6) The Florida Audubon Society.
(7) The nonprofit organization known as the
Friends of the Wekiva.
(8) The Lake County Water Authority.
(9) The Lake County Planning Department.
(10) The Orange County Parks and Recreation
Department, Kelly Park.
(11) The Seminole County Planning Depart-
ment.
(12) The St. Johns River Water Management
District.
(13) The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation
Commission.
(14) The City of Altamonte Springs.
(15) The City of Longwood.
(16) The City of Apopka.
(17) The Florida Farm Bureau Federation.
(18) The Florida Forestry Association.
(c) ADDITIONAL MEMBERS.—Other interested parties
may be added to the Committee by request to the Secretary
and unanimous consent of the existing members.
(d) APPOINTMENT.—Representatives and alternates to
the Committee shall be appointed as follows:
(1) State agency representatives, by the head of
the agency.
(2) County representatives, by the Boards of
County Commissioners.
(3) Water management district, by the Gov-
erning Board.
(4) Department of the Interior representative, by
the Southeast Regional Director, National Park Serv-
ice.
(5) East Central Florida Regional Planning
Council, by Governing Board.
(6) Other organizations, by the Southeast Re-
gional Director, National Park Service.
(f) ROLE OF COMMITTEE.—The Committee shall assist
in the development of the comprehensive management plan
for the Wekiva River system and provide advice to the Sec-
retary in carrying out the management responsibilities of
the Secretary under this Act. The Committee shall have an
advisory role only, it will not have regulatory or land ac-
quisition authority.
(e) VOTING
AND COMMITTEE PROCEDURES.—Each
member agency, agency division, or organization referred
to in subsection (b) shall have 1 vote and provide 1 member
and 1 alternate. Committee decisions and actions will be
made with consent of 3⁄4 of all voting members. Additional
necessary Committee procedures shall be developed as part
of the comprehensive management plan.
SEC. 6. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as
may be necessary to carry out this Act and paragraph (161)
of section 3(a) of the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act (16 U.S.C.
1274(a)), as added by this Act.
Amend the title so as to read: ‘‘A bill to amend the
Wild and Scenic Rivers Act to designate the Wekiva
River and its tributaries of Wekiwa Springs Run, Rock
Springs Run, and Black Water Creek in the State of
Florida as components of the national wild and scenic
rivers system.’’.
Union Calendar No. 420
106TH CONGRESS
2D SESSION
H. R. 2773
[Report No. 106–739]
A BILL
To amend the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act to des-
ignate the Wekiva River and its tributaries of
Rock Springs Run and Black Water Creek in the
State of Florida as components of the national
wild and scenic rivers system.
JULY 17, 2000
Reported with amendments, committed to the Committee
of the Whole House on the State of the Union, and or-
dered to be printed