as generally depicted on a map entitled ‘‘Snowcrest
Wilderness—Proposed’’, dated March 1994 and shall
be known as the Snowcrest Wilderness.
(33) Certain lands in the Beaverhead National
Forest, which comprise approximately 4,700 acres, as
generally depicted on a map entitled ‘‘Mount Jeffer-
son Wilderness—Proposed’’, dated March 1994 and
shall be known as the Mount Jefferson Unit of the
Howard Zahnizer Great Divide Wilderness.
(34) Certain lands in the Deerlodge National
Forest which comprise about 30,300 acres, as gen-
erally, depicted on a map entitled ‘‘Flint Creek Wil-
derness—Proposed’’, dated March 1994 and shall be
known as the Flint Creek Wilderness.
(35) Certain lands in the Gallatin and Lewis
and Clark National Forests, which comprise approxi-
mately 34,800 acres, as generally depicted on a map
entitled ‘‘Crazy Mountain Wilderness—Proposed’’,
dated March 1994 and shall be known as the Crazy
Mountain Wilderness.
(36) Certain lands in the Beaverhead and
Deerlodge National Forests, which comprise approxi-
mately 19,500 acres, as generally depicted on a map
entitled ‘‘Tobacco Roots Wilderness—Proposed’’, dated
March 1994, and shall be known as the Tobacco Roots
Wilderness.
(b) MAPS AND DESCRIPTIONS.—(1) The Secretary of
Agriculture (hereinafter referred to as the ‘‘Secretary’’) shall
file the maps referred to in this section and legal descrip-
tions of each wilderness area designated by this section with
the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the
United States Senate and the Committee on Natural Re-
sources of the United States House of Representatives, and
each such map and legal description shall have the same
force and effect as if included in this Act.
(2) The Secretary may correct clerical and typo-
graphical errors in the maps and legal descriptions submit-
ted pursuant to this section.
(3) Each map and legal description referred to in this
section shall be on file and available for public inspection
in the office of the Chief of the Forest Service, Washington,
D.C. and at the office of the Regional Forester of the North-
ern Region.
(c) ADMINISTRATION.—Subject to valid existing rights,
each wilderness area designated by this section shall be ad-
ministered by the Secretary of Agriculture in accordance
with the provisions of the Wilderness Act of 1964, except
that, with respect to any area designated in this section,
any reference to the effective date of the Wilderness Act shall
be deemed to be a reference to the date of enactment of this
Act.
(d) WILDERNESS AREA PERIMETERS.—Congress does
not intend that the designation of wilderness areas in this
section will lead to the creation of protective perimeters or
buffer zones around such areas. The fact that nonwilderness
activities or uses can be seen or heard from areas within
a wilderness area shall not, of itself, preclude such activities
or uses up to the boundary of the wilderness area.
(e) GRAZING.—The grazing of livestock, where estab-
lished prior to the date of enactment of this Act, in wilder-
ness areas designated in this section shall be administered
in accordance with section 4(d)(4) of the Wilderness Act of
1964 and section 108 of an Act entitled ‘‘An Act to des-
ignate certain National Forest System Lands in the States
of Colorado, South Dakota, Missouri, South Carolina, and
Louisiana for inclusion in the National Wilderness Preser-
vation System, and for other purposes’’ (94 Stat. 3271; 16
U.S.C. 1133 note).
(f) STATE FISH AND GAME AUTHORITY.—In accord-
ance with section 4(d)(7) of the Wilderness Act of 1964,
nothing in this Act shall be construed as affecting the juris-
diction or responsibilities of the State of Montana with re-
spect to wildlife and fish in the national forests of Montana.
(g) HUNTING.—Nothing in this Act or the Wilderness
Act of 1964 shall be construed to prohibit hunting within
the wilderness areas designated in this section.
(h) COLLECTION DEVICES.—(1) Within the wilderness
areas designated in this section, maintenance and replace-
ment of essential hydrological, meteorological, or climato-
logical collection devices and ancillary facilities are per-
mitted, subject to such conditions as the Secretary deems
desirable.
(2) Access to the devices and facilities described in
paragraph (1) shall be by the least intrusive practicable
means available as determined by the Secretary. Access, in-
stallation, and maintenance shall be compatible with the
provisions of the Wilderness Act.
(i) FACA.—The provisions of the Federal Advisory
Committee Act notwithstanding, the wilderness managing
agencies are hereby authorized to use citizen advisory
groups, task forces, and ad hoc committees among the public
involvement techniques employed to assist the agencies in
the development of wilderness management direction.
SEC. 4. WATER.
(a) FINDINGS, PURPOSES, AND DEFINITIONS.—(1) The
Congress finds that—
(A) the lands designated as wilderness by this
Act are located at the headwaters of the streams and
rivers on those lands, with no actual or proposed
water resource facilities located upstream from such
lands and no opportunities for diversion, storage, or
other uses of water occurring outside such lands that
would adversely affect the wilderness values of such
lands;
(B) the lands designated as wilderness by this
Act are not suitable for use for development of new
water resource facilities, or for the expansion of exist-
ing water resource facilities; and
(C) therefore, it is possible to provide for proper
management and protection of the water-related wil-
derness values of such lands in ways different from
those utilized in other legislation designating as wil-
derness lands not sharing the attributes of the lands
designated as wilderness by this Act.
(2) The purpose of this section is to protect the water-
related wilderness values of the lands designated as wilder-
ness by this Act by means other than those based on a Fed-
eral reserved water right.
(3) As used in this section—
(A) the term ‘‘water resource facility’’ means ir-
rigation and pumping facilities, reservoirs, water
conservation works, aqueducts, canals, ditches, pipe-
lines, wells, hydropower projects, and transmission
and other ancillary facilities, and other water diver-
sion, storage, and carriage structures; and
(B) the term ‘‘historic’’, used with reference to
rates of flow, quantities of use, or timing or frequency
of use of water, means the pattern of actual average
annual use or operation of a facility prior to the date
of enactment of this Act.
(b) RESTRICTION ON CLAIMS AND CLARIFICATION OF
EFFECT.—(1) Notwithstanding any other provision of law,
no court or agency shall have any jurisdiction under any
Act of Congress (including the ‘‘McCarran Amendment’’, 43
U.S.C. 666) to consider any claim on behalf of the United
States asserted by the Secretary or by any other person to
or for water or water rights in the State of Montana based
on any construction of any portion of this Act, or the des-
ignation of any lands as wilderness by this Act, as con-
stituting an express or implied reservation of water or
water rights.
(2)(A) Nothing in this Act shall be construed as a dis-
claimer, relinquishment, or reduction of any water rights
held or claimed by the United States in the State of Mon-
tana on or before the date of enactment of this Act.
(B) Nothing in this Act shall be construed as constitut-
ing an interpretation of any other Act or any designation
made by or pursuant thereto.
(C) Nothing in this Act shall be construed as establish-
ing a precedent with regard to any future wilderness des-
ignations.
(c) PROHIBITION OF NEW OR EXPANDED PROJECTS.—
(1) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, on and
after the date of enactment of this Act neither the President
nor any other officer, employee, or agent of the United
States shall fund, assist, authorize, or issue a license or per-
mit for, or exempt from licensing or permitting—
(A) the development of any new water resource
facility within the lands designated as wilderness or
for wilderness study by this Act; or
(B) the enlargement of a water resource facility
or the expansion of the historic rate of diversion,
quantity of use, or timing or frequency of use of a
water resource facility that is located within or that
would adversely affect the wilderness values of lands
designated as wilderness or for wilderness study by
this Act.
(2) Except as provided in subsection (d) of this section,
nothing in this Act shall be construed to affect or limit oper-
ation, maintenance, repair, modification, or replacement
without enlargement of water resource facilities in existence
on the date of enactment of this Act located within the
boundaries of the lands designated as wilderness or for wil-
derness study by this Act.
(d) ACCESS AND OPERATION.—(1) Subject to the pro-
visions of this subsection, the Secretary shall allow reason-
able access to water resource facilities in existence on the
date of enactment of this Act located within lands des-
ignated as wilderness or for wilderness study by this Act,
including motorized access where necessary and customar-
ily employed on routes existing as of the date of enactment
of this Act.
(2) Subject to the provisions of this subsection, the Sec-
retary, to the extent required for the continued exercise of
any valid water rights associated with such facilities, shall
allow the present diversion, carriage, and storage capacity
of water resource facilities existing on the date of enactment
of this Act located within lands designated as wilderness
or for wilderness study by this Act, and access routes to
such facilities existing and customarily employed as of such
date, to be operated, maintained, repaired, and replaced as
necessary to maintain the present function, design, and
serviceable operation of such facilities and routes, so long
as such activities have no greater adverse impacts on wil-
derness values than as of the date of enactment of this Act.
(3) Water resource facilities, and access routes serving
such facilities, existing on the date of enactment of this Act
shall be maintained and repaired when and to the extent
necessary to prevent increased adverse impacts on wilder-
ness values.
(4) There shall be no enlargement in the historic rate
of diversion, quantity of use, or timing or frequency of use
of water resource facilities existing on the date of enactment
of this Act located within lands designated as wilderness
or for wilderness study by this Act.
(e) MONITORING AND IMPLEMENTATION.—(1) The Sec-
retary of Agriculture shall monitor the operation of and ac-
cess to water resource facilities within the boundaries of the
lands designated as wilderness and for wilderness study by
this Act, and shall take all steps that the Secretary finds
necessary or desirable in order to further the protection of
the resources and values of such lands and to implement
the provisions of this section, including, to the extent con-
sistent with this Act, the utilization of any procedures
available under Federal or State law, including laws of the
State of Montana concerning either the utilization of water
or the establishment, adjudication, and administration of
water rights.
(2) In implementing subsection (d)(3), the Secretary
may require the owners of water resource facilities or par-
ties entitled to use access routes to perform necessary main-
tenance or repairs, and may require the relocation or re-
moval of such facilities or such routes if such necessary
maintenance or repairs are not performed or not feasible
or such facilities or routes are no longer in use.
(f) APPLICATION TO OTHER AREAS.—Solely for pur-
poses of implementation of subsections (c), (d), and (e) of
this section, lands in Montana which as of the date of enact-
ment of this Act are managed as wilderness study areas
pursuant to Public Law 95–150 shall be deemed to have
been designated for wilderness study by this Act, and such
lands shall be managed pursuant to the provisions of such
subsections in addition to other applicable provisions of
law.
SEC. 5. SPECIAL MANAGEMENT AREAS.
(a) DESIGNATIONS.—For the purposes of conserving,
protecting and enhancing the exceptional scenic, fish and
wildlife, biological, educational and recreational values of
certain National Forest System lands in the State of Mon-
tana, the following designations are made:
(1) The Mount Helena National Education and
Recreation Area located in the Helena National For-
est, comprising approximately 5,220 acres, as gen-
erally depicted on a map entitled ‘‘Mount Helena Na-
tional Education and Recreation Area—Proposed’’,
dated March 1994.
(2) The Hyalite National Education and Recre-
ation Area located in the Gallatin National Forest,
comprising approximately 18,900 acres, as generally
depicted on a map entitled ‘‘Hyalite National Edu-
cation and Recreation Area—Proposed’’, dated March
1994.
(3) The Northwest Peak National Recreation
Area located in the Kaniksu and Kootenai National
Forests, comprising approximately 16,700 acres, as
generally depicted on a map entitled ‘‘Northwest Peak
National Recreation and Scenic Area—Proposed’’,
dated March 1994.
(4) The Buckhorn Ridge National Recreation
Area located in the Kaniksu and Kootenai National
Forests, comprising approximately 22,600 acres, as
generally depicted on a map entitled ‘‘Buckhorn
Ridge National Recreation Area—Proposed’’, dated
March 1994.
(5) The West Big Hole National Recreation Area
located in the Beaverhead National Forest, compris-
ing approximately 90,000 acres, as generally depicted
on a map entitled ‘‘West Big Hole National Recre-
ation Area—Proposed’’, dated March 1994, and
which shall be known as the West Big Hole National
Recreation Area.
(6) The LeBeau Natural Area located on the
Kootenai and Flathead National Forests comprising
approximately 5,350 acres, as generally depicted on a
map entitled ‘‘LeBeau Natural Area—Proposed’’,
dated March 1994.
(7) The Ross Creek Cedars Natural Area located
on the Kootenai National Forest comprising approxi-
mately 700 acres, as generally depicted on a map en-
titled ‘‘Ross Creek Cedars Natural Area—Proposed’’,
dated March 1994.
(8) The McIntire Natural Area located on the
Kootenai National Forest comprising approximately
75,000 acres, as generally depicted on a map entitled
‘‘McIntire Natural Area—Proposed’’, dated March
1994.
(b) MAPS AND BOUNDARY DESCRIPTIONS.—The Sec-
retary shall file a map and boundary description for each
area referred to in this section with the Committee on En-
ergy and Natural Resources, United States Senate, and the
Committee on Natural Resources, United States House of
Representatives, and each such map and boundary descrip-
tion shall have the same force and effect as if included in
this Act: Provided, That the Secretary may correct clerical
and typographical errors in such maps and boundary de-
scriptions. Each such map and boundary description shall
be on file and available for public inspection in the office
of the Chief of the Forest Service and the office of the Re-
gional Forester of the Northern Region.
(c) MANAGEMENT.—(1) Except as otherwise may be
provided in this subsection, the Secretary shall administer
the areas designated in subsection (a) so as to achieve the
purposes of their designation and in accordance with the
laws and regulations applicable to the National Forest Sys-
tem.
(2) Subject to valid existing rights, all federally owned
lands within the areas designated in subsection (a) are here-
by withdrawn from all forms of entry, appropriation and
disposal under the mining and public land laws, and dis-
position under the geothermal and mineral leasing laws.
(3) Commercial timber harvesting is prohibited in the
areas designated by this section with the following excep-
tions:
(A) Nothing in this Act shall preclude such
measures which the Secretary, in his discretion,
deems necessary in the event of fire, or infestation of
insects or disease.
(B) Fuel wood, post and pole gathering may be
permitted.
(C) Commercial timber harvesting may be per-
mitted in the Hyalite National Recreation and Edu-
cation Area, but must be compatible with the pur-
poses of its designation.
(4) Where the Secretary determines that such use is
compatible with the purposes for which an area is des-
ignated, the use of motorized equipment may be permitted
in the areas subject to applicable law and applicable land
and resource management plans.
(5) The grazing of livestock, where established prior to
the date of enactment of this Act may be permitted to con-
tinue subject to applicable law and regulations of the Sec-
retary.
(d) NATIONAL EDUCATION AND RECREATION AREAS
AND NATURAL AREAS.—(1) The Secretary shall manage the
Mount Helena and Hyalite National Education and Recre-
ation Areas with a focus on education. All management ac-
tivities shall be conducted in a manner that provides the
public with an opportunity to become better informed about
natural resource protection and management.
(2) The Secretary shall manage the LeBeau, McIntire
and Ross Creek Cedars Natural Areas for the enhancement
of biodiversity and scientific study. These forests’ unique
natural qualities are to be the focus of the area’s manage-
ment.
(e) LAND
AND RESOURCE MANAGEMENT PLANS.—
Those areas established pursuant to subsection (a) shall be
administered as components of the national forests wherein
they are located. Land and resource management plans for
the affected national forests prepared in accordance with
the Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources Planning
Act, as amended by the National Forest Management Act,
shall be amended to be consistent with the purposes for
which the areas are designated. The provisions of the na-
tional forest land and resource management plan, relating
to each area designated by this section, shall also be avail-
able to the public in a document separate from the rest of
the forest plan.
SEC. 6. WILDERNESS STUDY AREAS.
(a) DESIGNATION.—The following areas are hereby
designated as wilderness study areas and shall be managed
in accordance with the provisions of this section:
(1) Certain lands on the Gallatin National For-
est, comprising approximately 21,500 acres, as gen-
erally depicted on a map entitled ‘‘Sawtooth Moun-
tain Wilderness Study Area—Proposed’’, dated Sep-
tember 1992.
(2) Certain lands in the Lolo National Forest
which comprise approximately 22,000 acres, as gen-
erally depicted on a map entitled ‘‘Sheep Mountain
Wilderness Study Area—Proposed’’, dated November
1991.
(3) Certain lands in the Lewis and Clark and
Gallatin National Forests, which comprise approxi-
mately 111,700 acres, as generally depicted on a map
entitled ‘‘Crazy Mountain Wilderness Study Area—
Proposed’’, dated October 1992. The Forest Service
shall complete a study of public and private land con-
solidation alternatives for this area which shall be
submitted to the appropriate committees of Congress
2 years after the date of the enactment of this Act.
(4) Certain lands in the Gallatin National For-
est, which comprise approximately 4,500 acres, as
generally depicted on a map entitled ‘‘South Cotton-
wood Wilderness Study Area—Proposed,’’ dated Sep-
tember, 1992, and shall be managed as part of the
Gallatin Wilderness Study Area in accordance with
Public Law 95–150.
(5) Certain lands in the Lewis and Clark Na-
tional Forest which comprise approximately 100,000
acres, as generally depicted on a map entitled ‘‘Ten-
derfoot-Deep Creek Wilderness—Proposed’’, dated
March 1994.
(b) REPORT.—When the forest plans are revised, the
Secretary shall submit a report to the Committee on Energy
and Natural Resources of the United States Senate and the
Committee on Natural Resources of the United States House
of Representatives containing recommendations as to
whether the areas designated in subsection (a) should be
added as components of the National Wilderness Preserva-
tion System.
(c) MANAGEMENT.—Subject to valid existing rights,
the wilderness study areas designated in subsection (a) shall
be managed to protect their suitability for inclusion in the
National Wilderness Preservation System.
(d) MAPS.—The Secretary shall file a map and bound-
ary description for each area referred to in this section with
the Committee on Natural Resources, United States House
of Representatives, and the Committee on Energy and Nat-
ural Resources, United States Senate, and each such map
and boundary description shall have the same force and ef-
fect as if included in this Act: Provided, That correction
of clerical and typographical errors in these maps may be
made. Each map and boundary description shall be on file
and available for public inspection in the office of the Chief
of the Forest Service and the Regional Forester of the North-
ern Region.
SEC. 7. BADGER-TWO MEDICINE AREA.
(a) WITHDRAWAL.—(1) Subject to valid existing rights
including rights held by the Blackfeet Nation under existing
treaties and statute, all federally owned lands as depicted
on a map entitled ‘‘Badger-Two Medicine Area’’, dated Sep-
tember 1991, comprising approximately 116,600 acres, are
withdrawn from all forms of entry, appropriation, and dis-
posal under the mining and public land laws and from dis-
position under the geothermal and mineral leasing laws.
Until otherwise directed by Congress, the Secretary shall
manage this area so as to protect its wilderness qualities.
(2) Nothing in this section shall preclude the gathering
of timber by the Blackfeet Nation in exercise of and consist-
ent with valid treaty rights within the Badger-Two Medi-
cine Area.
(3)(A) With respect to oil and gas leases on Federal
lands within the Badger-Two Medicine Area, no surface dis-
turbance shall be permitted pursuant to such leases until
Congress determines otherwise.
(B) Notwithstanding any other law, the term of any
oil and gas lease subject to the limitations imposed by this
section shall be extended for a period of time equal to the
term that such limitation remains in effect.
(b) REVIEW.—The Secretary shall conduct a review of
the area referred to in subsection (a) as to its availability
for inclusion in the National Wilderness Preservation Sys-
tem and in accordance with the provisions of this sub-
section. Not later than 5 years after the date of enactment
of this Act, the Secretary shall report to Congress. In con-
ducting this review:
(1) The Secretary shall establish a committee
composed of 2 representatives from the Blackfeet Na-
tion, as well as one representative from the National
Park Service, one representative from the Forest Serv-
ice, and representatives of various concerned user
groups, including proportional representation for en-
vironmental groups, industry groups and other inter-
ested parties. The Committee shall not exceed eleven
members. The Blackfeet Tribal Business Council shall
choose the 2 Tribal representatives. The Blackfeet
Tribal Business Council shall conduct a public meet-
ing to receive recommendations of the community re-
garding the selection of these members. The committee
shall regularly advise the Secretary during the prepa-
ration of the report required in this subsection and
submit its findings to Congress concurrently with
those of the Secretary.
(2) Special consideration shall be given to the re-
ligious, wilderness and wildlife uses of the area, tak-
ing into account any treaties the United States has
entered into with the Blackfeet Nation.
(3) In consultation with the committee, the Sec-
retary shall establish a process to provide information
to the Blackfeet Nation and interested public about
options for future designation of the Badger-Two
Medicine Area.
(c) RIGHTS.—Nothing in this section shall be con-
strued to diminish, prejudice, add to, or otherwise affect the
treaty rights of the Blackfeet Nation or the rights of the
United States.
(d) MAP AND BOUNDARY DESCRIPTION.—(1) The Sec-
retary shall file a map and boundary description of the
area designated by this section with the Committee on En-
ergy and Natural Resources, United States Senate and
Committee on Natural Resources of the United States House
of Representatives and such map and boundary description
shall have the same force and effect as if included in this
Act.
(2) The Secretary may correct clerical and typo-
graphical errors in the map and boundary description sub-
mitted pursuant to this section.
(3) The map and boundary description referred to in
this section shall be on file and available for public inspec-
tion in the office of the Chief of the Forest Service and the
office of the Regional Forester of the Northern Region.
SEC. 8. LANDS ADMINISTERED BY BUREAU OF LAND MAN-
AGEMENT.
(a) FINDINGS.—The Congress has reviewed the suit-
ability of a portion of the Axolotl Lakes Wilderness Study
Area (MT–076–069, BLM Wilderness Study Number) as
generally depicted on a map entitled ‘‘Released portion of
Axolotl Lakes WSA’’, dated September 1992, for wilderness
designation and finds that this portion has been sufficiently
studied for wilderness pursuant to section 603 of the Fed-
eral Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C.
1782).
(b) DIRECTION.—The area described in subsection (a)
shall no longer be subject to the requirement of section
603(c) of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of
1976 pertaining to management in a manner that does not
impair suitability for preservation as wilderness.
(c) ADMINISTRATIVE JURISDICTION.—Those lands des-
ignated as wilderness pursuant to section 3(a) of this Act,
which, as of the date of enactment of this Act, are adminis-
tered by the Secretary of the Interior as public lands (as
defined in the Federal Land Policy and Management Act
of 1976), are hereby transferred to the jurisdiction of the
Secretary of Agriculture, and shall be added to and man-
aged as part of the National Forest System, and the bound-
aries of the adjacent National Forests are hereby modified
to include such lands.
(d) LAND AND WATER CONSERVATION FUND.—For
purposes of section 7 of the Land and Water Conservation
Fund Act of 1965 (16 U.S.C. 4601–9), the boundaries of
affected National Forests, as modified by this section, shall
be considered to be the boundaries of such National Forests
as if they were the boundaries of the National Forests as
of January 1, 1965. Money appropriated from the Land
and Water Conservation Fund shall be available for the ac-
quisition of lands, waters, and interests therein in further-
ance of the purposes of this Act.
SEC. 9. MONTANA ECOSYSTEM AND ECONOMICS STUDY.
(a) DEFINITIONS.—For the purposes of this section:
(1) The term ‘‘ecosystem’’ means a dynamic com-
plex of plant, animal and microorganism commu-
nities and their nonliving environment interacting as
a functional unit.
(2) The term ‘‘Northern Rockies’’ means Federal
lands and resources in the State of Montana.
(3) The term ‘‘Panel’’ means the independent sci-
entific panel for the study of the Northern Rockies
ecosystem established under subsection (b).
(b) INDEPENDENT SCIENTIFIC PANEL FOR THE STUDY
OF THE NORTHERN ROCKIES ECOSYSTEM.—
(1) ESTABLISHMENT.—The President shall estab-
lish an independent scientific panel for the study of
the Northern Rockies. The Panel shall conduct the
study and submit the reports and recommendations
required by subsection (c).
(2) MEMBERSHIP.—(A) The Panel established
under this subsection shall be composed of 11 mem-
bers, appointed by the President, from a list of can-
didates to be developed and submitted to the President
by the National Academy of Sciences and lists from
well-established professional societies with an interest
in the environmental sciences.
(B) Each member of the Panel shall be a recog-
nized expert in the field for which the member is con-
sidered for appointment and shall be free of economic
conflict of interest with regard to the subject of this
section. Each member also shall have research experi-
ence in the Northern Rockies region or otherwise be
familiar with the issues and ecology of the region. As
a whole, membership of the Panel shall represent an
appropriately broad diversity of disciplines, and
members shall have recognized experience in natural
sciences, economics, and administrative policy.
(C) The list of candidates provided by the Na-
tional Academy of Sciences shall consist of at least
twice as many nominees as positions available in
each category specified in this section.
(D) The Panel shall work cooperatively with all
relevant State and Federal agencies, university re-
search stations and departments, and Indian tribes.
(E) The Panel may establish, at its discretion,
such subregional review teams and working groups as
it deems necessary to complete its tasks in a timely
and professional manner.
(3) PAY AND EXPENSES.—(A) Except as pro-
vided in subparagraph (B), members of the Panel es-
tablished under this subsection shall each be paid at
a rate not to exceed, and consistent with, the rate
paid to employees of the United States performing
similar duties and with similar qualifications for
each day (including travel time) during which they
are engaged in the actual performance of duties vested
in the Panel. While away from their homes or regular
places of business in the performance of services for
the Panel, members of the Panel shall be allowed trav-
el expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence,
in the same manner as persons employed intermit-
tently in Government service are allowed expenses
under section 5703 of title 5, United States Code.
(B) Other than reimbursement of expenses pursu-
ant to subparagraph (A), members of the Panel who
are full-time officers or employees of the United States
shall receive no additional pay, allowances, or bene-
fits by reason of their service on the Panel.
(4) CHAIRPERSON.—The Chairperson of the
Panel shall be appointed by the President.
(5) AGENCY ASSISTANCE.—Upon request of the
Panel, the head of any Federal agency shall provide
facilities, equipment, personnel, and other types of
support to the Panel to assist the Panel in carrying
out its duties under this Act.
(6) TERMINATION.—The Panel shall terminate
30 days after the submission of the final report under
subsection (c).
(c) STUDY OF ECOSYSTEMS MANAGEMENT OF THE
NORTHERN ROCKIES.—
(1) STUDY.—(A) The Panel shall define the
boundaries of, and map, the ecosystems of the North-
ern Rockies, including any corridors the Panel deems
necessary to connect isolated ecosystems. In making
the determination of ecosystem boundaries, the Panel
shall consider—
(i) restoration and maintenance of natural
biological diversity;
(ii) productivity on a long-term, sustainable
basis of essential natural ecological elements,
functions, and successional processes;
(iii) preservation of the integrity of genetic
stocks of native communities of plants and ani-
mals, with an emphasis on areas of high species
richness and endemism;
(iv) restoration or maintenance or protec-
tion of high water quality instream flows and
watersheds (or riparian areas) sufficient to pro-
tect fish and wildlife;
(v) maintaining biological connectivity be-
tween and among physiographic provinces; and
(vi) maintenance of long-term, sustainable
outputs of economically valuable natural re-
sources.
(B)(i) The Panel shall define the essential man-
agement purpose and biological function and desired
condition of the ecosystems defined under subpara-
graph (A). In conjunction with carrying out subpara-
graph (A), the Panel shall assess the ecological status
and trends, including, where appropriate, levels of
risks associated with applicable management alter-
natives of water quality, riparian areas, and fish-
eries; uncommon, rare, threatened, and endangered
species; rangelands; soils; and late successional old
growth forest.
(ii) The Panel shall analyze the timber quantity,
quality, and growth on the existing timber base as
well as the success of reforestation in the region to
date, probable rates of reforestation success in the fu-
ture, and their effect on timber supply and related is-
sues.
(C) The Panel shall gather and display in a use-
ful form biological data from each of the ecosystems
defined under subparagraph (A).
(D) The Panel shall identify gaps in important
research areas and contract for or otherwise obtain re-
search necessary in the short term to accomplish the
duties of the Panel under this section.
(E) The Panel shall analyze Federal land owner-
ship patterns and associated Federal land manage-
ment mandates and practices within the ecosystems
identified in subparagraph (A) and identify those
mandates and practices which are inconsistent or in-
compatible with ecosystem management levels of risk
identified under subparagraph (B).
(F) The Panel shall identify opportunities to en-
courage sustainable economic use of the natural re-
sources of the ecosystems identified by the Panel and
the sustainable economic outputs identified in sub-
paragraph (A)(vi), in a manner consistent with the
goals and purposes of those ecosystems. Special em-
phasis shall be placed on the identification of oppor-
tunities for the maintenance and growth of small
businesses and the establishment of new small busi-
nesses consistent with the goals and purposes of those
ecosystems. In making these recommendations, the
Panel should consider opportunities to improve envi-
ronmental conditions that could permit an expansion
of the sustainable contribution of commodity and
noncommodity uses and outputs of natural resources,
including but not limited to each of the following:
(i) Increasing desirable natural vegetative
growth through reforestation with native species,
thinning and other timber stand modifications,
prescribed burning, and seeding or planting na-
tive grasses, forbs, and shrubs.
(ii) Improving the quality of other biologi-
cal resources (such as species diversity and ani-
mal populations) through habitat restoration, ex-
tended timber rotations, alternative timber har-
vesting and bidding systems, and different stand-
ards and methods for road construction, mainte-
nance, closure, and eradication.
(iii) Enhancing the quality of non-biologi-
cal resources (such as recreation trails and devel-
opments, watersheds and streams), through site
restoration and rehabilitation, demand manage-
ment (such as user regulation and enforcement,
marketing to shift timing and location of uses)
and investment in recreational use.
(2) RECOMMENDATIONS.—The Panel shall sub-
mit recommendations on each of the following:
(A) Specific, implementable steps for man-
agement of the ecosystems defined under para-
graph (1)(A), including removal of inconsistent
or incompatible mandates and practices identi-
fied under paragraph (1)(E).
(B) Ways to better monitor the resources
within the ecosystems.
(C) Ways to create or improve direct co-
operation between scientists both within and
without the Federal Government and Federal
land managers.
(D) Methods, including incentives by which
State and private landowners might coopera-
tively manage their lands in a manner compat-
ible with Federal lands located within the
ecosystems.
(E) 
Other 
institutional 
or 
legislative
changes the Panel determines will promote sound
ecosystem management.
(3) REPORTS.—(A) Not later than 6 months
after the date of enactment of this Act, the Panel shall
submit an interim report to the President and the
Congress. The report shall discuss the progress of the
Panel in carrying out this section and shall in-
clude—
(i) a description of any ecosystems defined
and mapped under paragraph (1)(A) and (B);
(ii) summaries of the biological data gath-
ered to date under paragraph (1)(C); and
(iii) the additional research obtained under
paragraph (1)(D).
(B) Not later than 30 months after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Panel shall submit a final
report to the President and the Congress which con-
tains a description of its activities under this section
and includes the findings, analyses, and recommenda-
tions made under this section.
(C) The reports submitted to the Congress under
this paragraph shall be submitted to the Committee
on Natural Resources of the House of Representatives
and the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources
of the Senate.
SEC. 10. MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS.
(a) REDESIGNATION.—(1) Those lands comprising the
Rattlesnake National Recreation Area and Wilderness, as
designated in Public Law 96–476 are hereby redesignated
as the ‘‘Rattlesnake National Education and Recreation
Area and Wilderness’’.
(2) Those lands comprising 200 acres, as generally de-
picted on a map entitled ‘‘West Pioneers Study Deletion—
Proposed’’, are hereby released from study under Public
Law 95–150.
(b) WITHDRAWAL.—(1) Those lands comprising ap-
proximately 27,000 acres, as generally depicted on a map
entitled ‘‘Gibson Reservoir Mineral Withdrawal Area—Pro-
posed’’, dated October 1992, are hereby withdrawn from all
forms of entry, appropriation and disposal under the min-
ing and public land laws, and disposition under the geo-
thermal and mineral leasing laws.
(2) The Secretary shall file a map and boundary de-
scription of the area designated by this subsection with the
committees identified in this subsection and such map and
boundary description shall have the same force and effect
as if included in this Act.
(3) The Secretary may correct clerical and typo-
graphical errors in the map and boundary description sub-
mitted pursuant to this subsection.
(4) The map and boundary description referred to in
this subsection shall be on file and available for public in-
spection in the office of the Chief of the Forest Service and
the office of the Regional Forester of the Northern Region.