I 
108TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 4202
To designate additional National Forest System lands in the State of Virginia 
as wilderness, to establish the Seng Mountain and Crawfish Valley Scenic 
Areas, to provide for the development of trail plans for the wilderness 
areas and scenic areas, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
APRIL 22, 2004
Mr. BOUCHER (for himself, Mr. MORAN of Virginia, and Mr. TOM DAVIS of 
Virginia) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com-
mittee on Agriculture, and in addition to the Committee on Resources, 
for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case 
for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the 
committee concerned 
A BILL 
To designate additional National Forest System lands in 
the State of Virginia as wilderness, to establish the Seng 
Mountain and Crawfish Valley Scenic Areas, to provide 
for the development of trail plans for the wilderness 
areas and scenic areas, 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 ‘‘Virginia Ridge and 
Valley Wilderness and National Scenic Areas Act of 
2004’’. 
SEC. 2. DESIGNATION OF ADDITIONAL NATIONAL FOREST 
SYSTEM LANDS AS WILDERNESS IN VIRGINIA. 
Section 1 of the Act entitled ‘‘An Act to designate 
certain National Forest System lands in the States of Vir-
ginia and West Virginia as wilderness areas’’, approved 
June 7, 1988 (Public Law 100–326; 16 U.S.C. 1132 
note), as amended by Public Law 106–471 (114 Stat. 
2057), is further amended—
(1) by striking ‘‘and’’ at the end of paragraph 
(7); 
(2) by striking the period at the end of para-
graph (8) and inserting a semicolon; and 
(3) by adding at the end the following new 
paragraphs: 
‘‘(9) certain lands in the Jefferson National 
Forest, which comprise approximately 3,844 acres, 
as generally depicted on a map entitled ‘Brush 
Mountain and Brush Mountain East’, dated Feb-
ruary 12, 2004, and which shall be known as the 
Brush Mountain East Wilderness; 
‘‘(10) certain lands in the Jefferson National 
Forest, which comprise approximately 4,707 acres,
as generally depicted on a map entitled ‘Brush 
Mountain and Brush Mountain East’, dated Feb-
ruary 12, 2004, and which shall be known as the 
Brush Mountain Wilderness; 
‘‘(11) certain lands in the Jefferson National 
Forest, which comprise approximately 4,384 acres, 
as generally depicted on a map entitled ‘Seng Moun-
tain and Raccoon Branch’, dated February 12, 
2004, and which shall be known as the Raccoon 
Branch Wilderness; 
‘‘(12) certain lands in the Jefferson National 
Forest, which comprise approximately 3,300 acres, 
as generally depicted on a map entitled ‘Stone 
Mountain’, dated February 12, 2004, and which 
shall be known as the Stone Mountain Wilderness; 
‘‘(13) certain lands in the Jefferson National 
Forest, which comprise approximately 5,573 acres, 
as generally depicted on a map entitled ‘Mountain 
Lake Additions’, dated February 12, 2004, and 
which are hereby incorporated in the Mountain Lake 
Wilderness; 
‘‘(14) certain lands in the Jefferson National 
Forest, which comprise approximately 748 acres, as 
generally depicted on a map entitled ‘Lewis Fork 
Addition and Little Wilson Creek Additions’, dated
February 12, 2004, and which are hereby incor-
porated in the Lewis Fork Wilderness; 
‘‘(15) certain lands in the Jefferson National 
Forest, which comprise approximately 1,862 acres, 
as generally depicted on a map entitled ‘Lewis Fork 
Addition and Little Wilson Creek Additions’, dated 
February 12, 2004, and which are hereby incor-
porated in the Little Wilson Creek Wilderness; 
‘‘(16) certain lands in the Jefferson National 
Forest, which comprise approximately 2,789 acres, 
as generally depicted on a map entitled ‘Shawvers 
Run Additions’, dated February 12, 2004, and 
which are hereby incorporated in the Shawvers Run 
Wilderness; and 
‘‘(17) certain lands in the Jefferson National 
Forest, which comprise approximately 1,570 acres, 
as generally depicted on a map entitled ‘Peters 
Mountain Addition’, dated February 12, 2004, and 
which are hereby incorporated in the Peters Moun-
tain Wilderness.’’. 
SEC. 3. SENG MOUNTAIN AND CRAWFISH VALLEY SCENIC 
AREAS, JEFFERSON NATIONAL FOREST, VIR-
GINIA. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT OF SCENIC AREAS.—
(1) ESTABLISHMENT.—The following National 
Forest System lands in the State of Virginia are 
hereby designated as National Scenic Areas (in this 
section referred to as the ‘‘scenic areas’’): 
(A) Certain lands in the Jefferson Na-
tional Forest, which comprise approximately 
6,455 acres, as generally depicted on a map en-
titled ‘‘Seng Mountain and Raccoon Branch’’, 
dated February12, 2004, and which shall be 
known as the Seng Mountain National Scenic 
Area. 
(B) Certain lands in the Jefferson Na-
tional Forest, which comprise approximately 
5,400 acres, as generally depicted on a map en-
titled ‘‘Crawfish Valley’’ dated February 12, 
2004, and which shall be known as the Craw-
fish Valley National Scenic Area. 
(2) MAPS
AND
DESCRIPTIONS.—As soon as 
practicable after the date of the enactment of this 
Act, the Secretary of Agriculture shall file a map 
and boundary description of the scenic areas with 
the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and For-
estry of the Senate and the Committee on Agri-
culture 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 
may correct clerical and typographical errors in the 
map and description. The 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 specified in 
paragraph (1) and the map filed under this para-
graph, the map shall control. 
(b) PURPOSES OF SCENIC AREAS.—The scenic areas 
are established for the purposes of—
(1) ensuring the protection and preservation of 
scenic quality, water quality, natural characteristics, 
and water resources; 
(2) protecting wildlife and fish habitat, con-
sistent with paragraph (1); 
(3) protecting areas that may develop charac-
teristics of old-growth forests; and 
(4) providing a variety of recreation opportuni-
ties, consistent with the preceding paragraphs. 
(c) ADMINISTRATION.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Agriculture 
shall administer the scenic areas in accordance with 
this section and the laws and regulations generally 
applicable to the National Forest System. In the
insects, and diseases and to provide for public safety and 
trail access. Notwithstanding the preceding sentence, the 
Secretary may engage in vegetation manipulation prac-
tices for maintenance of existing wildlife clearings and vis-
ual quality. Firewood may be harvested for personal use 
along perimeter roads under such conditions as the Sec-
retary may impose. 
(g) MOTORIZED TRAVEL.—Motorized travel shall not 
be permitted within the scenic areas, except that the Sec-
retary of Agriculture may authorize motorized travel with-
in the scenic area—
(1) as necessary for administrative use in fur-
therance of the purposes of this section; 
(2) in support of wildlife management projects 
in existence as of the date of the enactment of this 
Act; and 
(3) on Forest Development Road 9410 and 84b 
during deer and bear hunting seasons. 
(h) FIRE.—Wildfires in the scenic area shall be sup-
pressed in a manner consistent with the purposes of this 
section, using such means as the Secretary of Agriculture 
considers appropriate. 
(i) INSECTS AND DISEASE.—Insect and disease out-
breaks may be controlled in the scenic areas to maintain
scenic quality, prevent tree mortality, reduce hazards to 
visitors, or protect private lands. 
(j) WATER.—The Secretary of Agriculture shall ad-
minister the scenic areas so as to maintain and enhance 
water quality. 
(k) MINING WITHDRAWAL.—Subject to valid existing 
rights, all federally owned lands in the scenic areas are 
withdrawn from location, entry, and patent under the min-
ing 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. 
SEC. 4. TRAIL PLAN AND DEVELOPMENT. 
(a) TRAIL PLAN.—The Secretary of Agriculture shall 
establish, in consultation with interested parties, a trail 
plan for National Forest System lands described in this 
paragraph in order to develop the following: 
(1) Hiking and equestrian trails within the wil-
derness areas designated by the amendments made 
by section 2, in a manner consistent with the Wil-
derness Act (16 U.S.C. 1131 et seq.). 
(2) Nonmotorized recreation trails within the 
scenic areas designated by section 3. 
(b) IMPLEMENTATION REPORT.—Within two years 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary 
of Agriculture shall submit to Congress a report on the
implementation of the trail plan, including the identifica-
tion of priority trails for development. 
(c) TRAIL AUTHORIZATION.—The Secretary of Agri-
culture is authorized to develop trails to provide a contin-
uous connection for nonmotorized travel between County 
Route 650 and Forest Development Road 4018 along the 
old Rye Valley Railroad Grade in Smyth County, Virginia, 
as recorded on the map entitled ‘‘Seng Mountain and Rac-
coon Branch’’ and dated February12, 2004.
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