I
104TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 2255
To amend the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act to desginate certain segments
of the Lamprey River in New Hampshire as components of the National
Wild and Scenic Rivers System, and for other purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
AUGUST 4, 1995
Mr. ZELIFF introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee
on Resources
A BILL
To amend the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act to desginate
certain segments of the Lamprey River in New Hamp-
shire 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 ‘‘Lamprey Wild and
Scenic River Act’’.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
The Congress finds that—
(1) Public Law 102–214 authorized the study
of a segment of the Lamprey River in New Hamp-
shire for potential inclusion in the National Wild
and Scenic Rivers System;
(2) the study determined that the segment of
river from the Bunker Pond Dam in Epping, New
Hampshire, to the confluence with the Piscassic
River near the Durham-Newmarket town line is eli-
gible for inclusion in the National Wild and Scenic
Rivers System based upon its free-flowing condition
and outstanding ecological, anadromous fish, and
historical values;
(3) during the study, the Lamprey River Advi-
sory Committee, with assistance from the National
Park Service and the New Hampshire Department
of Environmental Services, prepared a comprehen-
sive management plan for the studied river segment
(the ‘‘Lamprey River Management Plan’’, dated
January 10, 1995), which establishes objectives,
standards, and action programs that will ensure
long-term protection of the river’s outstanding val-
ues and compatible management of its land and
water resources, without Federal management of af-
fected lands not owned by the United States;
(4) the Lamprey River Advisory Committee has
unanimously voted in favor of Wild and Scenic River
designation for the river, and has included this rec-
ommendation as an integral part of the Lamprey
River Management Plan;
(5) the governing bodies of the towns of
Newmarket, Durham, and Lee have voted to endorse
the Lamprey River Management Plan and to seek
designation as a component of the National Wild
and Scenic Rivers System; the upstream town of Ep-
ping, which participated in the study on an informal
basis, has chosen not to vote on the management
plan or designation at this time.
SEC. 3. DESIGNATION.
Section 3(a) of the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act (16
U.S.C. 1274(a)) is amended by adding the following new
paragraph at the end thereof:
‘‘( ) LAMPREY RIVER, NEW HAMPSHIRE.—The
11.5-mile segment extending from the southern Lee
town line to the confluence with the Piscassic River
in the vicinity of the Durham-Newmarket town line
(hereinafter in this paragraph referred to as the
‘segment’) as a recreational river. The segment shall
be administered by the Secretary of the Interior
through cooperative agreements between the Sec-
retary and the State of New Hampshire and its rel-
evant political subdivisions, namely the towns of
Durham, Lee, and Newmarket, pursuant to section
10(e) of this Act. The segment shall be managed in
accordance with the Lamprey River Management
Plan dated January 10, 1995, and such amend-
ments thereto as the Secretary of the Interior deter-
mines are consistent with this Act. Such plan shall
be deemed to satisfy the requirements for a com-
prehensive management plan pursuant to section
3(d) of this Act.’’.
SEC. 4. MANAGEMENT.
(a) COMMITTEE.—The Secretary of the Interior shall
coordinate his management responsibilities under this Act
with respect to the segment designated by section 3 with
the Lamprey River Advisory Committee established pursu-
ant to New Hampshire RSA 483.
(b) LAND MANAGEMENT.—The zoning ordinances
duly adopted by the towns of Durham, Lee, and
Newmarket, New Hampshire, including provisions for con-
servation of shorelands, floodplains, and wetlands associ-
ated with the segment, shall be deemed to satisfy the
standards and requirements of section 6(c) of the Wild
and Scenic Rivers Act, and the provisions of that section,
which prohibit Federal acquisition of lands by condemna-
tion, shall apply to the segment designated by section 3
of this Act. The authority of the Secretary to acquire lands
for the purposes of this paragraph shall be limited to ac-
quisition by donation or acquisition with the consent of
the owner thereof, and shall be subject to the additional
criteria set forth in the Lamprey River Management Plan.
SEC. 5. UPSTREAM SEGMENT.
Upon request by the town of Epping, which abuts an
additional 12 miles of river found eligible for designation
as a recreational river, the Secretary of the Interior shall
offer assistance regarding continued involvement of the
town of Epping in the implementation of the Lamprey
River Management Plan and in consideration of potential
future addition of that portion of the river within Epping
as a component of the Wild and Scenic Rivers System.
SEC. 6. FUNDING AUTHORIZATION.
There are authorized to be appropriated such sums
as may be necessary to carry out the purposes of this Act.
Æ