I 
109TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 5612 
To establish the Mountaintown National Scenic Area in the Chattahoochee 
National Forest, Georgia, and to designate additional National Forest 
System land in the State of Georgia as components of the National 
Wilderness Preservation System. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JUNE 14, 2006 
Mr. DEAL of Georgia (for himself and Mr. NORWOOD) introduced the fol-
lowing bill; which was referred to the Committee on Resources, and in 
addition to the Committee on Agriculture, for a period to be subsequently 
determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provi-
sions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To establish the Mountaintown National Scenic Area in the 
Chattahoochee National Forest, Georgia, and to des-
ignate additional National Forest System land in the 
State of Georgia as components of the National Wilder-
ness Preservation 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 ‘‘Chattahoochee Na-
tional Forest Act of 2006’’. 
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SEC. 2. MOUNTAINTOWN NATIONAL SCENIC AREA, CHAT-
TAHOOCHEE NATIONAL FOREST, GEORGIA. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—There is hereby established in 
the Chattahoochee National Forest in the State of Georgia 
the Mountaintown National Scenic Area (in this section 
referred to as the ‘‘scenic area’’) consisting of approxi-
mately 13,382 acres, as generally depicted on the map en-
titled ‘‘Mountaintown Proposed Scenic Area—Chattahoo-
chee National Forest, Georgia’’ and dated May 3, 2006. 
(b) MAP
AND DESCRIPTIONS.—As soon as prac-
ticable after the date of the enactment of this Act, the 
Secretary of Agriculture shall submit to Congress a final 
map and boundary description of the scenic area. The map 
and description shall have the same force and effect as 
if included in this Act, except that the Secretary may cor-
rect clerical and typographical errors in the map and 
boundary description. The map and boundary description 
shall be on file and available for public inspection in the 
Office of the Chief of the Forest Service. In the case of 
any discrepancy between the acreage and the map referred 
to in subsection (a) and the map and boundary description 
required by this subsection, the map and boundary de-
scription required by this subsection shall control. 
(c) MANAGEMENT.— 
(1) PURPOSES.—The Secretary shall manage 
the scenic area for the purposes of— 
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(A) ensuring the appropriate protection 
and preservation of the scenic quality, water 
quality, natural characteristics, and water re-
sources of the area; 
(B) protecting and managing vegetation in 
the area to provide wildlife and fish habitat, 
consistent with subparagraph (A); 
(C) providing parcels within the area that 
may develop characteristics of old-growth for-
ests; and 
(D) providing a variety of recreation op-
portunities, consistent with the preceding pur-
poses. 
(2) PRIORITY.—In the case of a conflict be-
tween the management purposes specified in para-
graph (1) and the laws and regulations generally ap-
plicable to the National Forest System, the manage-
ment purposes shall take precedence. 
(d) MANAGEMENT PLAN.—Not later than three years 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary 
shall develop a management plan for the scenic area as 
an amendment to the land and resource management plan 
for the Chattahoochee National Forest. The amendment 
shall conform to the requirements of this section. Nothing 
in this section shall require the Secretary to revise the 
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land and resource management plan for the Chattahoo-
chee National Forest pursuant to section 6 of the Forest 
and Rangeland Renewable Resources Planning Act of 
1974 (16 U.S.C. 1604). 
(e) ROADS.—After the date of the enactment of this 
Act, no new roads shall be constructed or established with-
in the scenic area, except that this prohibition shall not 
be construed to deny access to private lands or interests 
therein in the scenic area. 
(f) VEGETATION MANAGEMENT.—No timber harvest 
shall be allowed within the scenic area, except as may be 
necessary in the control of fire, insects, and diseases and 
to provide for public safety and trail access. Notwith-
standing the foregoing, the Secretary may engage in vege-
tation manipulation practices for maintenance of existing 
wildlife clearings and visual quality. Firewood may be har-
vested for personal use along perimeter roads under such 
conditions as the Secretary may impose. 
(g) MOTORIZED TRAVEL.—Motorized travel shall not 
be permitted within the scenic area, except that the Sec-
retary may authorize motorized travel within the scenic 
area as necessary for administrative use in furtherance of 
the management purposes specified in subsection (c)(1) 
and in support of wildlife management projects in exist-
ence as of the date of the enactment of this Act. 
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(h) FIRE.—Wildfires in the scenic area shall be sup-
pressed in a manner consistent with the management pur-
poses specified in subsection (c)(1), using such means as 
the Secretary considers appropriate. 
(i) INSECTS AND DISEASE.—Insect and disease out-
breaks may be controlled in the scenic area to maintain 
scenic quality, prevent tree mortality, reduce hazards to 
visitors, or protect private lands. 
(j) WATER.—The scenic area shall be administered 
so as to maintain or enhance existing water quality. 
(k) MINING WITHDRAWAL.—Subject to valid existing 
rights, all federally owned lands in the scenic area are 
hereby withdrawn from location, entry, and patent under 
the mining 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. 3. DESIGNATION OF ADDITIONAL NATIONAL FOREST 
SYSTEM LAND AS WILDERNESS IN GEORGIA. 
(a) DESIGNATION.—In furtherance of the purposes of 
the Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. 1131 et seq.), the following 
lands in the State of Georgia, which are administered by 
the Secretary of Agriculture as part of the Chattahoochee 
National Forest and comprise approximately 8,448 acres, 
as generally depicted on the maps dated May 3, 2006, and 
entitled ‘‘Proposed Wilderness Additions—Chattahoochee 
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National Forest’’, are hereby designated as wilderness and 
incorporated into the existing wilderness area to which 
they adjoin: 
(1) Three additions to the existing Southern 
Nantahala Wilderness: Ben Gap, consisting of 1,294 
acres, Shoal Branch, consisting of 412, and Tate 
Branch, consisting of 1,085 acres. 
(2) One addition to the existing Blood Moun-
tain Wilderness: Cedar Mountain, consisting of 561 
acres. 
(3) Two additions to the existing Brasstown 
Wilderness: Duck Branch, consisting of 190 acres, 
and Wilson Cove, consisting of 563 acres. 
(4) One addition to the existing Ellicott Rock 
Wilderness: Ellicott Rock Addition, consisting of 562 
acres. 
(5) Two additions to the existing Cohutta Wil-
derness: Foster Branch, consisting of 165 acres, and 
Ken Mountain, consisting of 527 acres. 
(6) One addition to the existing Raven Cliffs 
Wilderness: Helton Creek, consisting of 2,451 acres. 
(7) One addition to the existing Tray Mountain 
Wilderness: Tripp Branch, consisting of 638 acres. 
(b) MAPS AND LEGAL DESCRIPTIONS.—As soon as 
practicable after the date of the enactment of this Act, 
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the Secretary shall submit to Congress final maps and 
boundary descriptions of the lands designated as wilder-
ness by this section. The maps and descriptions 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 maps and boundary descriptions. The maps 
and boundary descriptions shall be on file and available 
for public inspection in the Office of the Chief of the For-
est Service. 
(c) ADMINISTRATION.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Subject to valid existing 
rights, the Secretary shall administer the lands des-
ignated as wilderness by this section in accordance 
with the Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. 1131 et seq.) 
and this section. 
(2) EFFECTIVE DATE OF WILDERNESS ACT.— 
With respect to the land designated as wilderness by 
this section, any reference in the Wilderness Act (16 
U.S.C. 1131 et seq.) to the effective date of the Wil-
derness Act shall be deemed to be a reference to the 
date of enactment of this Act. 
(3) FISH AND WILDLIFE.—As provided in sec-
tion 4(d)(7) of the Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. 
1133(d)(7)), nothing in this section shall be con-
strued as affecting the jurisdiction or responsibilities 
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of the State of Georgia with respect to fish and wild-
life in the Chattahoochee National Forest. 
(4) WITHDRAWAL.—Subject to valid existing 
rights in existence on the date of enactment of this 
Act, the Federal land designated as wilderness by 
this section is withdrawn from all forms of entry, 
appropriation, or disposal under the public land 
laws; location, entry, and patent under the mining 
laws; and disposition under all laws pertaining to 
mineral and geothermal leasing or mineral materials. 
Æ 
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