[Senate Report 108-362]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
Calendar No. 721
108th Congress Report
SENATE
2d Session 108-362
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UPPER WHITE SALMON WILD AND SCENIC RIVERS ACT
_______
September 28, 2004.--Ordered to be printed
_______
Mr. Domenici, from the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources,
submitted the following
R E P O R T
[To accompany S. 1614]
The Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, to which was
referred the bill (S. 1614) to designate a portion of White
Salmon River as a component of the National Wild and Scenic
Rivers System, having considered the same, reports favorably
thereon with an amendment and recommends that the bill, as
amended, do pass.
The amendment is as follows:
Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert in lieu
thereof the following:
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Upper White Salmon Wild and Scenic
Rivers Act''.
SEC. 2. UPPER WHITE SALMON WILD AND SCENIC RIVER.
Section 3(a) of the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act (16 U.S.C. 1274(a)) is
amended by adding at the end the following:
``( ) White Salmon River, Washington.--The 20 miles of river
segments of the main stem of the White Salmon River and Cascade
Creek, Washington, to be administered by the Secretary of
Agriculture in the following classifications:
``(A) The approximately 1.6-mile segment of the main
stem of the White Salmon River from the headwaters on
Mount Adams in section 17, township 8 north, range 10
east, downstream to the Mount Adams wilderness boundary
as a wild river.
``(B) The approximately 5.1-mile segment of Cascade
Creek from its headwaters on Mount Adams in section 10,
township 8 north, range 10 east, downstream to the
Mount Adams Wilderness boundary as a wild river.
``(C) The approximately 1.5-mile segment of Cascade
Creek from the Mount Adams Wilderness boundary
downstream to its confluence with the White Salmon
River as a scenic river.
``(D) The approximately 11.8-mile segment of the main
stem of the White Salmon River from the Mount Adams
Wilderness boundary downstream to the Gifford Pinchot
National Forest boundary as a scenic river.''.
SEC. 3. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as are necessary to
carry out this Act.
Purpose of the Measure
The purpose of S. 1614 is to designate a portion of White
Salmon River in the State of Washington as a component of the
National Wild and Scenic Rivers System.
Background and Need
The White Salmon River is internationally known for its
whitewater rapids, stunning scenery, and abundant fish and
wildlife. In 1986, nine miles of the lower White Salmon River
were added to the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System as
part of the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area Act of
1986 (Pub. Law 99-663). At that time, Congress also directed
the Forest Service to study the upper White Salmon River for
possible inclusion in the Wild and Scenic Rivers System.
The Forest Service released its report in 1997. The Forest
Service determined that the Upper White Salmon River and its
tributary Cascade Creek were eligible for inclusion in the
National Wild and Scenic Rivers System based on their ``free-
flowing condition'' and ``outstandingly scenic, hydrologic,
geologic, wildlife, and whitewater boating values.'' The Forest
Service report recommended designating 38.4 river miles, 6.7 of
which would be classified as ``wild'' (the segments within the
Mt. Adams Wilderness) and 31.7 miles of which would be
``scenic.''
Legislative History
S. 1614 was introduced by Senator Cantwell on September 15,
2003; Senator Murray is a cosponsor. The Subcommittee on Public
Lands and Forests held a hearing on S. 1614 on July 21, 2004.
An identical bill (H.R. 2397) was introduced by Representative
Baird on June 10, 2003.
Committee Recommendation
The Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, in
open business session on September 15, 2004, by a voice vote of
a quorum present, recommends that the Senate pass S. 1614, if
amended as described herein.
Committee Amendments
The amendment adopted by the Committee eliminated as
unnecessary section 2 (findings), section 4 (stating that the
legislation does not limit the suitability of the remaining
recommended segment from future designation, and section 5
(directing management of the designated sections). Some section
titles and numbers were redesignated as a result of these
amendments, and conforming amendments were made to section 3
(redesignated as section 2).
Section-by-Section Analysis
Sections 1 provides the short title.
Section 2 amends the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act (16 U.S.C.
1274(a)) to include four segments of the White Salmon River in
Washington State (20 miles total).
Section 3 authorizes appropriation of such sums as are
necessary to carry out the bill.
Cost and Budgetary Considerations
The following estimate of costs of this measure has been
provided by the Congressional Budget Office.
September 17, 2004.
Hon. Pete V. Domenici,
Chairman, Committee on Energy and Natural Resources,
U.S. Senate, Washington, DC.
Dear Mr. Chairman: The Congressional Budget Office has
prepared the enclosed cost estimate for S. 1614, the Upper
White Salmon Wild and Scenic Rivers Act.
If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be
pleased to provide them. The CBO staff contact is Megan
Carroll.
Sincerely,
Douglas Holtz-Eakin,
Director.
Enclosure.
S. 1614--Upper White Salmon Wild and Scenic Rivers Act
CBO estimates that enacting S. 1614 would have no
significant impact on the federal budget. The bill would not
affect direct spending or revenues. S. 1614 contains no
intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as defined in the
Unfunded Mandates Reform Act and would have no significant
impact on the budgets of state, local, or tribal governments.
S. 1614 would designate 20 miles of segments of the White
Salmon River and Cascade Creek in Washington as wild and scenic
rivers under the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act. Based on
information from the Forest Service, we estimate that changing
the designation of those rivers would not significantly affect
the agency's costs to manage them.
The CBO staff contact for this estimate is Megan Carroll.
This estimate was approved by Peter H. Fontaine, Deputy
Assistant Director for Budget Analysis.
Regulatory Impact Evaluation
In compliance with paragraph 11(b) of rule XXVI of the
Standing Rules of the Senate, the Committee makes the following
evaluation of the regulatory impact which would be incurred in
carrying out S. 1614.
The bill is not a regulatory measure in the sense of
imposing Government-established standards or significant
economic responsibilities on private individuals and
businesses.
No personal information would be collected in administering
the program. Therefore, there would be no impact on personal
privacy.
Little, if any, additional paperwork would result from the
enactment of S. 1614.
Executive Communications
On September 11, 2003, the Committee on Energy and Natural
Resources requested legislative reports from the Department of
Agriculture and the Office of Management and Budget setting
forth executive views on S. 1614. These reports had not been
received when this report was filed. When the reports become
available, the Chairman will request that they be printed in
the Congressional Record for the advice of the Senate. The
testimony provided by the Department of Agriculture at the
Subcommittee hearing on S. 1614 follows:
Statement of Mark Rey, National Forest System Forest Service, U.S.
Department of Agriculture
Mr. Chairman, thank you for the opportunity to appear
before you today to provide the Department's views on S. 1614
to designate portions of the Upper White Salmon River in the
Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area as either a wild or a
scenic river.
S. 1614--Upper White Salmon Wild and Scenic Rivers Act.
This bill would amend section 3(a) of the Wild and Scenic
Rivers Act (16 U.S.C. 1274(a)) to designate portions of the
Upper White Salmon River in the State of Washington as a
component of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System. The
four segments that the bill would designate are located on the
Gifford Pinchot National Forest and include 6.7 miles in the
Mt. Adams Wilderness, classified as wild and 13.3 miles
classified as scenic for a total of 20 miles. The Department
supports S. 1614.
The Forest Service conducted a study of the Upper White
Salmon River and its tributary, Cascade Creek, as directed by
the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Act (16 U.S.C. 544 et
seq.) and determined their eligibility for designation as a
component of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System. The
``Upper White Salmon River Wild and Scenic River Study Report
and Final Legislative Environmental Impact Statement'' (July
1997) recommended the entire 38.4 miles of the Upper White
Salmon (including Cascade Creek) be added to the System. The
recommended segments of the Upper White Salmon River possess
outstanding wildlife, scenery, geology and hydrology, and are
highly qualified for designation under the Wild and Scenic
Rivers Act.
Although the bill does not designate the 18.4 mile segment
of river from the Gifford Pinchot National Forest boundary to
the confluence with Gilmer Creek, which is bounded by non-
federal lands, section 4 does not limit the suitability of this
segment for future designation.
This concludes my statement, I would be happy to answer any
questions that you may have.
Changes in Existing Law
In compliance with paragraph 12 of rule XXVI of the
Standing Rules of the Senate, changes in existing law made by
S. 1614, as ordered reported, are shown as follows (existing
law proposed to be omitted is enclosed in black brackets, new
matter is printed in italic, existing law in which no change is
proposed is shown in roman):
A. WILD AND SCENIC RIVERS ACT
(Public Law 90-542; Approved October 2, 1968)
AN ACT To provide a National Wild and Scenic Rivers System; and for
other purposes
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled, That (a)
this Act may be cited as the ``Wild and Scenic Rivers Act''.
(b) It is hereby declared to be the policy of the United
States that certain selected rivers of the Nation which, with
their immediate environments, possess outstandingly remarkable
scenic recreational, geologic fish and wildlife, historic,
cultural or other similar values, shall be preserved in free-
flowing condition, and that they and their immediate
environments shall be protected for the benefit and enjoyment
of present and future generations. The Congress declares that
the established national policy of dam and other construction
at appropriate sections of the rivers of the United States
needs to be complemented by a policy that would preserve other
selected rivers or sections thereof in their free-flowing
condition to protect the water quality of such rivers and to
fulfill other vital national conservation purposes.
* * * * * * *
Sec. 3. (a) The following rivers and the land adjacent
thereto are hereby designated as components of the national
wild and scenic rivers system:
(1) Clearwater, Middle Fork, Idaho.--The Middle Fork
from the town of Kooskia upstream to the town of
Lowell; the Lochsa River from its junction with the
Selway at Lowell forming the Middle Fork, upstream to
the Powell Ranger Station; and the Selway River from
Lowell upstream to its origin; to be administered by
the Secretary of Agriculture.
* * * * * * *
( )White Salmon River, Washington.--The 20 miles of
river segments of the main stem of the White Salmon
River and Cascade Creek, Washington, to be administered
by the Secretary of Agriculture in the following
classifications:
(A) The approximately 1.6-mile segment of the
main stem of the White Salmon River from the
headwaters on Mount Adams in section 17,
township 8 north, range 10 east, downstream to
the Mount Adams wilderness boundary as a wild
river.
(B) The approximately 5.1-mile segment of the
Cascade Creek from its headwaters on Mount
Adams in section 10, township 8 north, range 10
east, downstream to the Mount Adams Wilderness
boundary as a wild river.
(C) The approximately 1.5-mile segment of
Cascade Creek from the Mount Adams Wilderness
boundary downstream to its confluence with the
White Salmon River as a scenic river.
(D) The approximately 11.8-mile segment of
the main stem of the White Salmon River from
the Mount Adams Wilderness boundary downstream
to the Gifford Pinchot National Forest boundary
as a scenic river.
* * * * * * *