16 USC 460 - Administration

Collapse to view only § 460nn-3. Administration

§ 460nn. Findings and purpose
§ 460nn-1. Establishment
§ 460nn-2. Map and description
§ 460nn-3. Administration

§ 460nn. Findings and purpose

(a) Congress finds that—

(1) Vermont is a beautiful but small and rural State, situated near four large cities with combined metropolitan populations of over fifteen million;

(2) geographic and topographic characteristics of Vermont provide opportunities for large numbers of people to experience the beauty of primitive areas, but also place unusual pressure to provide options to maximize the availability of such lands for a variety of forms of recreation;

(3) certain lands designated as the Big Branch and Peru Peak Wilderness Areas by title I of this Act are suitable for inclusion as part of the national recreation area; and

(4) certain other lands in the Green Mountain National Forest not designated as wilderness by this Act are of a predominantly roadless nature and possess outstanding wild values that are important for primitive and semiprimitive recreation, watershed protection, wildlife habitat, ecological study, education, and historic and archeological resources, and are deemed suitable for preservation and protection as part of a national recreation area.

(b) The purpose of this subchapter is to designate certain National Forest System lands in the State of Vermont as the Robert T. Stafford White Rocks National Recreation Area in order to preserve and protect their existing wilderness and wild values and to promote wild forest and aquatic habitat for wildlife, watershed protection, opportunities for primitive and semiprimitive recreation, and scenic, ecological, and scientific values.

(Pub. L. 98–322, title II, § 201, June 19, 1984, 98 Stat. 256; Pub. L. 110–1, § 1(b), Jan. 17, 2007, 121 Stat. 3.)

§ 460nn–1. Establishment

In furtherance of the findings and purposes of this subchapter, certain lands in the Green Mountain National Forest, Vermont, which comprise approximately thirty-six thousand four hundred acres, as generally depicted on a map entitled “White Rocks National Recreation Area—Proposed”, dated September 1983, are hereby designated as the Robert T. Stafford White Rocks National Recreation Area.

(Pub. L. 98–322, title II, § 202, June 19, 1984, 98 Stat. 257; Pub. L. 110–1, § 1(b), Jan. 17, 2007, 121 Stat. 3.)

§ 460nn–2. Map and description

As soon as practicable after June 19, 1984, the Secretary of Agriculture shall file a map and legal description of the national recreation area designated by this subchapter with the Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs and the Committee on Agriculture of the United States House of Representatives and with the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the United States Senate. Such map and description shall have the same force and effect as if included in this subchapter, except that correction of clerical and typographical errors in such map and description may be made by the Secretary. Such map and description shall be on file and available for public inspection in the Office of the Chief of the Forest Service, Department of Agriculture.

(Pub. L. 98–322, title II, § 203, June 19, 1984, 98 Stat. 257.)

§ 460nn–3. Administration

(a) Objectives

Subject to valid existing rights, the Robert T. Stafford White Rocks National Recreation Area designated by this subchapter shall be administered by the Secretary of Agriculture in accordance with the findings and purpose of this subchapter and the laws, rules, and regulations applicable to the national forests in a manner compatible with the following objectives:

(1) the continuation of existing primitive and semiprimitive recreational use in a natural environment;

(2) utilization of natural resources shall be permitted only if consistent with the findings and purposes in this subchapter;

(3) preservation and protection of forest and aquatic habitat for fish and wildlife; and

(4) protection and conservation of special areas having uncommon or outstanding wilderness, biological, geological, recreational, cultural, historical or archeological, and scientific, or other values contributing to the public benefit.

(b) Mineral leasing laws

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, federally-owned lands within the Robert T. Stafford White Rocks National Recreation Area as designated by this subchapter are hereby withdrawn from all forms of appropriation under the mineral leasing laws, including all laws pertaining to geothermal leasing, and all amendments thereto.

The Secretary shall permit hunting, fishing, and trapping on lands and waters under the Secretary’s jurisdiction within the boundaries of the national recreation area designated by this subchapter in accordance with applicable laws of the United States and the State of Vermont.

(d) Comprehensive management plan

Within eighteen months after June 19, 1984, the Secretary shall develop and submit to the Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs and the Committee on Agriculture of the United States House of Representatives and to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the United States Senate a comprehensive management plan for the national recreation area designated by this subchapter.

(e) Public participation in development of management plan

In conducting the reviews and preparing the comprehensive management plan required by subsection (d), the Secretary shall provide for full public participation, shall consider the views of all interested agencies, organizations, and individuals, and shall particularly emphasize the values enumerated in section 460nn(a)(4) of this title.

(Pub. L. 98–322, title II, § 204, June 19, 1984, 98 Stat. 257; Pub. L. 110–1, § 1(b), Jan. 17, 2007, 121 Stat. 3.)