To assure that the natural beauty, and historical and archeological values of the Hells Canyon area and the seventy-one-mile segment of the Snake River between Hells Canyon Dam and the Oregon-Washington border, together with portions of certain of its tributaries and adjacent lands, are preserved for this and future generations, and that the recreational and ecologic values and public enjoyment of the area are thereby enhanced, there is hereby established the Hells Canyon National Recreation Area.

The Hells Canyon National Recreation Area (hereinafter referred to as the “recreation area”), which includes the Hells Canyon Wilderness (hereinafter referred to as the “wilderness”), the components of the Wild and Scenic Rivers System designated in section 3 of this Act, and the wilderness study areas designated in section 460gg–5(d) of this title, shall comprise the lands and waters generally depicted on the map entitled “Hells Canyon National Recreation Area” dated May 1978, which shall be on file and available for public inspection in the office of the Chief, Forest Service, United States Department of Agriculture. The Secretary of Agriculture (hereinafter referred to as “the Secretary”), shall, as soon as practicable, but no later than eighteen months after December 31, 1975, publish a detailed boundary description of the recreation area, the wilderness study areas designated in section 460gg–5(d) of this title, and the wilderness established in section 460gg–1 of this title in the Federal Register.

The lands depicted as the “Hells Canyon Wilderness” on the map referred to in section 460gg(b) of this title are hereby designated as wilderness.

The wilderness designated by this subchapter shall be administered by the Secretary in accordance with the provisions of this subchapter or in accordance with the provisions of the Wilderness Act [16 U.S.C. 1131 et seq.], whichever is the more restrictive, except that any reference in such provisions of the Wilderness Act to the effective date of that Act shall be deemed to be a reference to the effective date of this subchapter. The provisions of section 460gg–6(b) and section 460gg–8 of this title shall apply to the wilderness. The Secretary shall make such boundary revisions to the wilderness as may be necessary due to the exercise of his authority under subsection 3(b) of this Act.

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, or any authorization heretofore given pursuant to law, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission may not license the construction of any dam, water conduit, reservoir, powerhouse, transmission line, or other project work under the Federal Power Act (41 Stat. 1063), as amended (16 U.S.C. 791a et seq.), within the recreation area: Provided, That the provisions of the Federal Power Act (41 Stat. 1063) shall continue to apply to any project (as defined in such Act), and all of the facilities and improvements required or used in connection with the operation and maintenance of said project, in existence within the recreation area which project is already constructed or under construction on December 31, 1975.

No department or agency of the United States may assist by loan, grant, license, or otherwise the construction of any water resource facility within the recreation area which the Secretary determines would have a direct and adverse effect on the values for which the waters of the area are protected.

No provision of the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act [16 U.S.C. 1271 et seq.], nor of this subchapter, nor any guidelines, rules, or regulations issued hereunder, shall in any way limit, restrict, or conflict with present and future use of the waters of the Snake River and its tributaries upstream from the boundaries of the Hells Canyon National Recreation Area created hereby, for beneficial uses, whether consumptive or nonconsumptive, now or hereafter existing, including, but not limited to, domestic, municipal, stockwater, irrigation, mining, power, or industrial uses.

No flow requirements of any kind may be imposed on the waters of the Snake River below Hells Canyon Dam under the provisions of the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act [16 U.S.C. 1271 et seq.], of this subchapter, or any guidelines, rules, or regulations adopted pursuant thereto.

Within five years from December 31, 1975, the Secretary shall develop and submit to the Committees on Interior and Insular Affairs of the United States Senate and House of Representatives a comprehensive management plan for the recreation area which shall provide for a broad range of land uses and recreation opportunities.

In the development of such plan, the Secretary shall consider the historic, archeological, and paleontological resources within the recreation area which offer significant opportunities for anthropological research. The Secretary shall inventory such resources and may recommend such areas as he deems suitable for listing in the National Register of Historic Places. The Secretary’s comprehensive plan shall include recommendations for future protection and controlled research use of all such resources.

The Secretary shall, as a part of his comprehensive planning process, conduct a detailed study of the need for, and alternative routes of, scenic roads and other means of transit to and within the recreation area. In conducting such study the Secretary shall consider the alternative for upgrading existing roads and shall, in particular, study the need for and alternative routes of roads or other means of transit providing access to scenic views of and from the Western rim of Hells Canyon.

The Secretary shall review, as to their suitability or nonsuitability for preservation as wilderness, the areas generally depicted on the map referred to in section 460gg of this title as the “Lord Flat-Somers Point Plateau Wilderness Study Area”, and the “West Side Reservoir Face Wilderness Study Area”, and the “Mountain Sheep Wilderness Study Area” and report his findings to the President. The Secretary shall complete his review and the President shall, within five years from December 31, 1975, advise the United States Senate and House of Representatives of his recommendations with respect to the designation of lands within such area as wilderness. In conducting his review the Secretary shall comply with the provisions of section 1132(d) of this title and shall give public notice at least sixty days in advance of any hearings or other public meeting concerning the wilderness study area. The Secretary shall administer all Federal lands within the study areas so as not to preclude their possible future designation by the Congress as wilderness. Nothing contained herein shall limit the President in proposing, as part of this recommendation to Congress, the designation as wilderness of any additional area within the recreation area which is predominately of wilderness value.

In conducting the reviews and preparing the comprehensive management plan required by this section, the Secretary shall provide for full public participation and shall consider the views of all interested agencies, organizations, and individuals including but not limited to, the Nez Perce Tribe of Indians, and the States of Idaho, Oregon, and Washington. The Secretaries or Directors of all Federal departments, agencies, and commissions having a relevant expertise are hereby authorized and directed to cooperate with the Secretary in his review and to make such studies as the Secretary may request on a cost reimbursable basis.

Such activities as are compatible with the provisions of this subchapter, but not limited to, timber harvesting by selective cutting, mining, and grazing may continue during development of the comprehensive management plan, at current levels of activity and in areas of such activity on December 31, 1975. Further, in development of the management plan, the Secretary shall give full consideration to continuation of these ongoing activities in their respective areas.

The Secretary is authorized to acquire such lands or interests in land (including, but not limited to, scenic easements) as he deems necessary to accomplish the purposes of this subchapter by purchase with donated or appropriated funds with the consent of the owner, donation, or exchange.

The Secretary is further authorized to acquire by purchase with donated or appropriated funds such lands or interests in lands without the consent of the owner only if (1) he deems that all reasonable efforts to acquire such lands or interests therein by negotiation have failed, and (2) the total acreage of all other lands within the recreation area to which he has acquired fee simple title or, lesser interests therein without the consent of the owner is less than 5 per centum of the total acreage which is privately owned within the recreation area on December 31, 1975: Provided, That the Secretary may acquire scenic easements in lands without the consent of the owner and without restriction to such 5 per centum limitation: Provided further, That the Secretary may only acquire scenic easements in lands without the consent of the owner after the date of publication of the regulations required by section 460gg–7 of this title when he determines that such lands are being used, or are in imminent danger of being used, in a manner incompatible with such regulations.

Any land or interest in land owned by the State of Oregon or any of its political subdivisions may be acquired only by donation. Any land or interest in land owned by the State of Idaho or any of its political subdivisions may be acquired only by donation or exchange.

As used in this subchapter the term “scenic easement” means the right to control the use of land in order to protect esthetic values for the purposes of this subchapter, but shall not preclude the continuation of any farming or pastoral use exercised by the owner as of December 31, 1975.

The Secretary shall give prompt and careful consideration to any offer made by a person owning land within the recreation area to sell such land to the United States. The Secretary shall specifically consider any hardship to such person which might result from an undue delay in acquiring his property.

In exercising his authority to acquire property by exchange, the Secretary may accept title to any non-Federal property, or interests therein, located within the recreation area and, notwithstanding any other provision of law, he may convey in exchange therefor any federally owned property within the same State which he classifies as suitable for exchange and which is under his administrative jurisdiction: Provided, That the values of the properties so exchanged shall be approximately equal, or if they are not approximately equal, they shall be equalized by the payment of cash to the grantor or to the United States as the circumstances require. In the exercise of his exchange authority, the Secretary may utilize authorities and procedures available to him in connection with exchanges of national forest lands.

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Secretary is authorized to acquire mineral interests in lands within the recreation area, with or without the consent of the owner. Upon acquisition of any such interest, the lands and/or minerals covered by such interest are by this subchapter withdrawn from entry or appropriation under the United States mining laws and from disposition under all laws pertaining to mineral leasing and all amendments thereto.

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, any Federal property located within the recreation area may, with the concurrence of the agency having custody thereof, be transferred without consideration to the administrative jurisdiction of the Secretary for use by him in carrying out the purposes of this subchapter. Lands acquired by the Secretary or transferred to his administrative jurisdiction within the recreation area shall become parts of the national forest within or adjacent to which they are located.

There is hereby authorized to be appropriated the sum of not more than $10,000,000 for the acquisition of lands and interests in lands within the recreation area.

There is hereby authorized to be appropriated the sum of not more than $10,000,000 for the development of recreation facilities within the recreation area.

There is hereby authorized to be appropriated the sum of not more than $1,500,000 for the inventory, identification, development, and protection of the historic and archeological sites described in section 5 of this Act.