A bill to designate the Sipsey River as a component of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System, to designate certain areas as additions to the Sipsey Wilderness, to designate certain areas as additions to the Cheaha Wilderness, and to preserve over thirty thousand acres of pristine natural treasures in the Bankhead National Forest for the aesthetic and recreational benefit of future generations of Alabamians, and for other purposes.
Sipsey Wild and Scenic River and Alabama Wilderness Addition Act of 1988 - Title I: Wild and Scenic River Designation - Amends the Wild and Scenic River Act to designate specified segments of the Sipsey Fork River, Alabama, as components of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System.
Directs the Secretary of Agriculture to do a study to determine the feasibility of constructing a dam to establish a lake for recreational use within the Bankhead National Forest. Directs the Secretary to monitor waters flowing into Lewis Smith Lake and to take appropriate actions to control any conditions causing injurious water quality.
Title II: Wilderness Designation - Designates the following lands in Alabama as components of the National Wilderness Preservation System: (1) the Sipsey Wilderness in the William B. Bankhead National Forest; and (2) the Cheaha Wilderness in the Talladega National Forest.
Authorizes the Secretary to take measures to control fire, insects, and diseases within the Sipsey Wilderness.
Requires the Secretary, at his discretion, to convert existing roads within the Sipsey Wilderness Addition into hiking or horse trails. Requires the Secretary to permit continued use of horse drawn vehicles on routes designated by the Secretary in the Addition.
Provides that the RARE II (second roadless area review and evaluation) final environmental statement (dated January 1979) with respect to national forest system lands in Alabama shall not be subject to judicial review. Releases national forest system lands in Alabama which were reviewed in the RARE II program from further review by the Department of Agriculture, pending the revision of initial national forest management plans. Releases lands in Alabama reviewed in the RARE II program and not designated as wilderness from management as wilderness areas. Prohibits the Department of Agriculture from conducting any further statewide roadless area review and evaluation of national forest system lands in Alabama without express congressional authorization. States that the provisions above shall also apply to national forest system roadless lands in Alabama which are less than 5,000 acres in size.
Became Public Law No: 100-547.
Introduced in Senate
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture.
Committee on Agriculture. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably.
Committee on Agriculture. Reported to Senate by Senator Leahy without amendment. With written report No. 100-578.
Committee on Agriculture. Reported to Senate by Senator Leahy without amendment. With written report No. 100-578.
Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 1043.
Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent.
Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate with an amendment by Voice Vote.
Passed Senate with an amendment by Voice Vote.
Message on Senate action sent to the House.
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