H.R. 3369 — Wild Olympics Wilderness and Wild and Scenic Rivers Act

This section designates approximately 126,554 acres of Federal land in the Olympic National Forest in Washington as wilderness and components of the National Wilderness Preservation System, as generally depicted on the map entitled “Proposed Wild Olympics Wilderness and Wild and Scenic Rivers Act” dated April 8, 2019. The designated areas include (1) Lost Creek Wilderness (7,159 acres); (2) Rugged Ridge Wilderness (5,956 acres); (3) Alckee Creek Wilderness (1,787 acres); (4) Gates of the Elwha Wilderness (5,669 acres); (5) additions to the Buckhorn Wilderness (21,965 acres); (6) Green Mountain Wilderness (4,790 acres); (7) additions to The Brothers Wilderness (8,625 acres); (8) additions to the Mount Skokomish Wilderness (8,933 acres); (9) additions to the Wonder Mountain Wilderness (26,517 acres); (10) Moonlight Dome Wilderness (9,117 acres); (11) South Quinault Ridge Wilderness (10,887 acres); (12) additions to the Colonel Bob Wilderness (353 acres); (13) Sams River Wilderness (13,418 acres); and (14) Canoe Creek Wilderness (1,378 acres). Subject to valid existing rights, the designated wilderness is to be administered by the Secretary of Agriculture in accordance with the Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. 1131 et seq.). As soon as practicable after enactment, the Secretary must file maps and legal descriptions of the areas with the House Committee on Natural Resources and the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, which have the same force and effect as if included in this Act (with authority to correct minor errors), and make them publicly available in the appropriate Forest Service office. This section further designates approximately 5,346 acres, as identified as “Potential Wilderness” on the map, as potential wilderness, which becomes designated wilderness upon the Secretary's Federal Register notice that nonconforming uses have terminated.

This section designates the following additional river segments in Washington as components of the national wild and scenic rivers system: (1) approximately 29.0-mile segment of the Elwha River from the source to Cat Creek, as a wild river, to be administered by the Secretary of the Interior; (2) segments of the Dungeness River from the headwaters to State of Washington Department of Natural Resources land (totaling approximately 18.8 miles in wild, scenic, and recreational classifications) and Gray Wolf River tributary (approximately 17.2 miles total, wild and scenic), to be administered by the Secretary of Agriculture except Olympic National Park portions by the Secretary of the Interior; (3) segments of the Big Quilcene River from the headwaters to the City of Port Townsend water intake (approximately 9.7 miles total, wild and scenic), to be administered by the Secretary of Agriculture, and applies section 7(a) protections from incompatible hydropower development to the subsequent approximately 5-mile segment to the Olympic National Forest boundary; (4) segments of the Dosewallips River from the headwaters to private land (approximately 19.7 miles total, wild and scenic), to be administered by the Secretary of Agriculture except Olympic National Park portions by the Secretary of the Interior; (5) segments of the Duckabush River from the headwaters to private land (approximately 20.9 miles total, wild and scenic), to be administered by the Secretary of Agriculture except Olympic National Park portions by the Secretary of the Interior; (6) segments of the Hamma Hamma River from the headwaters to the eastern edge of NW1/4 sec. 21, T. 24 N., R. 3 W. (approximately 15.7 miles total, wild, scenic, and recreational via state cooperative agreement under section 10(e)), to be administered by the Secretary of Agriculture; (7) segments of the South Fork Skokomish River from the headwaters to the Olympic National Forest boundary (approximately 24.9 miles total, wild, scenic, and recreational), to be administered by the Secretary of Agriculture; (8) approximately 7.9-mile segment of the Middle Fork Satsop River from the headwaters to the Olympic National Forest boundary, as a scenic river, to be administered by the Secretary of Agriculture; (9) approximately 8.2-mile segment of the West Fork Satsop River from the headwaters to the Olympic National Forest boundary, as a scenic river, to be administered by the Secretary of Agriculture; and (10) segment of the Wynoochee River from the headwaters to the head of Wynoochee Reservoir, to be administered by the Secretary of Agriculture. (As background, the national wild and scenic rivers system preserves designated free-flowing rivers with outstanding natural, cultural, or recreational values, classifying them as wild—generally undeveloped; scenic—largely primitive but accessible in places; or

This section states that, consistent with section 12(b) of the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act (16 U.S.C. 1283(b)), nothing in the Act or its amendments affects existing private rights, privileges, or contracts or modifies management, acquisition, or disposition of lands managed by the Washington Department of Natural Resources. The section withdraws federal lands within boundaries of the river segments designated by the Act, subject to valid existing rights, from (1) entry, appropriation, or disposal under public land laws; (2) location, entry, and patent under mining laws; and (3) disposition under laws pertaining to mineral and geothermal leasing or mineral materials.

This section preserves the reserved treaty rights of any Indian Tribe to hunting, fishing, gathering, and cultural or religious activities as protected by a treaty. (Thus, the Act does not alter, modify, diminish, or extinguish such rights.)