H.R. 5041 — Smith River National Recreation Area Expansion Act

This section amends the Smith River National Recreation Area Act to incorporate proposed additions depicted on the map entitled "Proposed Additions to the Smith River National Recreation Area" dated January 23, 2023. (The Smith River National Recreation Area, established in 1990 within the Six Rivers National Forest in California, protects the watershed's scenic, recreational, ecological, and fishery values.) Specifically, the section (1) updates definitions to reference the original 1990 map and an "applicable unit of the National Forest System" (previously limited to Six Rivers National Forest); (2) expands boundaries to include the new map and references multiple maps; (3) revises administration to apply roadless management standards to the recreation area and any Oregon portions, designates the Kalmiopsis Wilderness for management under the Wilderness Act, and requires the Secretary of Agriculture to study specified resources (e.g., streams, wetlands, Port-Orford-cedar, unstable aquatic habitats) in the added areas within five years of enactment, after which management plans must be modified for their protection and a report submitted to Congress; (4) clarifies that the Act does not affect wildfire operations, allows vegetation management projects (e.g., for wildfire resiliency and forest health) consistent with area purposes, preserves application of the Northwest Forest Plan and Roadless Rule to Oregon portions, and protects tribal rights including through a memorandum of understanding for access and cultural uses; (5) authorizes land acquisition from the states of California or Oregon (previously California only) by purchase, donation, exchange, or transfer, and directs acquisition of the approximately 555-acre Cedar Creek Parcel in Oregon upon state resolution and available funding; and (6) extends fish and wildlife management authority to Oregon (in addition to California).

This section amends Section 3(a)(92) of the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act to reclassify an existing segment of the North Fork Smith River in Oregon from scenic to wild, restructure the paragraph, and designate 24 additional segments of its source tributaries—totaling approximately 74 miles—as wild rivers administered by the Secretary of Agriculture (except the approximately 200-foot portion of North Fork Diamond Creek from 100 feet above to 100 feet below Forest Service Road 4402, administered as scenic). (Congress finds these tributaries possess outstandingly remarkable wild anadromous fish and prehistoric, cultural, botanical, recreational, and water quality values. Thus, the designations generally prohibit federal dams or water project licenses and limit development to protect free-flowing conditions and values.) This section also amends Section 3(a)(111) by striking the existing designation of the Smith River, California and Oregon, and inserting a revised designation for the segment from the confluence of the Middle Fork Smith River and North Fork Smith River to the Six Rivers National Forest boundary.