S. 1737 — 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 14 wilderness areas (or additions thereto) and components of the National Wilderness Preservation System, as generally depicted on a map entitled “Proposed Wild Olympics Wilderness and Wild and Scenic Rivers Act” dated April 8, 2019: (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 Buckhorn Wilderness (21,965 acres); (6) Green Mountain Wilderness (4,790 acres); (7) additions to The Brothers Wilderness (8,625 acres); (8) additions to Mount Skokomish Wilderness (8,933 acres); (9) additions to Wonder Mountain Wilderness (26,517 acres); (10) Moonlight Dome Wilderness (9,117 acres); (11) South Quinault Ridge Wilderness (10,887 acres); (12) additions to Colonel Bob Wilderness (353 acres); (13) Sams River Wilderness (13,418 acres); and (14) Canoe Creek Wilderness (1,378 acres). The designated land is to be administered by the Secretary of Agriculture in accordance with the Wilderness Act of 1964 (16 U.S.C. 1131 et seq.), subject to valid existing rights, with maps and legal descriptions to be filed with specified congressional committees and made publicly available (with authority to correct minor errors). This section further designates approximately 5,346 acres as potential wilderness, which becomes designated wilderness upon Federal Register notice that nonconforming uses have terminated.

This section designates the following river segments in Washington as components of the national wild and scenic rivers system, to be administered primarily by the Secretary of Agriculture (with specified portions by the Secretary of the Interior): (1) Elwha River—the approximately 29.0-mile segment from the source to Cat Creek, as a wild river; (2) Dungeness River—the segment from headwaters to State of Washington Department of Natural Resources land in T. 29 N., R. 4 W., sec. 12 (including specified wild, scenic, and recreational segments of the mainstem totaling approximately 18.8 miles and of the Gray Wolf River tributary totaling approximately 17.2 miles); (3) Big Quilcene River—the segment from headwaters to the City of Port Townsend water intake facility (approximately 4.4 miles wild and 5.3 miles scenic), with section 7(a) protections from specified hydropower-related projects applying to the subsequent approximately 5-mile segment to the Olympic National Forest boundary; (4) Dosewallips River—the segment from headwaters to private land in T. 26 N., R. 3 W., sec. 15 (approximately 12.9 miles wild and 6.8 miles scenic); (5) Duckabush River—the segment from headwaters to private land in T. 25 N., R. 3 W., sec. 1 (approximately 19.0 miles wild and 1.9 miles scenic); (6) Hamma Hamma River—the segment from headwaters to the eastern edge of the NW 1/4 sec. 21, T. 24 N., R. 3 W. (approximately 3.1 miles wild, 5.8 miles scenic, and 6.8 miles recreational); (7) South Fork Skokomish River—the segment from headwaters to Olympic National Forest boundary (approximately 6.7 miles wild, 8.3 miles and 6.0 miles scenic, and 4.0 miles recreational); (8) Middle Fork Satsop River—the approximately 7.9-mile segment from headwaters to Olympic National Forest boundary, as a scenic river; (9) West Fork Satsop River—the approximately 8.2-mile segment from headwaters to Olympic National Forest boundary, as a scenic river; and (10) Wynoochee River—the segment from headwaters to the head of Wynoochee Reservoir. (As background, the national wild and scenic rivers system protects free-flowing rivers with outstanding natural, cultural, or recreational values from incompatible development.)

This section reaffirms that, in accordance with section 12(b) of the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act (16 U.S.C. 1283(b)), nothing in the Act affects or abrogates existing rights, privileges, or contracts held by private parties or modifies management of lands by the Washington Department of Natural Resources. The section further 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 relating to mineral and geothermal leasing or mineral materials.

This section states that nothing in the Act alters, modifies, diminishes, or extinguishes the reserved treaty rights of any Indian Tribe with respect to hunting, fishing, gathering, and cultural or religious rights as protected by a treaty.