16 USC CHAPTER 1, SUBCHAPTER XCIX: ROBERT T. STAFFORD WHITE ROCKS NATIONAL RECREATION AREA

From Title 16—CONSERVATIONCHAPTER 1—NATIONAL PARKS, MILITARY PARKS, MONUMENTS, AND SEASHORES

SUBCHAPTER XCIX—ROBERT T. STAFFORD WHITE ROCKS NATIONAL RECREATION AREA

§460nn. Findings and purpose

(a) Congress finds that—

(1) Vermont is a beautiful but small and rural State, situated near four large cities with combined metropolitan populations of over fifteen million;

(2) geographic and topographic characteristics of Vermont provide opportunities for large numbers of people to experience the beauty of primitive areas, but also place unusual pressure to provide options to maximize the availability of such lands for a variety of forms of recreation;

(3) certain lands designated as the Big Branch and Peru Peak Wilderness Areas by title I of this Act are suitable for inclusion as part of the national recreation area; and

(4) certain other lands in the Green Mountain National Forest not designated as wilderness by this Act are of a predominantly roadless nature and possess outstanding wild values that are important for primitive and semiprimitive recreation, watershed protection, wildlife habitat, ecological study, education, and historic and archeological resources, and are deemed suitable for preservation and protection as part of a national recreation area.

(b) The purpose of this subchapter is to designate certain National Forest System lands in the State of Vermont as the Robert T. Stafford White Rocks National Recreation Area in order to preserve and protect their existing wilderness and wild values and to promote wild forest and aquatic habitat for wildlife, watershed protection, opportunities for primitive and semiprimitive recreation, and scenic, ecological, and scientific values.

(Pub. L. 98–322, title II, §201, June 19, 1984, 98 Stat. 256; Pub. L. 110–1, §1(b), Jan. 17, 2007, 121 Stat. 3.)

Editorial Notes

References in Text

This Act, referred to in subsec. (a)(3), (4), is Pub. L. 98–322, June 19, 1984, 98 Stat. 253. Lands in the Green Mountain National Forest were designated as wilderness areas by title I of this Act, and are listed in a table of Wilderness Areas set out under section 1132 of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Tables.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Change of Name

"Robert T. Stafford White Rocks National Recreation Area" substituted in subsec. (b) for "White Rocks National Recreation Area" pursuant to section 1(b) of Pub. L. 110–1, set out as a note under section 460nn–1 of this title.

§460nn–1. Establishment

In furtherance of the findings and purposes of this subchapter, certain lands in the Green Mountain National Forest, Vermont, which comprise approximately thirty-six thousand four hundred acres, as generally depicted on a map entitled "White Rocks National Recreation Area—Proposed", dated September 1983, are hereby designated as the Robert T. Stafford White Rocks National Recreation Area.

(Pub. L. 98–322, title II, §202, June 19, 1984, 98 Stat. 257; Pub. L. 110–1, §1(b), Jan. 17, 2007, 121 Stat. 3.)

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Change of Name

"Robert T. Stafford White Rocks National Recreation Area" substituted in text for "White Rocks National Recreation Area" pursuant to section 1(b) of Pub. L. 110–1, set out below.

Pub. L. 110–1, §1, Jan. 17, 2007, 121 Stat. 3, provided that:

"(a) Redesignation.—The White Rocks National Recreation Area in the State of Vermont, as established by section 202 of the Vermont Wilderness Act of 1984 (16 U.S.C. 460nn–1), is redesignated as the 'Robert T. Stafford White Rocks National Recreation Area'.

"(b) References.—Any reference in a law, map, regulation, document, paper, or other record of the United States to the recreation area referred to in subsection (a) shall be deemed to be a reference to the Robert T. Stafford White Rocks National Recreation Area."

§460nn–2. Map and description

As soon as practicable after June 19, 1984, the Secretary of Agriculture shall file a map and legal description of the national recreation area designated by this subchapter with the Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs and the Committee on Agriculture of the United States House of Representatives and with the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the United States Senate. Such map and description shall have the same force and effect as if included in this subchapter, except that correction of clerical and typographical errors in such map and description may be made by the Secretary. Such map and description shall be on file and available for public inspection in the Office of the Chief of the Forest Service, Department of Agriculture.

(Pub. L. 98–322, title II, §203, June 19, 1984, 98 Stat. 257.)

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Change of Name

Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs of the House of Representatives changed to Committee on Natural Resources of the House of Representatives on Jan. 5, 1993, by House Resolution No. 5, One Hundred Third Congress.

§460nn–3. Administration

(a) Objectives

Subject to valid existing rights, the Robert T. Stafford White Rocks National Recreation Area designated by this subchapter shall be administered by the Secretary of Agriculture in accordance with the findings and purpose of this subchapter and the laws, rules, and regulations applicable to the national forests in a manner compatible with the following objectives:

(1) the continuation of existing primitive and semiprimitive recreational use in a natural environment;

(2) utilization of natural resources shall be permitted only if consistent with the findings and purposes in this subchapter;

(3) preservation and protection of forest and aquatic habitat for fish and wildlife; and

(4) protection and conservation of special areas having uncommon or outstanding wilderness, biological, geological, recreational, cultural, historical or archeological, and scientific, or other values contributing to the public benefit.

(b) Mineral leasing laws

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, federally-owned lands within the Robert T. Stafford White Rocks National Recreation Area as designated by this subchapter are hereby withdrawn from all forms of appropriation under the mineral leasing laws, including all laws pertaining to geothermal leasing, and all amendments thereto.

(c) Hunting, fishing, and trapping

The Secretary shall permit hunting, fishing, and trapping on lands and waters under the Secretary's jurisdiction within the boundaries of the national recreation area designated by this subchapter in accordance with applicable laws of the United States and the State of Vermont.

(d) Comprehensive management plan

Within eighteen months after June 19, 1984, the Secretary shall develop and submit to the Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs and the Committee on Agriculture of the United States House of Representatives and to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the United States Senate a comprehensive management plan for the national recreation area designated by this subchapter.

(e) Public participation in development of management plan

In conducting the reviews and preparing the comprehensive management plan required by subsection (d), the Secretary shall provide for full public participation, shall consider the views of all interested agencies, organizations, and individuals, and shall particularly emphasize the values enumerated in section 460nn(a)(4) of this title.

(Pub. L. 98–322, title II, §204, June 19, 1984, 98 Stat. 257; Pub. L. 110–1, §1(b), Jan. 17, 2007, 121 Stat. 3.)

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Change of Name

"Robert T. Stafford White Rocks National Recreation Area" substituted in subsecs. (a) and (b) for "White Rocks National Recreation Area" pursuant to section 1(b) of Pub. L. 110–1, set out as a note under section 460nn–1 of this title.