Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.
The bill designates about 126,554 acres of Forest Service land in Olympic National Forest as new wilderness (with ~5,346 acres as potential wilderness), expands several existing wilderness areas, and adds numerous river segments in Olympic National Forest and Olympic National Park to the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System. It assigns administration to the Secretary of Agriculture or the Secretary of the Interior as appropriate, allows restoration and species-recovery projects consistent with Wild and Scenic Rivers law, requires updates to Forest management plans, withdraws designated lands from mining and similar uses (subject to valid existing rights), and preserves treaty and other existing rights.
Liberals emphasize conservation and species recovery benefits.
Relative to its intended legislative type, this bill is a well‑specified substantive policy change that precisely identifies lands and river segments to be designated, integrates with existing statutory frameworks, and assigns administrative responsibility and procedural steps for implementation.
The bill designates about 126,554 acres of Forest Service land in Olympic National Forest as new wilderness (with ~5,346 acres as potential wilderness), expands several existing wilderness areas, and adds numerous river segments in Olympic National Forest and Olympic National Park to the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System.
It assigns administration to the Secretary of Agriculture or the Secretary of the Interior as appropriate, allows restoration and species-recovery projects consistent with Wild and Scenic Rivers law, requires updates to Forest management plans, withdraws designated lands from mining and similar uses (subject to valid existing rights), and preserves treaty and other existing rights.
Plausible if bundled into a larger public-lands package or if there is strong local consensus; standalone Senate passage is the main hurdle.
Relative to its intended legislative type, this bill is a well‑specified substantive policy change that precisely identifies lands and river segments to be designated, integrates with existing statutory frameworks, and assigns administrative responsibility and procedural steps for implementation. It includes a number of targeted provisions to handle potential conflicts and exceptions.
Liberals emphasize conservation and species recovery benefits.
These are examples from the analysis, not a ranked list of the most-affected groups.
Liberals emphasize conservation and species recovery benefits.
Overall supportive.
The bill permanently protects large forest and river ecosystems, expands wilderness, and enables river and species restoration.
It preserves treaty rights and allows necessary ecological restoration consistent with existing law.
Generally favorable but pragmatic.
Recognizes conservation gains while noting potential local economic and access impacts.
Wants clear funding, implementation timelines, and protections for valid existing rights.
Likely opposed.
Views federal wilderness and Wild and Scenic designations as restrictive federal land grabs that limit local use, economic activity, and state control despite 'existing rights' language.
Reached or meaningfully advanced
Reached or meaningfully advanced
Still ahead
Still ahead
Still ahead
Plausible if bundled into a larger public-lands package or if there is strong local consensus; standalone Senate passage is the main hurdle.
The bill has not accumulated any surfaced votes yet.
Liberals emphasize conservation and species recovery benefits.
Plausible if bundled into a larger public-lands package or if there is strong local consensus; standalone Senate passage is the main hurdle.
Relative to its intended legislative type, this bill is a well‑specified substantive policy change that precisely identifies lands and river segments to be designated, integrates with existing statutory frameworks, and…
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