Smith River National Recreation Area Expansion Act
- Bill Number
- H.R. 5041
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 1
- Policy Area
- Public Lands and Natural Resources
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2025-08-26: Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.
- Last Updated
- 2025-12-05T21:48:32Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose The legislation expands the Smith River National Recreation Area into Oregon and designates additional river segments in Oregon as wild or scenic under federal law. It aims to protect natural, cultural, and recreational resources in the region.
Key Provisions
- Amends the Smith River National Recreation Area Act to update boundaries using a new map dated January 23, 2023, extending the area into Oregon.
- Requires the Secretary of Agriculture to study streams, wetlands, plants, animals, and other features in the added area within five years and update management plans to protect them.
- Adds rules for wildfire management, vegetation projects, and application of the Northwest Forest Plan and Roadless Rule to Oregon portions.
- Directs the Secretary to seek a memorandum of understanding with Indian Tribes for access and cultural activities.
- Authorizes acquisition of the Cedar Creek Parcel in Oregon and allows purchases from the State of Oregon.
- Amends the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act to designate numerous tributaries of the North Fork Smith River as wild rivers and expands the Smith River designation to include Oregon segments with wild or recreational classifications.
- Extends state and local jurisdiction provisions to Oregon and adds streamside protection zones.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- Extends the Smith River National Recreation Area beyond California into Oregon for the first time.
- Reclassifies and adds dozens of specific river segments as wild rivers, with one short segment as scenic.
- Introduces new study, reporting, and tribal consultation requirements not present in prior law.
- Updates land acquisition authority to include the State of Oregon and specific parcels.
Potential Impacts
- Government agencies: The U.S. Forest Service gains management responsibility over new Oregon lands, including conducting studies and revising plans.
- Citizens: Expanded protected areas may increase recreational access while limiting certain development or resource extraction in designated zones.
- International relations: No direct effects, as the bill addresses only domestic federal lands.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Indian Tribes in the region, due to tribal rights protections and consultation requirements.
- The U.S. Forest Service and National Forest System units.
- States of Oregon and California, plus local governments.
- Private landowners near or within the added areas, particularly regarding acquisitions.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- The bill applies existing wilderness and roadless regulations to new areas without altering their core legal frameworks.
- It preserves tribal rights and does not diminish any existing Indian Tribe authorities.
- No constitutional issues are addressed in the text; the changes rely on Congress's authority over federal lands and waters.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Cosponsors (1)
Recent Actions
- 2025-08-26: Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.
- 2025-08-26: Introduced in House
- 2025-08-26: Introduced in House
Bill Versions
- Smith River National Recreation Area Expansion Act — issued 2025-08-26 — PDF (17 pages)