To designate and expand wilderness areas in Olympic National Forest in the State of Washington, and to designate certain rivers in Olympic National Forest and Olympic National Park as wild and scenic rivers, and for other purposes.
Analysis under review: This bill has generated analysis that may be too generic or incomplete. Clause-level evidence remains available below.
Summary
What This Bill Does
This bill permanently protects approximately 126,554 acres of federal land in Washington State's Olympic National Forest by designating 14 new wilderness areas and expanding 5 existing ones. It also designates 19 river segments totaling hundreds of miles as wild and scenic rivers under federal protection. The bill withdraws all designated lands from mining, mineral extraction, and public land disposal.
Who Benefits and How
Conservation and environmental organizations benefit from permanent wilderness protections that restrict development and resource extraction. Recreational users (hikers, anglers, rafters) benefit from preserved wild spaces and free-flowing rivers. Local tourism businesses may benefit from increased ecotourism opportunities. Native American tribes retain all existing treaty rights for hunting, fishing, and gathering.
Who Bears the Burden and How
Mining and mineral extraction companies lose access to potential mining claims and mineral leasing opportunities on designated lands. Timber companies face restrictions on logging in newly designated wilderness areas. The Forest Service and Interior Department must develop new management plans within 3-5 years, requiring additional resources and staff time.
Key Provisions
- Creates 14 new wilderness areas including Lost Creek, Rugged Ridge, Gates of the Elwha, and Moonlight Dome
- Expands 5 existing wilderness areas: Buckhorn, The Brothers, Mount Skokomish, Wonder Mountain, and Colonel Bob
- Designates approximately 464 miles of rivers as wild, scenic, or recreational rivers
- Withdraws designated lands from all mining claims, mineral leasing, and geothermal development
Evidence Chain:
This summary is generated from the full bill text using AI analysis. Expand "Detailed Analysis" below for identified beneficiaries/burden bearers.
At a Glance
What This Bill Does
Designates approximately 126,554 acres of federal land in the Olympic National Forest as wilderness areas and designates 19 river segments in the Olympic Peninsula as wild and scenic rivers, while withdrawing these lands from mining and mineral leasing.
Key Policy Areas
Environment, Public Lands, Conservation, Water Resources
Primary Purpose
Designates approximately 126,554 acres of federal land in the Olympic National Forest as wilderness areas and designates 19 river segments in the Olympic Peninsula as wild and scenic rivers, while withdrawing these lands from mining and mineral leasing.
Policy Domains
Section 2 - Wilderness Designations
Identified Gains
Contextual inference, no direct clause citation- Environmental conservation groups
- Recreational users
- Wildlife
Contextual inference, no direct clause citation
Identified Costs
Contextual inference, no direct clause citation- Timber industry
- Forest Service (administration)
Contextual inference, no direct clause citation
Section 3 - Wild and Scenic River Designations
Identified Gains
Contextual inference, no direct clause citation- Recreational users
- Salmon and steelhead populations
- Tourism industry
- Environmental groups
Contextual inference, no direct clause citation
Identified Costs
Contextual inference, no direct clause citation- Hydroelectric developers
- Water utilities
- Forest Service and Interior Department (management planning)
Contextual inference, no direct clause citation
Section 4 - Existing Rights and Withdrawal
Identified Gains
Contextual inference, no direct clause citation- Conservation interests
- Existing private property rights holders
Contextual inference, no direct clause citation
Identified Costs
Contextual inference, no direct clause citation- Mining companies
- Mineral extraction industry
- Geothermal developers
Contextual inference, no direct clause citation
Section 5 - Treaty Rights
Identified Gains
Contextual inference, no direct clause citation- Native American tribes with treaty rights
Contextual inference, no direct clause citation
Sponsors
Legislative Progress
ReportedReported by Mr. Manchin, with an amendment
Mrs. Murray introduced the following bill; which was read twice …
Stakeholder Effects
cui bono?How this legislation distributes effects. Mention counts reflect frequency, not effect magnitude.
Off-road vehicle and motorized recreation users, Outdoor recreation industry (hiking, backpacking, wildlife watching), River-based recreation businesses (fishing guides, rafting outfitters)
Positive-direction: Outdoor recreation industry (hiking, backpacking, wildlife watching), River-based recreation businesses (fishing guides, rafting outfitters)
Negative-direction: Off-road vehicle and motorized recreation users
Native American tribes with fishing treaty rights, USDA Forest Service, USDA Forest Service and Department of Interior
Positive-direction: Native American tribes with fishing treaty rights
Negative-direction: USDA Forest Service, USDA Forest Service and Department of Interior
Salmon and steelhead fisheries, Timber and logging companies operating in Olympic National Forest
Positive-direction: Salmon and steelhead fisheries
Negative-direction: Timber and logging companies operating in Olympic National Forest
Bill Structure & Actor Mappings
Who is "The Secretary" in each section?
- "the_secretary"
- → Secretary of Agriculture
- "secretary_of_interior"
- → Secretary of the Interior (National Park lands)
- "secretary_of_agriculture"
- → Secretary of Agriculture (Forest Service lands)
Note: 'The Secretary' in Section 2 refers to Secretary of Agriculture, while Section 3 splits jurisdiction between Secretary of Agriculture (Forest Service lands) and Secretary of Interior (National Park lands)
Key Definitions
Terms defined in this bill
The map entitled 'Proposed Wild Olympics Wilderness and Wild and Scenic Rivers Act' dated April 8, 2019
Federal land that will become designated wilderness after nonconforming uses terminate
We use a combination of our own taxonomy and classification in addition to large language models to assess meaning and potential beneficiaries. High confidence means strong textual evidence. Always verify with the original bill text.
Learn more about our methodology