S1681-119

What This Bill Does

Establishes the Shenandoah Mountain National Scenic Area across about 92,562 acres in the George Washington and Jefferson National Forests, protects scenic, water, wildlife, old-growth, and Cow Knob salamander habitat values, preserves existing access and nonmotorized recreation, creates a trail-planning requirement, withdraws the area from mining and new energy development, and designates several new wilderness areas.

Who Benefits and How

Hikers, cyclists, hunters, anglers, and other nonmotorized recreation users benefit from a designated National Scenic Area with a required trail plan, sustainable trail management, and a Tillman Road corridor trail connection outside the Little River Wilderness. Conservation groups benefit from protection for 92,562 acres, wilderness additions, old-growth development potential, Cow Knob salamander habitat, water quality, and wildlife habitat. Municipal water users benefit because existing dams, reservoirs, and water infrastructure are preserved while the area must be managed to maintain and enhance water quality. Private landowners within the boundary benefit from explicit access protections and a no-buffer-zone rule for nearby land outside the scenic area.

Who Bears the Burden and How

Forest Service managers must develop a National Forest System trail plan within two years, report to Congress, amend the George Washington and Jefferson National Forests management plan, administer recreation, preserve water quality, and manage new wilderness areas under the Wilderness Act. Timber, mining, geothermal, renewable-energy, utility-corridor, and new-road development interests bear new limits because the bill bars most timber harvest, withdraws federal land from mineral and energy laws, prohibits new roads, and restricts motorized travel to existing roads outside wilderness. Some recreation users bear limits where use must remain consistent with scenic-area purposes and wilderness rules.

Key Provisions

• Establishes the Shenandoah Mountain National Scenic Area on about 92,562 acres of National Forest System land.
• Protects scenic quality, water resources, wildlife habitat, Cow Knob salamander habitat, old-growth forest potential, and designated wilderness areas.
• Requires a National Forest System trail plan and a report to Congress within two years.
• Preserves existing public-road access, private-property access, existing dams and reservoirs, and municipal water infrastructure.
• Prohibits new roads, most timber harvest, mining-law entry, mineral leasing, geothermal leasing, renewable-energy development, new utility corridors, and new communications sites.
• Adds new wilderness areas to the George Washington and Jefferson National Forests.