S2548-119

What This Bill Does

The bill protects portions of the Shawnee National Forest in Illinois. It adds Camp Hutchins Wilderness to the National Wilderness Preservation System, closes Forest Road 211 to public vehicles while allowing hiking-trail use, withdraws the wilderness from public-land entry, mining, mineral leasing, mineral materials, and geothermal leasing laws, and requires maps and legal descriptions. It also establishes the Camp Hutchins, Ripple Hollow, and Burke Branch Special Management Areas, sets conservation, biodiversity, cultural, recreation, and scientific purposes, and requires a long-term management plan within three years.

Who Benefits and How

Shawnee National Forest visitors benefit from wilderness and special management area protections that preserve hiking, scenic, wildlife, cultural, and educational resources. Illinois conservation organizations benefit because Camp Hutchins, Ripple Hollow, and Burke Branch receive statutory conservation purposes. Wildlife habitat benefits from restrictions on commercial timber harvest, road decommissioning, invasive-species control, and restoration thinning authority. Scientific researchers benefit because designated natural areas and research natural areas are preserved for study and restoration. Private inholding owners benefit because access to inholdings inside the special management areas must be preserved. Hunters and anglers benefit because the bill preserves those uses when consistent with applicable law.

Who Bears the Burden and How

Forest Service staff must administer wilderness and special management areas, file maps, prepare legal descriptions, and develop a management plan within three years. Motorized recreation users bear restrictions because motor-vehicle use is generally prohibited except for access, emergencies, administration, and habitat work. Commercial timber operators lose harvest opportunities inside the special management areas except for fire, insect, disease, safety, and restoration needs. Mining and mineral leasing interests are barred from new entry, location, patent, mineral leasing, mineral materials, and geothermal leasing inside the wilderness. Road managers must decommission unneeded National Forest System roads while preserving necessary access to trailheads, cemeteries, campgrounds, and inholdings.

Key Provisions

• Designates approximately 750 acres as the Camp Hutchins Wilderness and adds it to the National Wilderness Preservation System.
• Closes National Forest System Road 211 to public vehicular traffic while allowing hiking-trail maintenance.
• Withdraws Camp Hutchins Wilderness from public-land entry, mining, mineral leasing, mineral materials, and geothermal leasing laws.
• Establishes the Camp Hutchins, Ripple Hollow, and Burke Branch Special Management Areas in the Shawnee National Forest.
• Requires a long-term management plan, road decommissioning, motor-vehicle restrictions, commercial timber limits, restoration authority, and preserved inholding access.