119-hr4870

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4870 Introduced in House

    (IH) ]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
 1st Session
 H. R. 4870

To amend the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act to designate certain streams in 
the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem in the State of Montana as components 
 of the Wild and Scenic Rivers System, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

 August 1, 2025

 Mr. Zinke introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
 Committee on Natural Resources

_______________________________________________________________________

 A BILL

To amend the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act to designate certain streams in 
the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem in the State of Montana as components 
 of the Wild and Scenic Rivers System, and for other purposes.

 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

 This Act may be cited as the ``Greater Yellowstone Recreation 
Enhancement And Tourism Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS; PURPOSE.

    (a) 

=== Findings ===
-Congress finds that--

    (1) the streams designated as components of the Wild and 
 Scenic Rivers System by the amendment made by 

section 3

    (a) are 
 cherished by the people of the State of Montana and visitors 
 from across the United States and around the world for their 
 clean water, abundant fish and wildlife, spectacular natural 
 settings, and outstanding recreational opportunities;

    (2) Indian Tribes have used the streams referred to in 
 paragraph

    (1) for hunting, fishing, gathering, and other 
 cultural purposes since time immemorial;

    (3) recreational activities (including fishing, hunting, 
 camping, paddling, hiking, swimming, rock climbing, horseback 
 riding, and wildlife watching) on the streams referred to in 
 paragraph

    (1) and the surrounding land generate billions of 
 dollars annually for the economy of the State of Montana;

    (4) the multi-billion-dollar agricultural industry in the 
 State of Montana thrives on the availability of clean water 
 that originates in headwaters streams on Federal public land;

    (5) facilities on the Madison River, the Gibson and Madison 
 Dams, have been integral in improving and maintaining fish 
 populations, enabling its blue-ribbon fishery values, while 
 generating 12 MW of carbon free hydropower;

    (6) the streams referred to in paragraph

    (1) --
        (A) are national treasures;
        (B) possess outstandingly remarkable values; and
            (C) merit the high level of protection afforded by 
 the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act (16 U.S.C. 1271 et seq.) 
 in order to maintain the benefits provided by the 
 streams described in paragraphs

    (1) through

    (3) for 
 future generations to enjoy; and

    (7) designation of select public land segments of the 
 streams referred to in paragraph

    (1) under the Wild and Scenic 
 Rivers Act (16 U.S.C. 1271 et seq.) would maintain the 
 outstandingly remarkable values of each stream while--
        (A) preserving public access;
        (B) respecting private property rights;
            (C) allowing appropriate maintenance of existing 
 infrastructure, including major repairs and safety 
 improvements to roads and bridges;
            (D) allowing for emergency intervention; and
        (E) allowing historical uses to continue.

    (b) 

=== Purpose ===
-The purpose of this Act is to designate certain 
segments of the Gallatin, Madison, and Yellowstone Rivers and their 
select tributaries in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem in the State of 
Montana as components of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System to 
preserve and protect for present and future generations the 
outstandingly remarkable values of each stream and tributary.

SEC. 3. DESIGNATION OF WILD AND SCENIC RIVER SEGMENTS.

    (a) In General.--

Section 3

    (a) of the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act (16 
U.S.C. 1274

    (a) ) is amended by adding at the end the following:
 ``

    (233) Madison river, montana.--The approximately 42-mile 
 segment of the Madison River in the State of Montana from the 
 confluence of Cabin Creek downstream to the point at which the 
 river leaves Bureau of Land Management land at the north 
 boundary of T. 8 S., R. 1 W., 

sec. 10, approximately 1 mile 
 north of the confluence of Cherry Creek, to be administered by 
 the Secretary of Agriculture as a recreational river.
 ``

    (234) Gallatin river, montana.--The approximately 39.5-
 mile segment of the Gallatin River in the State of Montana from 
 the Yellowstone National Park boundary downstream to the 
 confluence of Spanish Creek, to be administered by the 
 Secretary of Agriculture as a recreational river.
 ``

    (235) Hyalite creek, montana.--The approximately 4.6-mile 
 segment of Hyalite Creek in the State of Montana from the 
 source in the Gallatin Range downstream to Grotto Falls 
 Trailhead, to be administered by the Secretary of Agriculture 
 as a scenic river.
 ``

    (236) Cabin creek, montana.--The approximately 7.3-mile 
 segment of Cabin Creek in the State of Montana from the source 
 in the Madison Range downstream to above the fish barrier, to 
 be administered by the Secretary of Agriculture as a scenic 
 river.
 ``

    (237) Middle fork of cabin creek, montana.--The 
 approximately 5.1-mile segment of the Middle Fork of Cabin 
 Creek in the State of Montana from the source in the Madison 
 Range downstream to the confluence with Cabin Creek, to be 
 administered by the Secretary of Agriculture as a scenic 
 river.''.

    (b) Consent of Owner of Land Required.--No land or interest in land 
located within the boundary of a covered segment may be acquired by the 
Secretary of Agriculture without the consent of the owner of the land 
or interest in land.
            (c) Effect of Designations on Water Rights.--Nothing in this Act or 
an amendment made by this Act affects valid existing rights, 
including--

    (1) Federal, Tribal, and interstate water compacts in 
 existence on the date of enactment of this Act (including full 
 development of any apportionment made in accordance with the 
 compacts);

    (2) water rights in the State of Montana; and

    (3) water rights held by the United States.
            (d) Effect of Designations on Hebgen and Madison Developments.--

    (1) Hebgen dam and reservoir and madison dam and 
 reservoir.--The Hebgen Dam and Reservoir and the Madison Dam 
 and Reservoir are located entirely outside of the covered 
 segments, and these dams (including all aspects of their 
 facilities and operations) are compatible with the designation 
 made by the amendments made by subsection

    (a) .

    (2) Effects on current and future hydroelectric 
 facilities.--
        (A) In general.--The designation of the river 
 segments by the amendments made by subsection

    (a) shall 
 not--
            (i) impact or alter the existing terms of 
 permitting, licensing, or operation of--
            (I) the Hebgen Dam located on the 
 Upper Madison River in Montana (FERC P-
 2188); or
            (II) the Madison Dam located near 
 Ennis, Montana (FERC P-2188); or
            (ii) preclude the Federal Energy Regulatory 
 Commission from licensing, relicensing, or 
 otherwise authorizing the operation or 
 continued operation of the facilities named in 
 clause
            (i) .
        (B) Hydropower generation.--Nothing in this Act 
 abrogates adding hydropower generation facilities to 
 the Hebgen Dam.

    (3) Licensing and expansion.--Notwithstanding 

Section 7

    (a) of the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act, 

section 4

    (e) of the Federal 
 Power Act shall govern the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission 
 consideration of licenses, relicenses, or expansion of the 
 Hebgen and Madison Developments.

    (4) Limitation.--The Hebgen and Madison Developments shall 
 not be expanded to the area within the covered segments.

    (e) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated such sums as are necessary to carry out this Act, 
including the amendments made by this Act.

    (f) Covered Segment Defined.--The term ``covered segment'' means a 
river segment designated by paragraphs

    (233) through

    (237) of 

section 3

    (a) of the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act (16 U.S.C. 1274

    (a) ) (as amended 
by subsection

    (a) of this section).
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