§ 3203. — Wilderness management.
[Laws in effect as of January 24, 2002]
[Document not affected by Public Laws enacted between
January 24, 2002 and December 19, 2002]
[CITE: 16USC3203]
TITLE 16--CONSERVATION
CHAPTER 51--ALASKA NATIONAL INTEREST LANDS CONSERVATION
SUBCHAPTER VI--ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS
Sec. 3203. Wilderness management
(a) Application only to Alaska
The provisions of this section are enacted in recognition of the
unique conditions in Alaska. Nothing in this section shall be construed
to expand, diminish, or modify the provisions of the Wilderness Act [16
U.S.C. 1131 et seq.] or the application or interpretation of such
provisions with respect to lands outside of Alaska.
(b) Aquaculture
In accordance with the goal of restoring and maintaining fish
production in the State of Alaska to optimum sustained yield levels and
in a manner which adequately assures protection, preservation,
enhancement, and rehabilitation of the wilderness resource, the
Secretary of Agriculture may permit fishery research, management,
enhancement, and rehabilitation activities within national forest
wilderness and national forest wilderness study areas designated by this
Act. Subject to reasonable regulations, permanent improvements and
facilities such as fishways, fish weirs, fish ladders, fish hatcheries,
spawning channels, stream clearance, egg planting, and other accepted
means of maintaining, enhancing, and rehabilitating fish stocks may be
permitted by the Secretary to achieve this objective. Any fish hatchery,
fishpass or other aquaculture facility authorized for any such area
shall be constructed, managed, and operated in a manner that minimizes
adverse impacts on the wilderness character of the area. Developments
for any such activities shall involve those facilities essential to
these operations and shall be constructed in such rustic manner as to
blend into the natural character of the area. Reasonable access solely
for the purposes of this subsection, including temporary use of
motorized equipment, shall be permitted in furtherance of research,
management, rehabilitation and enhancement activities subject to
reasonable regulations as the Secretary deems desirable to maintain the
wilderness character, water quality, and fish and wildlife values of the
area.
(c) Existing cabins
Previously existing public use cabins within wilderness designated
by this Act, may be permitted to continue and may be maintained or
replaced subject of such restrictions as the Secretary deems necessary
to preserve the wilderness character of the area.
(d) New cabins
Within wilderness areas designated by this Act, the Secretary or the
Secretary of Agriculture as appropriate, is authorized to construct and
maintain a limited number of new public use cabins and shelters if such
cabins and shelters are necessary for the protection of the public
health and safety. All such cabins or shelters shall be constructed of
materials which blend and are compatible with the immediate and
surrounding wilderness landscape. The Secretary or the Secretary of
Agriculture, as appropriate, shall notify the House Committee on Natural
Resources and the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of
his intention to remove an existing or construct a new public use cabin
or shelter.
(e) Timber contracts
The Secretary of Agriculture is hereby directed to modify any
existing national forest timber sale contracts applying to lands
designated by this Act as wilderness by substituting, to the extent
practicable, timber on the other national forest lands approximately
equal in volume, species, grade, and accessibility for timber or
relevant lands within such units.
(f) Beach log salvage
With National Forest wilderness and national forest monuments
desginated \1\ by this Act, the Secretary of Agriculture may permit or
otherwise regulate the recovery and salvage of logs from coastlines.
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\1\ So in original. Probably should be ``designated''.
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(Pub. L. 96-487, title XIII, Sec. 1315, Dec. 2, 1980, 94 Stat. 2484;
Pub. L. 103-437, Sec. 6(d)(31), Nov. 2, 1994, 108 Stat. 4584.)
References in Text
The Wilderness Act, referred to in subsec. (a), is Pub. L. 88-577,
Sept. 3, 1964, 78 Stat. 890, as amended, which is classified generally
to chapter 23 (Sec. 1131 et seq.) of this title. For complete
classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out
under section 1131 of this title and Tables.
This Act, referred to in subsecs. (b) to (f), is Pub. L. 96-487,
Dec. 2, 1980, 94 Stat. 2371, as amended, known as the Alaska National
Interest Lands Conservation Act. For complete classification of this Act
to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 3101 of this
title and Tables.
Amendments
1994--Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 103-437 substituted ``Natural Resources''
for ``Interior and Insular Affairs'' after ``Committee on''.
Change of Name
Committee on Natural Resources of House of Representatives treated
as referring to Committee on Resources of House of Representatives by
section 1(a) of Pub. L. 104-14, set out as a note preceding section 21
of Title 2, The Congress.
