§ 460ggg-1. — National scenic area.
[Laws in effect as of January 24, 2002]
[Document not affected by Public Laws enacted between
January 24, 2002 and December 19, 2002]
[CITE: 16USC460ggg-1]
TITLE 16--CONSERVATION
CHAPTER 1--NATIONAL PARKS, MILITARY PARKS, MONUMENTS, AND SEASHORES
SUBCHAPTER CXVIII--ED JENKINS NATIONAL RECREATION AREA AND COOSA BALD
NATIONAL SCENIC AREA
Sec. 460ggg-1. National scenic area
(a) Designation and purposes
For the purposes of protecting and enhancing the natural beauty,
special ecological features, watershed integrity, mature-forest habitat,
scenic recreation opportunities and other distinctive values of certain
lands in Georgia, the lands in the Chattahoochee National Forest,
Georgia, which comprise approximately 7,100 acres, as generally depicted
on a map entitled ``Coosa Bald Scenic Area--Proposed'', dated July 1991,
are designated as a national scenic area and shall be known as the Coosa
Bald National Scenic Area (hereafter in this section referred to as the
``scenic area'').
(b) Administration
(1) Subject to valid existing rights, the Secretary shall administer
the scenic area in accordance with the laws, rules, and regulations
applicable to the National Forest System in such a way as to further the
purposes of this section.
(2) The Secretary may permit additional road construction in the
scenic area in furtherance of the purposes for which the scenic area is
established. Except as provided in this section, the Secretary may not
conduct timber harvesting in the scenic area. The Secretary may remove
timber in the scenic area in furtherance of this section, but only in a
manner which does not impair the purposes for which the scenic area is
established. Salvage or sanitation harvesting of timber stands which are
substantially damaged by fire, windthrow or other catastrophe, or are in
imminent danger from insect or disease attack, is authorized to maintain
forest health. Timber harvesting is authorized to provide for visitor
safety.
(3) By virtue of this designation alone, the Secretary need not
change patterns of public access or closure on existing permanent
national forest development roads. At his discretion, however, the
Secretary may open or close such existing roads for public use for
reasons of sound resource management.
(4) Nothing in this section shall prevent the completion of existing
timber sales under contract.
(5) The scenic area is hereby withdrawn from the operation of all
laws pertaining to mineral leasing.
(6) The Secretary may also permit, in his discretion, the continued
maintenance of existing wildlife openings, in cooperation with the State
of Georgia and other Federal, State, and private cooperators, and may
permit new wildlife openings in furtherance of the purposes for which
the scenic area is established.
(7) The Secretary shall protect, enhance, and promote the public's
opportunities for primitive and semiprimitive experiences in the scenic
area.
(Pub. L. 102-217, Sec. 3, Dec. 11, 1991, 105 Stat. 1667.)
References in Text
The laws pertaining to mineral leasing, referred to in subsec.
(b)(5), are classified generally to Title 30, Mineral Lands and Mining.
