WEST VIRGINIA NATIONAL RIVERS AMENDMENTS OF 1996.

SEC. 406. WEST VIRGINIA NATIONAL RIVERS AMENDMENTS OF 1996. (a) Amendments Pertaining to the New River Gorge National River.— (1) Boundaries.—Section 1101 of the National Parks and Recreation Act of 1978 (16 U.S.C. 460m-15) is amended by striking out “NERI-80,023, dated January 1987” and inserting “NERI-80,028A, dated March 1996”. (2) Fish and wildlife management.—Section 1106 of the National Parks and Recreation Act of 1978 (16 U.S.C. 460m-20) is amended by adding the following at the end thereof: 110 STAT. 4150 “The Secretary shall permit the State of West Virginia to under-take fish stocking activities carried out by the State, in consultation with the Secretary, on waters within the boundaries of the national river. Nothing in this Act shall be construed as affecting the jurisdiction of the State of West Virginia with respect to fish and wildlife.”. (3) Conforming amendments.—Title XI of the National Parks and Recreation Act of 1978 (16 U.S.C. 460m-15 et seq.) is amended by adding the following new section at the end thereof: “SEC. 1117. APPLICABLE PROVISIONS OF OTHER LAW. “(a) Cooperative Agreements.—The provisions of section 202(e)(1) of the West Virginia National Interest River Conservation Act of 1987 (16 U.S.C. 460ww–1(e)(1)) shall apply to the New River Gorge National River in the same manner and to the same extent as such provisions apply to the Gauley River National Recreation Area. “(b) Remnant Lands.—The provisions of the second sentence of section 203(a) of the West Virginia National Interest River Conservation Act of 1987 (16 U.S.C. 460ww—2(a)) shall apply to tracts of land partially within the boundaries of the New River Gorge National River in the same manner and to the same extent as such provisions apply to tracts of land only partially within the Gauley River National Recreation Area.”. (b) Visitor Center.—The Secretary of the Interior is authorized to construct a visitor center and such other related facilities as may be deemed necessary to facilitate visitor understanding and enjoyment of the New River Gorge National River and the Gauley River National Recreation Area in the vicinity of the confluence of the New and Gauley Rivers. Such center and related facilities are authorized to be constructed at a site outside of the boundary of the New River Gorge National River or Gauley River National Recreation Area unless a suitable site is available within the boundaries of either unit. (c) Amendments Pertaining to the Gauley River National Recreation Area.— (1) Technical amendment.—Section 205(c) of the West Virginia National Interest River Conservation Act of 1987 (16 U.S.C. 460ww-4(c)) is amended by adding the following at the end thereof: “If project construction is not commenced within the time required in such license, or if such license is surrendered at any time, such boundary modification shall cease to have any force and effect.”. (2) Gauley access.—Section 202(e) of the West Virginia National Interest River Conservation Act of 1987 (16 U.S.C. 460wwl(e)) is amended by adding the following new paragraph at the end thereof: “(4) Access to river.—(A) In order to facilitate public safety, use, and enjoyment of the recreation area, and to protect, to the maximum extent feasible, the scenic and natural resources of the area, the Secretary is authorized and directed to acquire such lands or interests in lands and to take such actions as are necessary to provide access by noncommercial entities on the north side of the Gauley River at the area known as Woods Ferry utilizing existing roads and rights-of-way. Such actions by the Secretary shall include the 110 STAT. 4151construction of parking and related facilities in the vicinity of Woods Ferry for noncommercial use on lands acquired pursuant to paragraph (3) or on lands acquired with the consent of the owner thereof within the boundaries of the recreation area. “(B) If necessary, in the discretion of the Secretary, in order to minimize environmental impacts, including visual impacts, within portions of the recreation area immediately adjacent to the river, the Secretary may, by contract or other-wise, provide transportation services for noncommercial visitors, at reasonable cost, between such parking facilities and the river. “(C) Nothing in subparagraph (A) shall affect the rights of any person to continue to utilize, pursuant to a lease in effect on April 1, 1993, any right of way acquired pursuant to such lease which authorizes such person to use an existing road referred to in subparagraph (A). Except as provided under paragraph (2) relating to access immediately downstream of the Summersville project, until there is compliance with this paragraph the Secretary is prohibited from acquiring or developing any other river access points within the recreation area.”. (d) Amendments Pertaining to the Bluestone National Scenic River.— (1) Boundaries.—Section 3(a)(65) of the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act (16 U.S.C. 1274(aX65)) is amended by striking out “WSRBLU/20,000, and dated January 1987” and inserting “BLUE-80,005, dated May 1996”. (2) Public access.—Section 3(a)(65) of the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act (16 U.S.C. 1274(a)(65)) is amended by adding the following at the end thereof: “In order to provide reasonable public access and vehicle parking for public use and enjoyment of the river designated by this paragraph, consistent with the preservation and enhancement of the natural and scenic values of such river, the Secretary may, with the consent of the owner thereof, negotiate a memorandum of understanding or cooperative agreement, or acquire not more than 10 acres of lands or interests in such lands, or both, as may be necessary to allow public access to the Bluestone River and to provide, outside the boundary of the scenic river, parking and related facilities in the vicinity of the area known as Eads Mill.”.