[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2548 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
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119th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 2548
To designate the Camp Hutchins Wilderness and establish Special
Management Areas in the Shawnee National Forest in the State of
Illinois, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
July 30, 2025
Mr. Durbin introduced the following bill; which was read twice and
referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To designate the Camp Hutchins Wilderness and establish Special
Management Areas in the Shawnee National Forest in the State of
Illinois, 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 ``Shawnee National Forest Conservation
Act of 2025''.
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Designated natural area.--The term ``designated natural
area'' means an area determined to be of exceptional
ecological, botanical, geologic, scenic, or archeological value
by--
(A) the Secretary; and
(B)(i) the State of Illinois; or
(ii) the Secretary of the Interior, acting through
the Director of the National Park Service.
(2) Designated research natural area.--The term
``designated research natural area'' means an area that has
been selected by the Secretary, and is managed by the Forest
Service, for scientific research value.
(3) Map.--The term ``Map'' means the map prepared by the
Environmental Law and Policy Center entitled ``Camp Hutchins
Wilderness Area and Special Management Area'' and dated
November 23, 2023.
(4) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of Agriculture, acting through the Chief of the Forest Service.
(5) Special management area.--The term ``Special Management
Area'' means a Special Management Area established by section
4(a).
SEC. 3. CAMP HUTCHINS WILDERNESS.
(a) Addition to the National Wilderness Preservation System.--In
accordance with the Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. 1131 et seq.), certain
land in the Shawnee National Forest in the State of Illinois managed by
the Forest Service, comprising approximately 750 acres and generally
depicted on the Map as ``Camp Hutchins Wilderness Area--Proposed'', is
designated as wilderness and as a component of the National Wilderness
Preservation System, and shall be known as the ``Camp Hutchins
Wilderness''.
(b) Management.--Subject to valid existing rights, the Camp
Hutchins Wilderness shall be administered by the Secretary in
accordance with the Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. 1131 et seq.), except
that any reference in that Act to the effective date shall be
considered to be a reference to the date of enactment of this Act.
(c) Hiking Trail.--Forest Road 211 shall be closed to public
vehicular traffic and shall be maintained as a hiking trail, including
the eastern extension of Forest Road 211 formerly known as the
``Hutchins Creek Spur'' up to the area known as ``Hutchins Creek
Corridor'', as generally depicted on the Map.
(d) Withdrawal.--Subject to valid existing rights, all Federal land
within the Camp Hutchins Wilderness, including any land or interest in
land that is acquired by the United States within the Camp Hutchins
Wilderness after the date of enactment of this Act, is withdrawn from--
(1) entry, appropriation, or disposal under the public land
laws;
(2) location, entry, and patent under the mining laws; and
(3) operation of the mineral leasing, mineral materials,
and geothermal leasing laws.
(e) Map and Legal Description.--
(1) In general.--As soon as practicable after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall file a map and legal
description of the Camp Hutchins Wilderness with--
(A) the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and
Forestry of the Senate; and
(B) the Committee on Agriculture of the House of
Representatives.
(2) Effect.--The map and legal description filed under
paragraph (1) shall have the same force and effect as if
included in this Act, except that the Secretary may correct
clerical and typographical errors in the map and legal
description.
(3) Availability.--The map and legal description filed
under paragraph (1) shall be on file and available for public
inspection in the appropriate office of the Secretary and on
the Forest Service website.
SEC. 4. ESTABLISHMENT OF SPECIAL MANAGEMENT AREAS.
(a) Establishment.--Subject to valid existing rights, the following
Special Management Areas within the Shawnee National Forest in the
State of Illinois are established:
(1) Camp hutchins special management area.--Certain Federal
land managed by the Forest Service, comprising approximately
2,953 acres and generally depicted on the Map as ``Camp
Hutchins Special Management Area--Proposed'', which shall be
known as the ``Camp Hutchins Special Management Area''.
(2) Ripple hollow special management area.--Certain Federal
land managed by the Forest Service, comprising approximately
3,445 acres and generally depicted as ``Ripple Hollow Special
Management Area--Proposed'' on the map prepared by the
Environmental Law and Policy Center entitled ``Ripple Hollow
Special Management Area'' and dated November 23, 2023, which
shall be known as the ``Ripple Hollow Special Management
Area''.
(3) Burke branch special management area.--Certain Federal
land managed by the Forest Service, comprising approximately
6,310 acres and generally depicted as ``Burke Branch Special
Management Area--Proposed'', on the map prepared by the
Environmental Law and Policy Center entitled ``Burke Branch
Special Management Area'' and dated November 23, 2023, which
shall be known as the ``Burke Branch Special Management Area''.
(b) Purposes.--The purposes of the Special Management Areas are--
(1) to conserve, protect, and enhance the ecological,
scenic, wildlife, recreational, cultural, historic,
educational, and scientific resources of the Special Management
Areas for the benefit and enjoyment of present and future
generations;
(2) to promote biodiversity and control invasive species;
and
(3) to allow for the continuation of restoration efforts
and scientific study of the designated natural areas and
designated research natural areas within the Special Management
Areas.
SEC. 5. ADMINISTRATION OF SPECIAL MANAGEMENT AREAS.
(a) In General.--The Secretary shall administer the Special
Management Areas--
(1) in a manner that conserves, protects, and enhances the
purposes for which the Special Management Areas are
established; and
(2) in accordance with--
(A) this section; and
(B) other applicable laws.
(b) Management Plan.--Not later than 3 years after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall develop a comprehensive
management plan for the long-term protection and management of the
Special Management Areas.
(c) Uses.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary shall allow only uses of the
Special Management Areas that are consistent with the purposes
for which the Special Management Areas are established.
(2) Prescribed fire.--The Secretary may use prescribed fire
to sustain the ecological structure and composition of the
Special Management Areas to sustain the biodiversity of the
Special Management Areas.
(3) Management tools.--
(A) In general.--The Secretary may use herbicides,
insecticides, and mechanized equipment in the control
of fire, insects, disease, and invasive species,
including the use of chainsaws, drones, aircraft,
pickup trucks, all-terrain vehicles, and rubber and
tracked vehicles to carry out management of the Special
Management Areas approved by the Secretary.
(B) Requirement.--In carrying out management of the
Special Management Areas, the Secretary shall use the
best available technology and science.
(4) Motorized vehicles.--Except in cases in which motorized
vehicles are needed for administrative purposes, emergency
response, or access on established roads accessing trailheads,
or are essential to provide off-road access for ecosystem
management of habitat, the use of motor vehicles in the Special
Management Areas shall be prohibited.
(5) Roads.--The Secretary shall decommission and remove
roads within the Special Management Areas, except roads needed
for management or access to trailheads, as soon as practicable.
(6) Timber.--
(A) In general.--Commercial timber harvesting,
except as needed for fire, insect, and disease control,
and for visitor and administrative safety, in the
Special Management Areas shall be prohibited.
(B) Activities permitted.--Thinning of trees and
other vegetation in the Special Management Areas shall
be permitted for restoration of the designated natural
areas and designated research natural areas and to
further the management objectives described in this
section.
(7) Inholdings.--
(A) In general.--Access to private inholdings in
the Special Management Areas shall be preserved.
(B) Acquisitions.--The Secretary shall acquire any
private inholdings in the Special Management Areas by
purchase or exchange as soon as feasible.
(8) Hunting and trapping.--
(A) Hunting.--Hunting shall be permitted in the
Special Management Areas as permitted by the State of
Illinois and in accordance with regulations of the
State of Illinois and regulations of the Forest
Service.
(B) Trapping.--Trapping shall not be permitted in
the Special Management Areas.
(C) Access by motorized vehicles.--Access within
the Special Management Areas by hunters in motorized
vehicles shall be prohibited.
(9) Volunteer restoration and research.--
(A) Volunteers.--The Secretary shall allow
organized groups of volunteers to participate in
ecological restoration activities under the guidance of
Forest Service ecologists and botanists within the
Special Management Areas through cooperative
agreements.
(B) Access for research purposes.--The Secretary
shall allow access to the Special Management Areas for
scientific research by qualified individuals and
organizations, as determined by the Secretary.
(10) Ongoing management decisions.--The Supervisor of the
Shawnee National Forest shall have the authority, without
requiring the permission of the Secretary, to make management
decisions concerning any designated natural area or designated
research natural area within the Special Management Areas
pursuant to the land and resource management plan for the
Shawnee National Forest.
(d) Withdrawal.--Subject to valid existing rights, all Federal land
within the Special Management Areas, including any land or interest in
land that is acquired by the United States within the Special
Management Areas after the date of enactment of this Act, is withdrawn
from--
(1) entry, appropriation, or disposal under the public land
laws;
(2) location, entry, and patent under the mining laws; and
(3) operation of the mineral leasing, mineral materials,
and geothermal leasing laws.
(e) Maps and Legal Descriptions.--
(1) In general.--As soon as practicable after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall file a map and legal
description of each Special Management Area with--
(A) the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources
of the Senate; and
(B) the Committee on Natural Resources of the House
of Representatives.
(2) Effect.--The maps and legal descriptions filed under
paragraph (1) shall have the same force and effect as if
included in this Act, except that the Secretary may correct
clerical and typographical errors in the maps and legal
descriptions.
(3) Availability.--The maps and legal descriptions filed
under paragraph (1) shall be on file and available for public
inspection in the appropriate office of the Secretary and on
the Forest Service website.
(f) Public Information.--Annually, the Secretary shall make
publicly available on the website of the Shawnee National Forest
information describing the progress in achieving the management
objectives described in this section.
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