The Shenandoah Mountain Act establishes a new National Scenic Area encompassing approximately 92,562 acres in Virginia's George Washington and Jefferson National Forests. The bill also designates five new or expanded wilderness areas within the scenic area, protecting a total of about 34,000 additional acres, while safeguarding scenic quality, water resources, wildlife habitat, and old-growth forests, particularly protecting species like the Cow Knob salamander. The Forest Service will administer the area to allow existing recreational uses and develop a trail plan within two years, while prohibiting new road construction and timber harvesting except in limited cases involving fire control, public safety, and disease management. The legislation maintains access to existing roads, permits water infrastructure for municipal use, and allows for wildfire suppression and prescribed burns, with the Forest Service developing a comprehensive management plan within two years of enactment. The bill includes no new federal funding authorization, instead directing existing Forest Service resources to oversee the area's protection and recreation management.
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