This bill protects approximately 126,554 acres of federal land in Washington's Olympic region by establishing 14 new or expanded wilderness areas and designating 21 river segments as "Wild and Scenic Rivers" under federal protection. The wilderness areas include new zones such as Lost Creek, Rugged Ridge, and Gates of the Elwha, while the protected river segments—including the Bogachiel, Hoh, Quillayute, and Lyre Rivers—are classified as wild, scenic, or recreational depending on their development level. Management of these protected areas falls to the Secretaries of Agriculture and Interior, with some segments managed cooperatively by Washington State, and the bill requires updated management plans within 3-5 years. The legislation allows restoration projects and endangered species recovery activities while preserving existing private property rights and Native American treaty rights, and it prohibits mining, drilling, and mineral leasing on the designated federal lands. The bill does not specify funding amounts or implementation timelines beyond the 3-5 year planning requirement.
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