S. 2548

119 S2548 IS: Shawnee National Forest Conservation Act of 2025
 U.S. Senate
 2025-07-30
 text/xml
 EN
 Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.
  II
  119th CONGRESS
  1st Session
  S. 2548
  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.
1.
Short title
This Act may be cited as the   Shawnee National Forest Conservation Act of 2025  .
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).
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.
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.
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.