Emily Randall (D-WA)
Wild Olympics Wilderness and Wild and Scenic Rivers Act
A Democratic bill with no cosponsors
Last activity — Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.
In committee
Introduced and handed to a committee in the chamber it started in.
The committee holds it, and most bills are never heard from again. A hearing or a committee vote would be news; silence is the usual outcome, and it kills the bill without anyone voting against it.
Its path through Congress
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
This bill, titled the "Wild Olympics Wilderness and Wild and Scenic Rivers Act," aims to designate and expand several wilderness areas within the Olympic National Forest in Washington. It also designates numerous river segments in the Olympic National Forest and Olympic National Park as wild, scenic, or recreational rivers. The Act establishes administrative oversight for these lands and water segments by the Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary of the Interior. Additionally, it provides for the potential designation of certain lands as wilderness once specific conditions are met. Finally, the bill includes provisions to protect existing rights and Indian Treaty rights.
Yes· 3 of 5
- Scored +8
Does this better protect air, water and wildlife?
The bill designates extensive wilderness areas and wild/scenic river segments to protect ecological functions and species recovery.
- Scored +7
Would Native Americans be better off under this?
The bill explicitly preserves Indian Treaty rights for hunting, fishing, and gathering.
- Scored +5
Does this reduce how much oil, gas and coal is produced?
The bill withdraws designated lands from mineral and geothermal leasing.
The opposite
- Scored -4
Would business owners be better off under this?
The bill prohibits mineral, geothermal, and mining entries on the designated lands.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Wilderness Designations: The bill designates approximately 126,554 acres of Federal land in the Olympic National Forest as wilderness, including specific areas like the Lost Creek, Rugged Ridge, and Alckee Creek wilderness areas (Section 2(a)).
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Wild and Scenic River Designations: Numerous river segments, such as the Elwha, Dungeness, and Quinault rivers, are designated as wild, scenic, or recreational rivers to be administered by the Secretary of the Interior or the Secretary of Agriculture (Section 3(a)).
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Environmental Restoration: The Secretary of the Interior or Agriculture may authorize projects intended for river restoration, the recovery of endangered or threatened species, or the restoration of ecological and hydrological functions (Section 3(b)).
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Protection of Treaty Rights: The Act explicitly states that nothing in the bill alters, modifies, diminishes, or extinguishes the reserved treaty rights of any Indian Tribe regarding hunting, fishing, gathering, and cultural or religious rights (Section 5).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
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Restrictions on Land Use: The designated Federal land is withdrawn from forms of entry, appropriation, disposal, and location under mining laws, as well as from mineral and geothermal leasing (Section 4(b)).
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Management Requirements: The Secretary of Agriculture is required to incorporate these designations into updated management plans for units of the National Forest System within a specific timeframe (Section 3(c)).
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Tap or hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Environment Energy And Infrastructure
- Does this better protect air, water and wildlife? — The bill designates extensive wilderness areas and wild/scenic river segments to protect ecological functions and species recovery. Does this reduce how much oil, gas and coal is produced? — The bill withdraws designated lands from mineral and geothermal leasing.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would Native Americans be better off under this? — The bill explicitly preserves Indian Treaty rights for hunting, fishing, and gathering. Would people in rural areas be better off under this? — The bill protects significant natural resources and wilderness areas in the Olympic National Forest region. Would business owners be better off under this? — The bill prohibits mineral, geothermal, and mining entries on the designated lands.
- Social Issues And Justice
- Does this narrow racial gaps in how people are treated? — The bill explicitly protects the reserved treaty rights of Indian Tribes regarding hunting, fishing, gathering, and cultural rights.
- 5/13/2025
- Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.
- Introduced in House
One bill Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.