Northern Rockies Ecosystem Protection Act

Economic Opportunities through Restoration: The bill provides opportunities for employment in outdoor trades by establishing rehabilitation zones on specific damaged Federal lands and providing contracts for local businesses (Sec. 2, Finding 21).

Protection of Natural Resources: The conservation of roadless areas is intended to produce clean water and protect native fisheries, flora, and fauna (Sec. 2, Finding 4).

Economic Stability through Resource Protection: Protecting the headwaters of major river systems is intended to benefit farming, ranching, municipal water supplies, and water-sated recreation (Sec. 2, Finding 5).

Preservation of Recreational Values: The act aims to preserve scenic and recreational qualities, as well as options for sustainable economics through hunting, fishing, and wilderness-based recreation (Sec. 2, Finding 4).

Community Growth: The preservation of pristine public land is noted to help local communities attract new residents and businesses based on local quality of life (Sec. 2, Finding 13).

Protection of Natural Landscapes: The bill designates numerous new wilderness areas, such as the Williams Creek, Stauffer Creek, and Oxford Mountain wildernesses, which preserve unique and beautiful mountain ranges (Section 107).

Wildlife and Ecosystem Stability: By designating biological connecting corridors, the act aims to protect wildlife and plant migration and genetic interchange between major ecosystems (Section 201).

Improved Water Quality and Availability: The bill reserves water rights sufficient to fulfill the purposes of the designated wilderness areas (Section 110) and requires special consideration for water quality during land recovery (Section 403).

Restoration of Land Health: The establishment of recovery areas is designed to restore native vegetative cover, reduce invasive species, and stabilize soils to prevent erosion (Section 403).

Protection of Tribal Rights and Culture: The act ensures nonexclusive access for Indians to protected areas for traditional cultural and religious purposes (Section 605) and protects the privacy of such activities (Section 605).

Impact on Resource Extraction: The bill notes that an overemphasis on resource extraction from public land has resulted in economic instability and high unemployment in rural, resource-dependent communities (Sec. 2, Finding 8).

Loss of Economic Returns: The act aims to avoid the misinvestment of capital in land that has marginal timber value (Sec. 3, Purpose (b)(8)).

Restrictions on Land Use: The designation of biological connecting corridors prohibits even-aged silvicultural management, timber harvesting, mining, oil, gas exploration, and the construction of new roads (Section 203).

Increased Restrictions on Road Access: Within the special corridor management areas, agencies are required to act to ensure road densities approach zero miles per square mile (Section 203).

Impact on Grazing Rights: The bill allows for the donation and termination of existing grazing permits or leases within designated wilderness and corridor areas (Section 111).

Restrictions on Future Development: The designation of roadless land includes prohibitions on the construction or reconstruction of new or existing roads, as well as timber harvesting and certain mineral developments (Section 503).