Public Law 119-73 (01/23/2026)

16 U.S.C. § 460gg

Establishment

(a)

In general

To assure that the natural beauty, and historical and archeological values of the Hells Canyon area and the seventy-one-mile segment of the Snake River between Hells Canyon Dam and the Oregon-Washington border, together with portions of certain of its tributaries and adjacent lands, are preserved for this and future generations, and that the recreational and ecologic values and public enjoyment of the area are thereby enhanced, there is hereby established the Hells Canyon National Recreation Area.

(b)

Boundaries; publication in Federal Register

section 460gg–5(d) of this titlesection 460gg–5(d) of this titlesection 460gg–1 of this titleThe Hells Canyon National Recreation Area (hereinafter referred to as the “recreation area”), which includes the Hells Canyon Wilderness (hereinafter referred to as the “wilderness”), the components of the Wild and Scenic Rivers System designated in section 3 of this Act, and the wilderness study areas designated in , shall comprise the lands and waters generally depicted on the map entitled “Hells Canyon National Recreation Area” dated May 1978, which shall be on file and available for public inspection in the office of the Chief, Forest Service, United States Department of Agriculture. The Secretary of Agriculture (hereinafter referred to as “the Secretary”), shall, as soon as practicable, but no later than eighteen months after , publish a detailed boundary description of the recreation area, the wilderness study areas designated in , and the wilderness established in in the Federal Register.

Pub. L. 94–199, § 189 Stat. 1117Pub. L. 95–625, title VI, § 60792 Stat. 3520(, , ; , , .)

Editorial Notes

References in Text

section 3 of Pub. L. 94–199section 1274(a) of this titlesection 1274 of this titleSection 3 of this Act, referred to in subsec. (b), is . Subsec. (a) of section 3 added pars. (11) and (12) of , relating to components of the national wild and scenic rivers system. Subsec. (b) of section 3, relating to the administration of those segments of the Snake and Rapid Rivers designated as wild or scenic river areas, is set out as a note under .

Amendments

Pub. L. 95–6251978—Subsec. (b). substituted “May 1978” for “September 1975” to clarify that the boundary between Saulsberry and Freezeout Saddles is the hydrologic divide.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Separability

Pub. L. 94–199, § 1789 Stat. 1123

“If any provision of this Act [this subchapter] is declared to be invalid, such declaration shall not affect the validity of any other provision hereof.”
, , , provided that: