Skip to main content
HR 233 109th Congress House

Northern California Coastal Wild Heritage Wilderness Act

Official title: To designate certain National Forest System lands in the Mendocino and Six Rivers National Forests and certain Bureau of Land Management lands in Humboldt, Lak… Show full official titleShow less

Official title: To designate certain National Forest System lands in the Mendocino and Six Rivers National Forests and certain Bureau of Land Management lands in Humboldt, Lake, Mendocino, and Napa Counties in the State of California as wilderness, to designate the Elkhorn Ridge Potential Wilderness Area, to designate certain segments of the Black Butte River in Mendocino County, California as a wild or scenic river, and for other purposes.

Introduced: January 4, 2005 Introduced by: Thompson, Mike Democratic · California See on congress.gov
Public Lands and Natural Resources Arts, Culture, ReligionBeachesBoundariesCalifornia
More subjectsShow fewer subjects
Coastal zoneCommemorationsCongressCongressional reporting requirementsCultural propertyEmergency ManagementEnvironmental ProtectionFire preventionFishingForest firesGovernment Operations and PoliticsGovernment paperworkHistoric sitesHistoryIslands
 Everywhere this bill has been 20 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Oct 17, 2006
Signed by President.
Oct 17, 2006
Became Public Law No: 109-362.
Oct 5, 2006
Presented to President.
Sep 29, 2006
Message on Senate action sent to the House.
Sep 29, 2006
Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent. (consideration: CR S10537)
Sep 29, 2006
Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent.(consideration: CR S10537)
Jul 25, 2006
Received in the Senate. Read twice. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 533.
Jul 24, 2006
Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote.(text: CR H5630-5632)
Jul 24, 2006
On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H5630-5632)
Jul 24, 2006
Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
Jul 24, 2006
DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 233.
Jul 24, 2006
Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H5630-5633)
Jul 24, 2006
Mr. Walden (OR) moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
Jul 19, 2006
Subcommittee on Forests and Forest Health Discharged.
Jul 19, 2006
Ordered to be Reported by Voice Vote.
Jul 19, 2006
Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
Jul 14, 2005
Subcommittee Hearings Held.
Feb 3, 2005
Referred to the Subcommittee on Forests and Forest Health.
Jan 4, 2005
Introduced in House
Jan 4, 2005
Referred to the House Committee on Resources.
 Ask about this bill AI · grounded in the bill text

Have a question about what this bill does? Ask in plain English; the answer is drawn from the bill's actual text and official record, and it'll tell you when something isn't in the text rather than guess.

AI answers can be imperfect; always confirm against the full bill text.

 Latest action October 17, 2006

Became Public Law No: 109-362.

 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

(This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The expanded summary of the House passed version is repeated here.)

Northern California Coastal Wild Heritage Wilderness Act - Designates specified areas in Mendocino and Six Rivers National Forests and in Humboldt, Lake, Mendocino, and Napa Counties in the State of California as wilderness areas and as components of the National Wilderness Preservation System. Requires that such lands be administered by the Secretary of the Interior or the Secretary of Agriculture, whoever has current administrative jurisdiction. Withdraws such federal lands designated as wilderness by this Act from all forms of: (1) entry, appropriation, or disposal under the public land laws; (2) location, entry, and patent under the mining laws, and (3) disposition under all laws pertaining to mineral and geothermal leasing or mineral materials.

Releases from further wilderness study those portions of: (1) the King Range Wilderness Study Area, Chemise Mountain Instant Study Area, Red Mountain Wilderness Study Area, and Cedar Roughs Wilderness Study Area not designated as wilderness; and (2) the Rocky Creek/Cache Creek Wilderness Study Area in Lake County, California, not designated as wilderness.

Designates certain public land in the State administered by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) generally known as the South Fork Eel River Wilderness Area and Elkhorn Ridge Potential Wilderness as a potential wilderness area. Requires that the Secretary of the Interior manage such lands as wilderness and carry out ecological restoration activities.

Designates specified segments of the Black Butte River in the State as a wild and scenic river. Requires the Secretary of Agriculture to submit a fire management plan and a report on the cultural and historic resources of Black Butte River.

Includes land identified as the King Range National Conservation Area Additions in the King Range Wilderness Area.

Establishes the Cow Mountain Recreation Area in Lake and Mendocino Counties, California. Allows the Secretary of the Interior to acquire lands or interests in lands in the Recreation Area from willing persons only. Requires lands or interests in lands within or adjacent to the boundaries of the Recreation Area that are acquired by BLM, and title or possession of which is vested in the United States, to be managed by such Secretary as part of the Recreation Area.

Directs the Secretary of the Interior, in order to continue traditional commercial surf fishing, to permit the right of entry for authorized vehicle access onto the wave slope area at that area known as Gold Bluffs Beach, Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park, and that part of the beach north and south Redwood Creek in Redwood National and State Parks.

 Related & companion bills 1
 Bill text 5 versions

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 2
Cite this page click to expand
APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). H.R. 233: Northern California Coastal Wild Heritage Wilderness Act. 109th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/109-HR-233/
MLA
"H.R. 233: Northern California Coastal Wild Heritage Wilderness Act." 109th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/109-HR-233/.
Bluebook (legal)
H.R. 233, 109th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/109-HR-233/.
Markdown link
[H.R. 233: Northern California Coastal Wild Heritage Wilderness Act](https://openamerica.io/bill/109-HR-233/)
Report a problem