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HR 980 111th Congress House

Northern Rockies Ecosystem Protection Act

Official title: To designate certain National Forest System lands and public lands under the jurisdiction of the Secretary of the Interior in the States of Idaho, Montana, Ore… Show full official titleShow less

Official title: To designate certain National Forest System lands and public lands under the jurisdiction of the Secretary of the Interior in the States of Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington, and Wyoming as wilderness, wild and scenic rivers, wildland recovery areas, and biological connecting corridors, and for other purposes.

Introduced: March 3, 2009 See on congress.gov
Public Lands and Natural Resources Advisory bodiesAir qualityEcologyEnvironmental assessment, monitoring, research
More subjectsShow fewer subjects
Federal-Indian relationsForests, forestry, treesIdahoIndian lands and resources rightsMontanaOregonParks, recreation areas, trailsRoads and highwaysWashington StateWater qualityWilderness and natural areas, wildlife refuges, wild rivers, habitatsWildlife conservation and habitat protectionWyoming
This bill died when the 111th Congress ended
It never became law before the 111th Congress (2009–2010) adjourned, and bills don't carry over to the next Congress. It would have to be reintroduced. You can still save it for reference, but it won't receive updates.
 Everywhere this bill has been 5 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
May 5, 2009
Subcommittee Hearings Held.
Feb 20, 2009
Referred to the Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands.
Feb 11, 2009
Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.
Feb 11, 2009
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E243-244)
Feb 11, 2009
Introduced in House
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 Latest action May 5, 2009

Subcommittee Hearings Held.

 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service
Northern Rockies Ecosystem Protection Act - Designates the following lands in Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington, and Wyoming as wilderness and components of the National Wilderness Preservation System (System): (1) Greater Glacier/Northern Continental Divide ecosystem; (2) Greater Yellowstone ecosystem; (3) Greater Salmon/Selway ecosystem; (4) Greater Cabinet/Yaak/Selkirk ecosystem; (5) Greater Hells Canyon ecosystem; (6) Islands in the Sky Wilderness; and (7) Blackfeet Wilderness.

Designates: (1) specified wild land areas as Biological Connecting Corridors to protect the life flow of the Northern Rockies Bioregion; (2) the inventoried roadless areas identified as part of the Corridors as wilderness and components of the System; and (3) certain biological connecting corridors as special corridor management areas.

Amends the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act to designate segments of specified rivers and creeks in Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming as components of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System.

Establishes the National Wildland Restoration and Recovery System and the National Wildland Recovery Corps.

Requires the Secretaries of the Interior and Agriculture to assure nonexclusive access to the specified areas and corridors designated by this Act by Native Americans for traditional cultural and religious purposes.

 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 2
Cite this page click to expand
APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). H.R. 980: Northern Rockies Ecosystem Protection Act. 111th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/111-HR-980/
MLA
"H.R. 980: Northern Rockies Ecosystem Protection Act." 111th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/111-HR-980/.
Bluebook (legal)
H.R. 980, 111th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/111-HR-980/.
Markdown link
[H.R. 980: Northern Rockies Ecosystem Protection Act](https://openamerica.io/bill/111-HR-980/)
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