§460qq Establishment

Summary

Creates the Allegheny National Recreation Area inside the Allegheny National Forest in Pennsylvania. The area is about 23,100 acres as shown on a March 1984 proposed map. The Secretary of Agriculture can change the boundaries to fix mistakes or add nearby land bought later. The area must be managed for outdoor recreation (for example, hunting, fishing, boating on the Allegheny Reservoir, hiking, camping, backpacking, and nature study); for conserving fish, wildlife, and habitat; for protecting watersheds, streams, and water quality; and for preserving scenic, cultural, and natural values. Private oil, gas, and mineral development is allowed only under reasonable rules the Secretary sets and must follow the area’s management plan. Any such activity needs an operations plan that includes reclamation and, when possible, revegetation after each phase. The Secretary must follow National Forest System laws and prepare a management plan; the first plan and major changes need an environmental impact statement under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969. Hunting, fishing, and trapping are allowed under federal and state law, but the Secretary may set no‑hunt zones or times for safety or management after consulting the state (except in emergencies). Federal lands’ minerals inside the area are withdrawn from mining and mineral leasing laws, including geothermal leasing, as long as valid existing rights remain. Nothing in this creates or changes rules for other national forest areas.