Statement of Administration Policy: S. 248 - Niobrara Scenic River Designation Act of 1991

(Sent 3/21/91)
(Senate)
(Exon (D) Nebraska and Kerrey (D) Nebraska)

The Administration strongly opposes the enactment of S. 248. The bill would designate segments of the Niobrara and Missouri Rivers as components of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System, to be managed by the Secretary of the Interior as part of the National Park System. The Administration believes that a formal new area study should be a prerequisite for the establishment of any new unit of the National Park System. No such study of the Niobrara or the Missouri river segments has been conducted. A study is especially important in this case because the lands along the banks of the river segments affected by the bill are largely in private ownership.

S. 248 would also require Secretarial administration of the Missouri River segment to be in consultation with a recreational river advisory group established by the bill. This consultation requirement duplicates National Park System procedures and is unneeded.

Unless S. 248 is amended to provide for a study of possible future designation of the Niobrara and Missouri river segments as part of the National Wild and Scenic River System, and the advisory group provision is deleted, the Secretary of the Interior would recommend that the President veto S. 248.