Shenandoah Mountain Act

Key Points

• The bill creates the Shenandoah Mountain National Scenic Area, covering about 92,500 acres in the George Washington and Jefferson National Forests. This designation aims to protect the area's natural beauty, water quality, and wildlife habitats, including the rare Cow Knob salamander.
• It designates four new wilderness areas and expands one existing wilderness area, totaling nearly 34,000 acres. These areas will receive the highest level of federal land protection, meaning they will remain undeveloped and mostly free of motorized vehicles or equipment.
• The policy bans new road construction and commercial timber harvesting within the scenic area. However, the Forest Service can still cut trees to manage fires, ensure public safety, or stop insect outbreaks that threaten the forest.
• The land would be closed to new mining, oil and gas drilling, and large-scale renewable energy projects like wind or solar farms. This ensures the landscape remains natural and undisturbed by industrial development.
• Outdoor recreation like hiking and camping will continue, and the Forest Service must create a new trail plan within two years. Existing roads will stay open for public access, and local towns can still build or maintain dams and reservoirs for their water supply.

Impact Analysis

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