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West Virginia National Interest River Conservation Act of 1987

Public Law 100-534 · H.R. 900 · 100th Congress · began in the House

Signed by Ronald Reagan (R) on Oct 26, 1988 · Water Resources Development

Sponsor: Rep. Nick Rahall (D-WV-4)

Cosponsors (13): Rep. Harley Staggers,

Passage votes

  • HouseUnanimous consent
  • SenateVoice vote
Data notes

The final version of the law, as each chamber passed it. A chamber that passed it by voice vote or unanimous consent has no count. “Method not stated” means the record does not say how the chamber voted. Where the record has a member-by-member vote, the “Who voted for it” section shows who voted yea.

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Summary

The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.

(House agreed to Senate amendment with amendment under suspension of rules)

West Virginia National Interest River Conservation Act of 1987 - Title I: New River Gorge National River - Amends the National Parks and Recreation Act of 1978 to modify the boundary of the New River Gorge National River. Authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to enter into cooperative agreements with State or local agencies for fire and law enforcement services on a reimbursable basis.

Directs the Secretary to acquire the necessary lands and develop access to the River near Cunard. Permits motorized towing of whitewater rafts as an interim measure.

Directs the Secretary of the Army to study and report to the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources and the House Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs by the end of 1989 on the feasibility of adjusting the timing of daily releases from the Bluestone Lake Project during certain rates of flow. Requires the Secretary to conduct test releases during the summer of 1989.

Authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to construct a scenic overlook and visitor information facility at Glade Creek within the boundary of the New River Gorge National River. Authorizes appropriations.

Title II: Gauley River National Recreation Area - Establishes the Gauley River National Recreation Area. Requires the Secretary of the Interior to submit within five years to specified congressional committees a report on any boundary modifications for such Area. Permits hunting and fishing except in designated zones. Provides that nothing in this Act shall be construed as affecting the jurisdiction of West Virginia with respect to fish and wildlife. Authorizes the Secretary to enter into cooperative agreements with State or local agencies for fire and law enforcement services on a reimbursable basis. Requires the Secretary to improve access to such Area through facility construction. Authorizes road maintenance, and/or land acquisition activities. Earmarks lands and projects related to the operation of the Summersville Project for special management. Authorizes appropriations.

Establishes the Gauley River National Recreation Area Advisory Committee to assist in developing a management plan for such Area. Terminates such Committee after ten years.

Title III: Bluestone National Scenic River - Amends the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act to designate a segment of the Bluestone River, West Virginia, as a component of the wild and scenic rivers system.

Title IV: General Provisions - Requires the Secretary to cooperate with State and local authorities for developing and promoting recreational resources in West Virginia.

Requires the Secretary to establish a public awareness program within specified counties of West Virginia to explain the significance of the wild and scenic river designations made by this Act. Requires the Secretary to report to specified congressional committees on such program.

Requires the Secretary to consolidate offices and administration of the areas designated by this Act.

Makes any spending authority pursuant to this Act subject to amounts provided in appropriation Acts.

Title V: Technical Change to Wild and Scenic Rivers Act - Makes a technical amendment to the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act.

Committees

The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.

Data notes

A committee links to its page only where it exists in the current Congress; older and renamed committees are named without a link.

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Timeline

From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 20 actions.

  1. Oct 26, 1988Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 100-534.
  2. Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
  3. Oct 14, 1988PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
  4. Oct 7, 1988Resolving differencesResolving differences · Senate agreed to the House amendment to the Senate amendment by Voice Vote.
  5. Oct 4, 1988Resolving differencesResolving differences · House Concurred, in Senate Amendments , with Amendments by Unanimous Consent.
  6. Sep 8, 1988FloorFloor · Passed Senate with an amendment by Voice Vote.
  7. Aug 11, 1988CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee
  8. Aug 3, 1988CommitteeCommittee · Markup by Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee
  9. Apr 19, 1988CommitteeCommittee · Hearings by National Parks Subcommittee of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee
  10. May 28, 1987CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee
  11. CommitteeCommittee · Referred to National Parks Subcommittee of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee
  12. May 27, 1987FloorFloor · Passed House (Amended) by Yea-Nay Vote: 344 - 39 (Record Vote No: 148).House roll call 148
  13. CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Natural Resources Committee
  14. May 13, 1987CommitteeCommittee · Markup by House Natural Resources Committee
  15. May 5, 1987CommitteeCommittee · Reported by National Parks and Public Lands Subcommittee of the House Natural Resources Committee
  16. CommitteeCommittee · Markup by National Parks and Public Lands Subcommittee of the House Natural Resources Committee
  17. Apr 23, 1987CommitteeCommittee · Hearings by National Parks and Public Lands Subcommittee of the House Natural Resources Committee
  18. Mar 18, 1987CommitteeCommittee · Referred to National Parks and Public Lands Subcommittee of the House Natural Resources Committee
  19. Jan 29, 1987CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Natural Resources Committee
  20. IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in the House
Data notes

Shows the introduction, each committee and subcommittee step the source dates (referral, hearings, markup, report, discharge), and the floor, conference, presidential and became-law steps. Calendar placements, messages between the chambers, amendments and committee report numbers are not shown for laws before the 108th Congress. Two entries the source lists twice are shown once.

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Official record

The bill’s full text and every action, including introduction and committee steps, are on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.