# National Wild & Scenic Rivers System; Approval of Application > Briefs, arguments, decisions, and more. URL: https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/documents/fr%3A94-2287 ## Record - **Collection:** Federal Register - **Document type:** Uncategorized Document - **Published:** February 2, 1994 ## Text DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Office of the Secretary National Wild & Scenic Rivers System; Approval of Application AGENCY: Office of the Secretary, DOI. ACTION: Notice of approval. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: The Secretary of the Interior hereby announces approval of an application by the Governor of Arkansas to include segments of the Cossatot River, Arkansas and its tributary Brushy Creek as state- administered components of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Alan Ragins, Rivers, Trails and Conservation Program, National Park Service, Southwest Region, P.O. Box 728, 1220 St. Francis Drive, Santa Fe, New Mexico 87504-0728 (Telephone: 505-988-1876). SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Pursuant to the authority granted the Secretary of the Interior by section 2 of the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act (Pub. L. 90-542, as amended; 16 U.S.C. 1273, et seq.) and upon proper application of the Governor of the State of Arkansas, a 10.4- mile segment of the Cossatot River and a 0.3-mile segment of Brushy Creek in Arkansas are hereby designated as state-administered components of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System. The Secretarial designation covers that part of the Cossatot and Brushy Creek within the boundaries of the Cossatot River Sate Park- Natural Area in Polk and Howard Counties. This action is based on the designation of the river by the State of Arkansas and the protection offered this river and its immediate environment by and pursuant to applicable State laws and regulations. On July 3, 1990, President Clinton, then the Governor of Arkansas, petitioned the Secretary of the Interior to add the above described segments of the Cossatot River to the National System. On April 22, 1992, Congress added the Cossatot to the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System (Pub. L. 102-275). However, the State is pursuing its original request for Secretarial designation for the following reasons: 1. To officially classify the State-managed river segments as ``Scenic.'' 2. To recognize the State Management Plan for the Cossatot River State Park and Natural Area. 3. To refine the current definition of the State's portion of the scenic river corridor. In response to the Governor's request, the Secretary, through the National Park Service conducted a complete review of the State application and documents associated with the designation decision. As a result of that review, the Secretary has determined that the 10.4- mile segment of the Cossatot River and a 0.3-mile segment of Brushy Creek in the State's application should be designated as a State- administered component of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System, as provided for in section 2(a)(ii) of the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act. The State of Arkansas has fulfilled the requirements of the Act by designating these segments as components of the Arkansas System of Natural and Scenic Rivers and by adopting a program of action that will adequately protect the river from adverse State actions. The National Park Service evaluation of the river concluded that these segments of the Cossatot River and Brushy Creek meet the criteria for the scenic classification under the Act. Accordingly, the following river segments are classified as scenic pursuant to section 2(b) of the Act to be administered by State government: Cossatot River: Scenic--The 10.4-mile segment of the Cossatot River within the boundaries of the Cossatot River State Park-Natural Area just above the State Highway 246 crossing, at the Ouachita National Forest boundary in Polk County to the crossing at State Highway 4 in Howard County. Brushy Creek: Scenic--The 0.3-mile segment of Brushy Creek within the boundaries of the Cossatot River State Park-Natural Area in Polk County. This action is taken following public involvement and consultation with the Departments of Agriculture, Army, Energy, Transportation, the Federal Energy Regulation Commission, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as required by section 4(c) of the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act. A 45-day period for public comment on the State's application and river management plan and on the environmental assessment of the proposed national designation was provided from April 15, 1991, to May 31, 1991. All comments received have been carefully considered. Notice is hereby given that effective upon this date, the above- described river segments are approved for inclusion in the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System to be administered by the State of Arkansas. Dated: January 14, 1994. Bruce Babbitt, Secretary of the Interior. [FR Doc. 94-2287 Filed 2-1-94; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4310-70-M --- Source: Frix Law Library, https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/documents/fr%3A94-2287. Public record. Not legal advice.