---
kind: "section"
citation: "16 U.S.C. § 544b"
title: "16"
title_heading: "Conservation"
number: "544b"
heading: "Establishment of scenic area"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/16/544b"
units:
  - "Chapter 2 — National Forests"
  - "Subchapter II — Scenic Areas"
---

# §544b. Establishment of scenic area

- (a) **National scenic area—**
  - (1) There is hereby established the Columbia River Gorge National [Scenic Area](/usc/16/544.md?p=o).
  - (2) **Boundaries.—**
    - (A) **In general.—** Except as provided in [subparagraph (B)](#a-2-B), the boundaries of the [scenic area](/usc/16/544.md?p=o) shall be generally depicted on the [map](/usc/16/430f–7.md?p=1) entitled “Boundary [Map](/usc/16/430f–7.md?p=1), Columbia River Gorge National [Scenic Area](/usc/16/544.md?p=o),” numbered NSA–001 sheets 1 and 2, and dated September 1986, which shall be on file and available for public inspection in the offices of the [Commission](/usc/16/544.md?p=c) and of the Chief, Forest Service.
    - (B) **Exclusions.—** The [scenic area](/usc/16/544.md?p=o) shall not include the approximately 29 acres of land owned by the Port of Camas-Washougal in the South ½ of [Section 16](/usc/16/16.md), Township 1 North, Range 4 East, and the North ½ of [Section 21](/usc/16/21.md), Township 1 North, Range 4 East, Willamete[^1] Meridian, Clark County, Washington, that consists of—
      - (i) the approximately 19 acres of Port land acquired from the Corps of Engineers under the Second Supplemental Appropriations Act, 1984 (Public Law 98–396); and
      - (ii) the approximately 10 acres of adjacent Port land to the west of the land described in [clause (i)](#a-2-B-i).
- (b) **Special management areas—**
  - (1) The following [areas](/usc/16/539m–1.md?p=1-A) within the boundaries of the [scenic area](/usc/16/544.md?p=o) are hereby designated “[Special Management Areas](/usc/16/544.md?p=q)”: Gates of the Columbia River Gorge; Wind Mountain; Burdoin Mountain; and Rowena.
  - (2) The boundaries of the [special management areas](/usc/16/544.md?p=q) designated by [paragraph (1)](#b-1)—
    - (A) shall be generally depicted on the [map](/usc/16/430f–7.md?p=1) entitled “[Special Management Areas](/usc/16/544.md?p=q), Columbia River Gorge National [Scenic Area](/usc/16/544.md?p=o)”, numbered SMA–002 sheets 1 through 17, and dated September 1986, which shall be on file and available for public inspection in the offices of the [Commission](/usc/16/544.md?p=c) and of the Chief, Forest Service; and
    - (B) shall include all islands within the boundaries of the [scenic area](/usc/16/544.md?p=o).
  - (3) **Modification of boundaries.—** The boundaries of the [special management areas](/usc/16/544.md?p=q) are modified as depicted on a [map](/usc/16/430f–7.md?p=1) dated September 20, 2000, which shall be on file and available for public inspection in the office of the Chief of the Forest Service in Washington, District of Columbia, and copies shall be available in the office of the [Commission](/usc/16/544.md?p=c), and the headquarters of the [scenic area](/usc/16/544.md?p=o).
- (c) **Revision of special management area boundaries—** The [Secretary](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-1), in consultation with the [Commission](/usc/16/544.md?p=c), may make minor revisions in the boundaries of [special management areas](/usc/16/544.md?p=q) after publication of notice to that effect in the Federal Register and submission of notice thereof to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the United States Senate and the Committees on Agriculture and Natural Resources of the United States House of Representatives. Such notice shall be published and submitted at least sixty days before the revision is made. Notice of final action regarding such revision shall also be published in the Federal Register.
- (d) **Dodson/Warrendale Special Purchase Unit—**
  - (1) There is hereby established the [Dodson/Warrendale Special Purchase Unit](/usc/16/544.md?p=e).
  - (2) The boundaries of the [Dodson/Warrendale Special Purchase Unit](/usc/16/544.md?p=e) shall be generally depicted on the [map](/usc/16/430f–7.md?p=1) entitled “[Dodson/Warrendale Special Purchase Unit](/usc/16/544.md?p=e), Columbia River Gorge National [Scenic Area](/usc/16/544.md?p=o)”, numbered SPU–003 sheet 1, and dated September 1986, which shall be on file and available for public inspection in the offices of the [Commission](/usc/16/544.md?p=c) and of the Chief, Forest Service.
- (e) **Urban areas—**
  - (1) The following cities and towns are hereby designated as “[Urban Areas](/usc/16/544.md?p=s)”: Cascade Locks, Hood River, Mosier, and The Dalles, Oregon; and Bingen, Carson, Dallesport, Home Valley, Lyle, North Bonneville, Stevenson, White Salmon, and Wishram, Washington.
  - (2) The boundaries of [urban areas](/usc/16/544.md?p=s) shall be generally depicted on the [map](/usc/16/430f–7.md?p=1) entitled, “[Urban Areas](/usc/16/544.md?p=s), Columbia River Gorge National [Scenic Area](/usc/16/544.md?p=o)”, numbered UA–004 sheets 1 through 11, and dated September 1986, which shall be on file and available for public inspection in the offices of the [Commission](/usc/16/544.md?p=c) and of the Chief, Forest Service. The boundaries of [urban areas](/usc/16/544.md?p=s) designated in this subsection may be revised pursuant to the provisions of this section.
- (f) **Revision of urban area boundaries—**
  - (1) Upon application of a county and in consultation with the [Secretary](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-1), the [Commission](/usc/16/544.md?p=c) may make minor revisions to the boundaries of any urban [area](/usc/16/539m–1.md?p=1-A) identified in [subsection (e)](#e) of this section. A majority vote of two-thirds of the members of the [Commission](/usc/16/544.md?p=c), including a majority of the members appointed from each [State](/usc/16/590q.md?p=a), shall be required to approve any revision of urban [area](/usc/16/539m–1.md?p=1-A) boundaries.
  - (2) The [Commission](/usc/16/544.md?p=c) may revise the boundaries of an urban [area](/usc/16/539m–1.md?p=1-A) only if it finds that—
    - (A) a demonstrable need exists to accommodate long-range urban population growth requirements or economic needs consistent with the [management plan](/usc/16/544.md?p=k);
    - (B) revision of urban [area](/usc/16/539m–1.md?p=1-A) boundaries would be consistent with the standards established in [section 544d of this title](/usc/16/544d.md) and the purposes of sections [544](/usc/16/544.md) to [544p](/usc/16/544p.md) of this title;
    - (C) revision of urban [area](/usc/16/539m–1.md?p=1-A) boundaries would result in maximum efficiency of land uses within and on the fringe of existing [urban areas](/usc/16/544.md?p=s); and
    - (D) revision of urban [area](/usc/16/539m–1.md?p=1-A) boundaries would not result in the significant reduction of [agricultural lands](/usc/16/544.md?p=b), [forest lands](/usc/16/544.md?p=f), or [open spaces](/usc/16/544.md?p=l).

## Footnotes

[^1]: So in original. Probably should be “Willamette”.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 99–663, § 4, Nov. 17, 1986, 100 Stat. 4276; Pub. L. 103–437, § 6(d)(34), Nov. 2, 1994, 108 Stat. 4585; Pub. L. 105–277, div. A, § 101(e) [title III, § 354(a)], Oct. 21, 1998, 112 Stat. 2681–231, 2681–303; Pub. L. 106–31, title V, § 5004(3), May 21, 1999, 113 Stat. 110; Pub. L. 106–291, title III, § 346(d), Oct. 11, 2000, 114 Stat. 1000.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### References in Text

The Second Supplemental Appropriations Act, 1984, referred to in subsec. (a)(2)(B)(i), is Pub. L. 98–396, Aug. 22, 1984, 98 Stat. 1369. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Tables.

### Amendments

2000—Subsec. (b)(2). Pub. L. 106–291, § 346(d)(1), substituted “by paragraph (1)” for “in this section” in introductory provisions.

Subsec. (b)(3). Pub. L. 106–291, § 346(d)(2), which directed amendment of subsec. (b)(2) by adding at the end a par. (3), was executed by adding par. (3) after subsec. (b)(2), to reflect the probable intent of Congress.

1999—Subsec. (a)(2). Pub. L. 106–31 made technical correction to directory language of Pub. L. 105–277. See 1998 Amendment note below.

1998—Subsec. (a)(2). Pub. L. 105–277, as amended by Pub. L. 106–31, inserted par. (2) heading, designated existing provisions as subpar. (A), inserted heading, and substituted “Except as provided in subparagraph (B), the boundaries” for “The boundaries”, and added subpar. (B).

1994—Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 103–437 substituted “Natural Resources” for “Interior and Insular Affairs” after “Committees on Agriculture and”.

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date of 1999 Amendment

Pub. L. 106–31, title V, § 5004(4), May 21, 1999, 113 Stat. 110, provided that: “The amendments made by paragraphs (1), (2), and (3) of this section [amending this section and section 1374 of this title], shall take effect as if included in Public Law 105–277 on the date of its enactment [Oct. 21, 1998].”

### Congressional Intent of 1998 Amendment

Pub. L. 105–277, div. A, § 101(e) [title III, § 354(b)], Oct. 21, 1998, 112 Stat. 2681–231, 2681–303, provided that: “The amendment made by subsection (a) [amending this section]— is intended to achieve the intent of Congress set forth in Public Law 98–396 [see Tables for classification]; and is not intended to set a precedent regarding adjustment or amendment of any boundaries of the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area or any other provisions of the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area Act [see Short Title note set out under section 544 of this title].”