(a) Purpose. The Act establishing the Hells Canyon National Recreation Area (hereafter referred to as HCNRA) (16 U.S.C. §§ 460gg-460gg-13) encourages the retention of traditional and valid uses of private land within the HCNRA, such as ranching, grazing, farming, timber harvesting, and the occupation of homes and lands associated therewith, as they existed at the time the HCNRA was established on December 31, 1975. To this end, the Act directs the Secretary of Agriculture to promulgate regulations establishing standards for the use and development of private land within the HCNRA and grants the Secretary limited condemnation authority to address situations where the standards are not met. The purpose of this subpart is to establish standards that would guide the Secretary’s consideration of the use of the limited condemnation authority granted by the Act.

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(b) Scope. The regulations in this subpart establish standards applicable to all private property within the boundaries of the HCNRA, including that within the boundaries of the Rapid, Snake, and Imnaha Wild and Scenic Rivers and the Hells Canyon Wilderness. The regulations in this subpart do not operate to restrict the use and development of private property; rather, they serve to inform the landowner of those uses that are compatible with purposes for which the HCNRA was established. Uses not compatible with these standards could result in the Secretary acquiring land or interests therein without a landowner’s consent.

The regulations in this subpart, in and of themselves, do not effect a taking of private property, including valid, existing water rights, nor do the standards established in this subpart limit or restrict a private landowner’s property use that is compatible with the purposes of the Act. The Responsible Official may use the regulations in this subpart solely to determine whether private land uses or developments are compatible with the purposes and direction of the Act and, if not, to determine whether the Secretary should consider initiating condemnation proceedings to acquire land or scenic easements.