U.S. Rep. French Hill (R-AR) on Feb. 26 proposed legislation that would add more than 2,000 U.S. Forest Service acres to the Flatside Wilderness area, which is part of the congressman’s district in the Ouachita National Forest in Perry County, Ark.
“I am proud to reintroduce my Flatside Wilderness Additions Act, which will complete my work on the final expansion of Flatside Wilderness by adding 2,215 acres of existing U.S. Forest Service land,” said Rep. Hill, who first introduced the bill during the previous session of Congress. The identical legislation unanimously passed the U.S. House Natural Resources Committee, but languished in the full chamber.
“As a ninth-generation Arkansan and a lifelong outdoorsman, I believe that all Arkansans should have the opportunity to experience the natural beauty of our state,” he added.
Rep. Hill sponsored the Flatside Wilderness Additions Act, H.R. 1612, which would designate an additional 2,215 acres to the Flatside Wilderness area in his 2nd Congressional District.
At the direction of Congress, the addition was studied and evaluated by the USFS, which issued a report in May 2021. The legislation is designed based on its analysis and findings, according to the congressman.
“In 2019, my Flatside Wilderness Enhancement Act added over 600 acres to Flatside Wilderness, known as Bethune Woods, and I also commissioned a study of all possible qualifying additions to Flatside,” he said. “Finishing this expansion will bring more opportunities for Arkansans and visitors to explore more of our state’s natural qualities and further boost our outdoor recreation economy.”
H.R. 1612 has garnered support from several organizations, including Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, the National Wildlife Federation, PEW Charitable Trusts, Backcountry Hunters and Anglers, the Ozark Society, the Southern Environmental Law Center, and the Wilderness Society, among others.