Benjamin Harrison National Recreation Area and Wilderness Establishment Act of 2024

This bill establishes the Benjamin Harrison National Recreation Area (covering about 29,382 acres) and adds approximately 15,300 acres to the Charles C. Deam Wilderness within Indiana’s Hoosier National Forest. The National Recreation Area will allow recreational activities like hiking and fishing while protecting Monroe Reservoir’s water quality, and the wilderness addition will be managed under the Wilderness Act (prohibiting motorized use). The Forest Service must develop a management plan within five years, incorporating public input and an advisory committee, using existing funds without new appropriations. The bill directly affects public access, recreation, and land management in these designated areas.