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000654 i' f Administration To preserve and enhance the out- standing qualities of a river in the na- tional system, some degree of public con- trol over the stream and river bank is re- quired. Since Federal legislation is re- quired for federally-administered com- ponents, Congress determines the degree of control and the size of such an area. The administration of the new area by the Department of the Interior or the Depart- ment of Agriculture, or jointly, is gener- ally determined by the extent of land in the area controlled by these Departments, and is recommended in the study of the area submitted to Congress. Land within a federally-administered component will be protected by one of the following methods: (a) complete publIc ownership, (b) public control through acquisition of scenic or other easements, or (c) local zoning ordinances. Complete public ownership is de- sirable for areas where there are outstand- ing scenic, recreational, geologic. fish and wildlife, historic, cultural or other similar va]ues; existing or proposed facility de- velopments: and for major public access and visitor use areas. Privately owned lands on the river bank not otherwise needed for present or future public use normally would be subject to some type of seen ic easement. Easements and local zoning would permit existing or expected land uses that are compatible with the basic intent of the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act and prevent those which degrade the river's special environment. () ( The exact type of control and bound- aries vary from area to area. These are largely determined by existing and pro- posed uses of the river, its immediate en- vironment, and by topography. A federally-managed component of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers Sys- tem should not exceed an average of 320 acres of land per mile of river. No more than an average of 100 acres of land per mile of river can be purchased in fee title. Whenever a total of 50 percent or more of the entire acreage within a feder- ally-managed component is already owned by the Federal Government, a State, or its political subdivisions, the Secretaries of the Interior or Agriculture are prohibited from acquiring fee title to any private land unless the owner is willing to sell his property. Likewise. neither Secretary may acquire lands from an unwilling seller within an incorporated city, village. or borough when zoning ordinances protect- ing special values are in effect and ap- proved by the appropriate Secretary. Where valid zoning ordinances adequately protect special values in unincorporated areas, the appropriate Seeretary may eleet to suspend his eondemnation authorities. Owners of private, noncommercial residences located on land acquired by a Federal agency for inclusion in the nation- al system may, under certain circum- stances continue to live in their homes for fixed p~riods up to 25 years or for life terms. The price paid the owner under such an arrangement is the fair market value at the time the property is purchased less the fair market value of continued occupancy.