Bill Summary
The "Yosemite National Park Equal Access and Fairness Act" aims to amend the original 1913 act that established the Hetch Hetchy Reservoir and Lake Eleanor Basin to enhance public access for recreational activities. Key provisions of the bill include:
1. **Increased Funding**: It raises the funding cap for improvements from $30,000 to $2,000,000 and ties future funding adjustments to the Consumer Price Index.
2. **Recreational Access**: The Secretary of the Interior, through the National Park Service, is tasked with managing these areas to promote public recreation while preserving their scenic, historic, and scientific values.
3. **Permitted Activities**: The bill outlines specific recreational activities allowed in these areas, including swimming, non-motorized boating, camping, picnicking, and access by vehicles, provided they do not disrupt facility operations related to dam management.
4. **Reporting Requirement**: Within a year of enactment, a report is mandated to assess whether the original access intentions have been met and to explore equitable revenue collection strategies to support the areas' maintenance and recreational use.
Overall, the legislation seeks to enhance public enjoyment of these natural resources while ensuring their preservation and sustainable management.
Possible Impacts
The proposed "Yosemite National Park Equal Access and Fairness Act" could affect people in several ways:
1. **Increased Recreational Opportunities**: By expanding access to the Hetch Hetchy Reservoir and Lake Eleanor Basin areas, the legislation allows for a wider range of recreational activities such as swimming, camping, and picnicking. This could enhance the outdoor experience for visitors, providing more opportunities for families and individuals to engage with nature and participate in outdoor activities.
2. **Economic Impact on Local Communities**: The bill could lead to increased tourism and economic activity in surrounding areas due to more visitors accessing these recreational sites. Local businesses, such as hotels, restaurants, and outdoor gear shops, may benefit from the influx of tourists, which could help stimulate the local economy and create jobs.
3. **Environmental Management and Preservation**: The legislation emphasizes the need to preserve the scenic, historic, and scientific features of the Hetch Hetchy Reservoir and Lake Eleanor Basin areas. This focus on environmental management could lead to improved conservation practices, benefiting local ecosystems and wildlife. Additionally, the inclusion of wildfire mitigation activities may help reduce the risk of wildfires, thereby protecting both natural resources and nearby communities.
[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 177 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 177
To amend the Act of December 19, 1913 (38 Stat. 242), to expand access
to the Hetch Hetchy Reservoir and Lake Eleanor Basin areas for
recreational purposes, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
January 3, 2025
Mr. McClintock (for himself, Mr. Calvert, Mr. LaMalfa, and Mr. Valadao)
introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on
Natural Resources
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Act of December 19, 1913 (38 Stat. 242), to expand access
to the Hetch Hetchy Reservoir and Lake Eleanor Basin areas for
recreational purposes, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Yosemite National Park Equal Access
and Fairness Act''.
SEC. 2. EXPANSION OF ACCESS TO HETCH HETCHY RESERVOIR AND LAKE ELEANOR
BASIN AREAS FOR RECREATIONAL PURPOSES.
(a) In General.--The Act of December 19, 1913 (38 Stat. 242), is
amended--
(1) in section 7--
(A) in the first sentence--
(i) by striking ``$30,000'' and inserting
``$2,000,000''; and
(ii) by inserting ``and adjusted annually
to reflect increases in the Consumer Price
Index for All Urban Consumers'' after ``July of
each year'';
(B) by inserting ``The grantee may not recoup said
sums from wholesale water or power customers of the
grantee.'' after the first sentence; and
(C) in the second sentence, by inserting ``and
wildfire mitigation activities'' after ``other
improvements''; and
(2) by inserting after section 11 the following:
``SEC. 12. RECREATIONAL ACTIVITY.
``(a) In General.--The Secretary of the Interior, acting through
the Director of the National Park Service (in this section referred to
as the `Secretary'), shall administer the Hetch Hetchy Reservoir and
Lake Eleanor Basin areas--
``(1) for public recreation, benefit, and use;
``(2) to the extent practicable, in a manner that will
preserve, develop, and enhance the public recreation capacity
of each such area; and
``(3) in a manner that will preserve the features of each
such area that are scenic, historic, scientific, or otherwise
important.
``(b) Recreational Activities.--Subject to such limitations,
conditions, and regulations as the Secretary determines necessary, the
following activities shall be allowed within the Hetch Hetchy Reservoir
and Lake Eleanor Basin areas for recreational purposes if such
activities are not inconsistent with the designated primary or
recreational use of each such area:
``(1) Swimming.
``(2) Use of non-motorized watercraft.
``(3) Camping in and around each such area if such camping
is not below the respective ordinary high-water marks of each
such area.
``(4) Picnicking in and around each such area.
``(5) Other recreational activities the Secretary
determines appropriate.
``(6) Use by motorized and non-motorized vehicles of roads
required to access each such area to conduct activities
described in this subsection if such use has no negative effect
on the operation or maintenance of any facility associated with
a dam within each such area.''.
(b) Report.--Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment
of this section, the Secretary of the Interior, acting through the
Director of the National Park Service, shall submit to the appropriate
congressional committees a report that includes the following:
(1) An analysis of whether the original intent in the Act
of December 19, 1913 (38 Stat. 242), regarding access to the
Hetch Hetchy Reservoir and Lake Eleanor Basin areas for
recreational purposes has been followed since such areas were
created.
(2) An analysis of how revenue collection and the
allocation of funds related to the administration of the Hetch
Hetchy Reservoir and Lake Eleanor Basin areas can be carried
out to best provide equitable access to such areas for
recreational purposes by the public, including consideration
of--
(A) maintenance and support costs of such areas,
including--
(i) trail maintenance;
(ii) road improvements; and
(iii) wildfire prevention and suppression;
and
(B) ways to mitigate such costs, including--
(i) adjusting the prices charged for water
and power generated by the Hetch Hetchy Water
and Power System created by the Act of December
19, 1913 (38 Stat. 242);
(ii) treating the City of San Francisco as
a concessioner; and
(iii) adding to the annual rental fee
charged to the City of San Francisco by section
7 of the Act of December 19, 1913 (38 Stat.
242), the annual monetary value of the benefits
that would be lost if such areas had not been
created, including consideration of--
(I) recreational activities; and
(II) flood control.
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