[Congressional Bills 105th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1407 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







105th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 1407

   To allow participation by the communities surrounding Yellowstone 
 National Park in decisions affecting the park, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                            November 7, 1997

   Mr. Burns introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 
       referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
   To allow participation by the communities surrounding Yellowstone 
 National Park in decisions affecting the park, 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 ``Yellowstone National Park Community 
Participation Act''.

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Park.--The term ``Park'' means Yellowstone National 
        Park.
            (2) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of the Interior.

SEC. 3. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds that--
            (1) the communities surrounding Yellowstone National Park 
        have an intense interest in the Park and have economies that 
        are directly tied to the Park;
            (2) the communities surrounding the Park have such close 
        ties to the Park that it is in the communities' best interest 
        that the Park be cared for and provided for;
            (3) the Secretary and the National Park Service have stated 
        that all national parks should work cooperatively and in 
        partnership with the communities surrounding the parks;
            (4) the National Park Service has not dealt in good faith 
        with the communities surrounding the Park; and
            (5) a sense of economic stability and cooperation must be 
        brought to the communities surrounding the Park.

SEC. 4. OPENING AND CLOSING WEST YELLOWSTONE ENTRANCE.

    Subject to subsection (b), the gates at the West Yellowstone 
Entrance of the Park--
            (1) for the summer season, shall open for automobiles and 
        motorized transportation on or before the third Friday in April 
        and shall close on or about the first Monday in November; and
            (2) for the winter season, shall open not later than the 
        first Friday in December (having been groomed prior to the 
        opening) and shall close not earlier than the second Monday in 
        March.
    (b) Change in Dates.--The Secretary may change a date in subsection 
(a) only after providing notice to and consulting with any community in 
the vicinity of the West Yellowstone Entrance.

SEC. 5. ACTIVITIES.

    (a) Summer Season.--During the summer season, the Secretary shall 
make the Park available for a wide assortment of activities associated 
with summer recreation.
    (b) Winter Season.--During the winter season, the Secretary shall 
make the Park usable for snowcoaching, snowmobiling, showshoeing, 
cross-country skiing, camping, and other winter recreational activities 
determined appropriate by the Secretary.

SEC. 6. FEES.

    The Secretary shall consult with local communities and provide not 
less than 1 year's notice of any change in the fee structure of the 
Park.

SEC. 7. EFFECTIVE DATE.

    This Act takes effect on the date that is 90 days after the date of 
enactment of this Act.
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