[Congressional Bills 106th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4299 Introduced in House (IH)]







106th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 4299

   To require Federal agencies responsible for managing Federal lake 
projects to pursue strategies for enhancing recreational experiences of 
           the public at such lakes, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             April 13, 2000

 Mr. Deal of Georgia introduced the following bill; which was referred 
  to the Committee on Resources, and in addition to the Committees on 
Transportation and Infrastructure, and Agriculture, for a period to be 
subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration 
  of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee 
                               concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
   To require Federal agencies responsible for managing Federal lake 
projects to pursue strategies for enhancing recreational experiences of 
           the public at such lakes, 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 ``National Recreation Lakes Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSES.

    (a) Findings.--The Congress finds the following:
            (1) Lakes created by Federal dam projects have become 
        powerful magnets for diverse recreation activities, drawing 
        hundreds of millions of visits annually and generating tens of 
        billions of dollars in economic benefits.
            (2) Recreational opportunities are provided at such lakes, 
        on surrounding lands, and on downstream waters, by Federal 
        agencies and through partnerships among Federal, State, and 
        local government agencies and private persons.
    (b) Purposes.--The purposes of this Act are the following:
            (1) To require Federal agencies responsible for management 
        of lakes created by Federal dam projects to pursue strategies 
        for enhancing recreational experiences at such lakes.
            (2) To direct Federal agencies to utilize creative 
        management of lakes created by Federal dam projects that 
        optimizes both recreational opportunities and other purposes of 
        such projects, including the provision of agricultural and 
        municipal water supplies, flood control and navigation 
        benefits, and production of hydroelectric power, as applicable.

SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Council.--The term ``Council'' means the Federal Lakes 
        Recreation Leadership Council, an interdepartmental 
        coordinating body established by a memorandum of agreement 
        among the Secretary of Agriculture, the Secretary of the Army, 
        the Secretary of the Interior, and the Chairman of the 
        Tennessee Valley Authority dated October 27, 1999.
            (2) Federal manmade lake.--The term ``Federal manmade 
        lake'' means--
                    (A) any impoundment or diversion of water that is 
                part of a water resources project operated, maintained, 
                or constructed by any Federal agency and that has a 
                maximum storage capacity of 50 acre feet or more; and
                    (B) any water downstream of such an impoundment or 
                diversion.
            (3) Federal lake management agency.--The term ``Federal 
        lake management agency'' means any Federal agency that manages 
        a Federal manmade lake.
            (4) National demonstration lakes.--The term ``National 
        Demonstration Lake'' means a federal manmade lake that is 
        designated as a National Demonstration Lake in accordance with 
        section 6.
            (5) Recreation.--The term ``recreation'' means--
                    (A) any water-related recreational activity that 
                may take place on or in a Federal manmade lake, 
                including boating, swimming, fishing, sailing, and 
                diving;
                    (B) any water-related recreational activity that 
                may take place below the impoundment creating a Federal 
                manmade lake, including rafting, kayaking, canoeing, 
                and fishing; and
                    (C) any recreational activities that take place on 
                federally managed lands in the vicinity of the Federal 
                manmade lake, including fishing and wildlife-related 
                activities, that are allowed under existing land 
                management plans.

SEC. 4. RECREATION AS AUTHORIZED PURPOSE OF ALL FEDERAL MANMADE LAKE 
              PROJECTS.

    (a) In General.--The head of each Federal lake management agency 
shall--
            (1) treat recreation as an authorized purpose of each 
        Federal manmade lake that is managed by the agency; and
            (2) give recreation appropriate attention in all agency 
        decisions and policies relating to such Federal manmade lakes.
    (b) Downstream Waters.--The head of each Federal agency shall, in 
conducting any activity relating to waters that are downstream waters 
of a Federal manmade lake, consider recreation uses of such waters.
    (c) Reports.--
            (1) Initial report by federal lake management agencies.--
        Not later than 12 months after the date of the enactment of 
        this Act, the head of each Federal lake management agency shall 
        submit a report to the Congress and the Council that describes 
        --
                    (A) actions taken by the agency to communicate to 
                personnel of the agency the requirements of this Act 
                and other laws relating to recreation use of Federal 
                manmade lakes; and
                    (B) actions to be taken by the agency to expand 
                recreation opportunities at Federal manmade lakes, 
                including a schedule for taking such actions
            (2) Council.--Not later than 36 months after the date of 
        the enactment of this Act, and every 24 months thereafter, the 
        Council, or if the Council does not exist the head of each 
        Federal lake management agency that manages 50 or more Federal 
        manmade lakes, shall submit a report to the Congress describing 
        actions take by the members of the Council or such agency, as 
        applicable, to expand recreation opportunities at Federal 
        manmade lakes.
    (d) Relationship to Other Law.--This Act does not affect--
            (1) any other authorized purposes of any Federal manmade 
        lake;
            (2) any contract entered into before the date of the 
        enactment of this Act; or
            (3) the authority of States to manage fish and wildlife.

SEC. 5. RECREATION FEE DEMONSTRATION PROGRAM.

    Section 315 of the Land and Water Conservation Fund Act of 1965 (16 
U.S.C. 460l-6a note) is amended--
            (1) in subsection (a)--
                    (A) by inserting ``, the Bureau of Reclamation,'' 
                after ``the National Park Service'';
                    (B) by striking ``Service) and'' and inserting 
                ``Service),''; and
                    (C) by inserting before ``shall each'' the 
                following: ``, and the Secretary of the Army (acting 
                through the Corps of Engineers)'';
            (2) in subsection (b) by striking ``four agencies'' and 
        inserting ``6 agencies''; and
            (3) in subsection (e)--
                    (A) by striking ``and'' and inserting a comma; and
                    (B) by inserting ``, and the Secretary of the 
                Army'' before ``shall carry out''.

SEC. 6. ESTABLISHMENT OF NATIONAL RECREATION LAKES DEMONSTRATION 
              PROGRAM.

    (a) Establishment.--There is established the National Recreation 
Lakes Demonstration Program. The program shall consist of the conduct 
of activities in accordance with this section at up to 20 National 
Demonstration Lakes designated in accordance with this section.
    (b) Designation of National Demonstration Lakes.--
            (1) In general.--The head of each participating Federal 
        lake management agency under paragraph (2) may designate 
        Federal manmade lakes that are managed by the agency as 
        National Demonstration Lakes. The total number of Federal 
        manmade lakes designated by each agency may not exceed the 
        number allocated to the agency by the Council.
            (2) Participating agencies.--For purposes of paragraph (1), 
        the participating Federal lake management agencies are the 
        following:
                    (A) The Corps of Engineers.
                    (B) The Bureau of Reclamation.
                    (C) The Forest Service.
                    (D) The Bureau of Indian Affairs.
                    (E) The United States Fish and Wildlife Service.
                    (F) The National Park Service.
                    (G) The Tennessee Valley Authority.
                    (H) The Bureau of Land Management.
            (3) Criteria.--The Council shall develop and issue criteria 
        for use by participating agencies in the selecting candidates 
        for designation as National Demonstration Lakes. The Council 
        shall consult with participating agencies to encourage 
        geographic and opportunity diversity.
            (4) Allocation of lakes.--The Council shall allocate to 
        each participating agency under paragraph (2) a maximum number 
        of Federal manmade lakes that the agency may designate as 
        National Demonstration Lakes.
            (5) Effective period of designation.--A designation of a 
        Federal manmade lake as a National Demonstration Lake shall be 
        effective for a period specified by the agency head making the 
        designation, not to exceed 10 years.
    (c) Authorized Activities.--
            (1) In general.--Subject to paragraph (2), the head of a 
        participating Federal lake management agency may conduct at a 
        National Demonstration Lake managed by the agency any activity 
        to experiment with fees, concessions agreements, and innovative 
        management structures, notwithstanding any requirement or 
        restriction under any other law.
            (2) Enhancement of recreation activities.--The head of a 
        participating Federal lake management agency may not conduct 
        any activity under this subsection unless the activity enhances 
        opportunities for recreation activities that occur on a 
        National Demonstration Lake managed by the agency or other 
        recreation activities that occur in proximity to such a lake.
    (d) Local Advisory Committees.--
            (1) In general.--The head of a participating Federal lake 
        management agency shall establish, for each National 
        Demonstration Lake managed by the agency, an advisory committee 
        comprised of State and local government and private sector 
        representatives.
            (2) Federal advisory committee act.--The Federal Advisory 
        Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.) shall not apply to any advisory 
committee established under this section.
    (e) Reports.--The head of each participating Federal lake 
management agency shall periodically report to the Congress regarding 
activities of the agency under this section.

SEC. 7. PERIODIC REVIEW AND REVISION OF OPERATING POLICIES FOR FEDERAL 
              MANMADE LAKES.

    The head of each Federal lake management agency shall--
            (1) conduct a comprehensive review of its operating 
        policies for Federal manmade lakes managed by the agency, at 
        least once every 15 years; and
            (2) revise such policies as necessary to incorporate new 
        information and ensure coordinated management of such lakes to 
        produce high levels of benefits for all authorized purposes of 
        the lakes.

SEC. 8. REVISED COST SHARING REQUIREMENTS FOR RECREATION PROJECTS.

    (a) In General.--Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the 
Federal share of the costs to construct, reconstruct, or operate 
facilities for recreation at a Federal manmade lake, including the 
costs of lands, may be 100 percent.
    (b) Conforming Amendments to Federal Water Project Recreation 
Act.--The Federal Water Project Recreation Act is amended--
            (1) in section 2 (16 U.S.C. 460l-13)--
                    (A) in subsection (a) by striking ``and to bear'' 
                and all that follows through ``recreation,''; and
                    (B) in subsection (b)--
                            (i) by striking ``recreation and''; and
                            (ii) by striking ``recreation or'';
            (2) in section 3 (16 U.S.C. 460l-14)--
                    (A) in subsection (b)(1) by striking ``and will 
                bear'' the first place it appears and all that follows 
                through ``recreation,''; and
                    (B) in subsection (c) by striking paragraph (2); 
                and
            (3) in section 4 (16 U.S.C. 460l-15) by striking 
        ``recreation and'' and all that follows through ``those 
        purposes''.

SEC. 9. ASSISTANCE TO UNITS OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT IN VICINITY OF NATIONAL 
              DEMONSTRATION LAKES.

    (a) In General.--The head of any Federal lake management agency 
that manages a National Demonstration Lake may carry out activities to 
improve communications and cooperation between the agency and local 
community interests in the vicinity of the lake with respect to such 
management, including planning, advisory boards, marketing, and other 
activities.
    (b) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated for each fiscal year to remain available until expended--
            (1) to the head of each Federal lake management agency that 
        manages a National Demonstration Lake $1,000,000 for each such 
        lake to carry out this section; and
            (2) to the Secretary of the Interior $2,000,000 to 
        coordinate activities of Federal lake management agencies under 
        this section.

SEC. 10. USE OF FEDERAL WATER PROJECT FUNDING FOR MATCHING REQUIREMENTS 
              FOR RECREATION PROJECTS AT NATIONAL DEMONSTRATION LAKES.

    (a) Federal Aid in Fish Restoration Act.--The Act of August 9, 1950 
(chapter 658; 16 U.S.C. 777 et seq.), popularly known as the Federal 
Aid in Fish Restoration Act, is amended by striking the second section 
13 and inserting the following:

``SEC. 14. APPLICATION OF FEDERAL WATER PROJECT SPENDING TO NON-FEDERAL 
              SHARE OF COVERED RECREATION PROJECTS.

    ``(a) In General.--The use for any covered recreation project of 
amounts appropriated for a Federal water project shall be treated as 
payment of the non-Federal share of costs required under this Act.
    ``(b) Definitions.--In this section:
            ``(1) Covered recreation project.--The term `covered 
        recreation project' means construction or reconstruction of 
        facilities for recreation at a National Demonstration Lake that 
        is carried out with assistance under this Act.
            ``(2) Other terms.--Each of the terms `National 
        Demonstration Lake' and `recreation' has the meaning that term 
        has in section 2 of the National Recreation Lakes Act.''.
    (b) Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Act.--The Act of September 
2, 1937 (chapter 899; 16 U.S.C. 669 et seq.), popularly known as the 
Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Act, is amended by adding at the 
end the following:

``SEC. 11. APPLICATION OF FEDERAL WATER PROJECT SPENDING TO NON-FEDERAL 
              SHARE OF RECREATION PROJECTS.

    ``(a) In General.--The use for any covered recreation project of 
amounts appropriated for a Federal water project shall be treated as 
payment of the non-Federal share of costs required under this Act.
    ``(b) Definitions.--In this section:
            ``(1) Covered recreation project.--The term `covered 
        recreation project' means construction or reconstruction of 
        facilities for recreation at a National Demonstration Lake that 
        is carried out with assistance under this Act.
            ``(2) Other terms.--Each of the terms `National 
        Demonstration Lake' and `recreation' has the meaning that term 
        has in section 2 of the National Recreation Lakes Act.''.
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