[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1595 Introduced in House (IH)]






108th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 1595

  To further cooperation and support among Federal land managers and 
 designated gateway communities where the results of such cooperation 
    and support are likely to be mutually beneficial, and for other 
                               purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             April 3, 2003

Mrs. Christensen (for herself and Mr. Rahall) introduced the following 
bill; which was referred to the Committee on Resources, and in addition 
   to the Committee on 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 further cooperation and support among Federal land managers and 
 designated gateway communities where the results of such cooperation 
    and support are likely to be mutually beneficial, 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. COOPERATION AND SUPPORT FOR DESIGNATED GATEWAY COMMUNITIES.

    (a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``Healthy Public 
Lands, Healthy Communities Act''.
    (b) Technical Assistance, Cooperation, and Training.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary of the Interior and the 
        Secretary of Agriculture may cooperate with and may provide 
        technical assistance to any designated gateway community where 
        the relevant Secretary determines that the results of such 
        cooperation and assistance are likely to benefit both the 
        protection of resources managed by the Secretary and the 
        community.
            (2) Technical assistance.--At the request of the government 
        of a designated gateway community, the relevant Secretary may 
        assign, on a temporary basis, an agency employee or contractor 
        to work with the community to develop mutually compatible land 
        use or management plans or policies for the general area.
            (3) Training sessions.--The Secretary of the Interior and 
        the Secretary of Agriculture may offer training sessions for 
        elected and appointed officials of designated gateway 
        communities at which such officials can obtain a better 
        understanding of--
                    (A) agency planning processes; and
                    (B) the methods by which they can participate most 
                meaningfully in the development of agency plans, 
                decisions, and policies, including information 
                regarding the process whereby units of local government 
                may obtain status as cooperating agencies under the 
                National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 
                4321 et seq.).
            (4) Coordination of land use.--To the extent consistent 
        with the laws governing the administration of the Federal 
        public lands, and at the request of the government of a 
        designated gateway community, the Secretary of the Interior and 
        the Secretary of Agriculture may enter into cooperative 
        agreements with designated gateway communities to provide for 
        coordination between--
                    (A) the land use inventory, planning, and 
                management activities for Federal lands administered by 
                the relevant Secretary;
                    (B) the land use inventory, planning, and 
                management activities for lands administered by the 
                designated gateway community; and
                    (C) where relevant, such cooperative agreements may 
                also include the land use planning and management 
                activities of other Federal agencies, agencies of the 
                State in which the Federal lands are located, and local 
                and tribal governments in the vicinity of the Federal 
                lands.
            (5) Interagency cooperation and coordination.--To the 
        extent practicable and when consistent with applicable laws and 
        regulations of each respective Federal land management agency, 
        when the plans and activities of 2 or more Federal land 
        management agencies are anticipated to have a significant 
        impact on a designated gateway community, the Federal land 
        agencies involved may consolidate and coordinate their plans 
        and planning processes to facilitate the participation of the 
        designated gateway community in the planning processes.
            (6) Authorization of appropriations.--There is authorized 
        to be appropriated not more than $1,000,000 in any fiscal year 
        for use by the relevant Secretary to carry out this section.
    (c) Grants.--
            (1) Authority.--The Secretary of the Interior and the 
        Secretary of Agriculture may make grants to designated gateway 
        communities for the purposes described in this section.
            (2) Criteria.--The Secretaries shall jointly develop 
        criteria for awarding of grants under this subsection.
            (3) Authorization of appropriations.--There is authorized 
        to be appropriated not more than $1,000,000 in any fiscal year 
        for grants under this subsection.
    (d) Designated Gateway Community.--For purposes of this section, 
the term ``designated gateway community'' means a county, city, town, 
village, or other subdivision of a State, or a federally recognized 
Indian tribe or Alaska Native village, that--
            (1) is incorporated or recognized in a county or regional 
        land use plan;
            (2) the Secretary of the Interior or the Secretary of 
        Agriculture determines is significantly affected economically, 
        socially, or environmentally by planning and management 
        decisions regarding Federal lands administered by the relevant 
        Secretary; and
            (3) has entered into a cooperative agreement with the 
        relevant Secretary pursuant to subsection (b)(4).
                                 <all>